851  
FXUS63 KARX 182313  
AFDARX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI  
613 PM CDT THU APR 18 2024  
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
- FROST/FREEZE HEADLINES ARE IN EFFECT TONIGHT/FRIDAY MORNING.  
HIGHEST PROBABILITIES (60-90%) FOR SUBFREEZING TEMPERATURES  
REMAIN WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.  
 
- BLUSTERY TO END THE WEEK, WITH A COOLER AND DRIER WEEKEND  
AHEAD. WILL BE MONITORING THE POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL  
FROST/FREEZE HEADLINES.  
 
- SYSTEM MOVING IN EARLY NEXT WEEK BRINGS THE RETURN OF SHOWER  
CHANCES TO THE AREA.  
 

 
   
DISCUSSION
 
 
ISSUED AT 249 PM CDT THU APR 18 2024  
 
TONIGHT - WEEKEND:  
 
CURRENT RADAR MOSAIC THIS AFTERNOON SHOWS RAIN SHOWERS CONTINUING TO  
MOVE ACROSS THE AREA, WITH LIGHTNING PLOTS SHOWING MUCH OF THE  
LIGHTNING ACTIVITY REMAINING WITH THE STORMS FURTHER SOUTH. HI-RES  
GUIDANCE SUGGESTS SHOWERS WILL BEGIN TO PUSH OUT OF THE AREA,  
EXITING WEST TO EAST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. A DRY,  
BUT MUCH COOLER NIGHT FOLLOWS WITH LOWS DROPPING INTO THE UPPER 20S  
TO MID 30S ACROSS THE AREA. WITH FAVORABLE CONDITIONS EXPECTED,  
FROST/FREEZE HEADLINES HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR TONIGHT/FRIDAY MORNING  
FOR THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE COUNTIES. WITH THE HIGHEST PROBABILITIES  
(60-90%) FOR SUBFREEZING TEMPERATURES REMAINING WEST OF THE  
MISSISSIPPI RIVER, A FREEZE WARNING WAS ISSUED FOR THOSE LOCATIONS.  
A FROST HEADLINE REMAINS FOR THOSE COUNTIES ALONG THE RIVER WITH  
VALLEYS LIKELY REMAINING A TAD BIT WARMER.  
 
AN UPPER LEVEL LOW IS FORECAST TO TRACK EASTWARD ACROSS CANADA  
THROUGH THE DAY ON FRIDAY, WITH A FEW WEAK WAVES DROPPING DOWN  
THROUGH THE REGION. CAM SOLUTIONS DO TRY TO DEVELOP SOME LIGHT  
ECHOES ACROSS NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA FRIDAY  
AFTERNOON-EVENING. MODEL FORECAST SOUNDINGS DO SUGGESTED STEEPENING  
LAPSE RATES THROUGH THE DAY WITH SOME INSTABILITY, AND WHILE NOT  
MUCH, THERE APPEARS TO BE A TAD BIT MORE SATURATION AS YOU GO  
TOWARDS MORE NORTHERN LOCATIONS. WITH THIS, CANNOT RULE OUT SOME  
ISOLATED SHOWERS AND FLURRIES, SO WILL MAINTAIN SOME LOW  
PRECIPITATION CHANCES ACROSS OUR NORTH FOR NOW. HOWEVER, THE MORE  
WIDESPREAD CONCERN THROUGH THE DAY ON FRIDAY WILL REVOLVE AROUND THE  
RETURN OF GUSTY WEST WINDS WITH A TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT AND  
DEEPER MIXING EXPECTED. THERE ARE STILL SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN  
MODEL GUIDANCE ON HOW DEEPLY WE MIX, BRINGING LOWER CONFIDENCE ON  
REACHING INTO ANY WIND CRITERIA. RIGHT NOW, THE FORECAST KEEPS WIND  
GUSTS IN THE 30S MPH RANGE, THOUGH THE TYPICAL WIND PRONE AREAS  
COULD SEE A FEW HIGHER GUSTS.  
 
IN ADDITION, COOLER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD ACROSS THE  
REGION AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES ACROSS THE CENTRAL U.S. HIGH  
TEMPERATURES HANG IN THE 40S AND 50S FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, WITH A  
SLIGHT BUMP INTO THE 50S FOR MOST ON SUNDAY. THE MAIN CONCERN WILL  
REVOLVE AROUND A COUPLE MORE COOL NIGHTS/MORNINGS SATURDAY AND  
SUNDAY, WITH NBM PROBABILITIES (~80-100%) SHOWING CONFIDENCE IN  
FREEZING TEMPERATURES FOR MANY AREAS (OUTSIDE OF VALLEYS AND SOME  
PORTIONS OF FAR SW WI WHERE PROBS ARE A BIT LOWER). WILL CONTINUE TO  
MONITOR AS ADDITIONAL FROST/FREEZE HEADLINES MAY BE NEEDED THROUGH  
THE WEEKEND.  
 
NEXT WEEK:  
 
MODEL GUIDANCE SUGGESTS AN UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH  
DRIVING DOWN THROUGH THE REGION LATE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. BOTH THE  
GEFS AND EC ENSEMBLE SOLUTIONS HIGHLIGHT THIS TIME PERIOD FOR A  
RETURN OF SHOWERS TO THE FORECAST AREA. BEHIND THIS SYSTEM UPPER  
LEVEL RIDGING BUILDS EASTWARD ACROSS THE CENTRAL CONUS BRINGING  
DRIER CONDITIONS FOR MID-WEEK. TEMPERATURES LOOK TO TREND BACK  
TOWARDS MORE SEASONABLE LATE IN THE PERIOD, THOUGH IT IS NOTED  
THAT ENSEMBLE SPREAD DOES ALSO INCREASE QUITE A BIT.  
 

 
   
AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/
 
 
ISSUED AT 608 PM CDT THU APR 18 2024  
 
GUSTY WNW WINDS WILL RELAX TONIGHT AS DIURNAL HEATING ENDS.  
LOOK FOR CLEARING SKIES OVERNIGHT, WITH INTERMITTENT GUSTS  
POSSIBLE AS THE BOUNDARY LAYER DOESN'T COMPLETELY DECOUPLE. ON  
FRIDAY, WINDS WILL BECOME GUSTY AGAIN (25 TO 30KTS) BY MID-  
MORNING FROM THE WNW WITH DIURNAL CUMULUS AROUND 5KFT EXPECTED.  
 

 
   
ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
WI...FROST ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 8 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR WIZ032-033-041-  
053>055-061.  
MN...FREEZE WARNING FROM 1 AM TO 8 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR MNZ086-087-094-  
095.  
FROST ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 8 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR MNZ079-088-096.  
IA...FREEZE WARNING FROM 1 AM TO 8 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR IAZ008>010-018-  
019-029.  
FROST ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 8 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR IAZ011-030.  
 

 
 

 
 
DISCUSSION...EMS  
AVIATION...JAW  
 
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