514  
FXUS61 KALY 231740  
AFDALY  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY  
140 PM EDT THU MAY 23 2013  
   
SYNOPSIS  
 
A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SLOWLY ACROSS THE REGION THIS  
AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT...AND STALL ALONG THE ATLANTIC SEABOARD  
FRIDAY. LOW PRESSURE WILL ORGANIZE...INTENSIFY...AND LINGER ON THIS  
FRONT NEAR THE NEW ENGLAND COAST MUCH OF THE WEEKEND. HIGH PRESSURE  
WILL BUILD INTO THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES MEMORIAL DAY AND DRIFT OVER  
OUR REGION INTO MIDWEEK WITH FAIR AND DRY WEATHER.  
 
 
   
NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/  
 
AS OF 130 PM EDT...A COLD FRONT REMAINS WEST OF THE REGION OVER  
THE OHIO VALLEY AND THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES REGION EARLY THIS  
AFTERNOON...WITH A PREFRONTAL TROUGH MOVING ACROSS CNTRL NY AND  
PA. THIS PREFRONTAL TROUGH IN THE WARM SECTOR HAS PRODUCED SCT  
SHOWERS OVER THE SRN DACKS AND W-CNTRL MOHAWK VALLEY...AND OTHER  
HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE MID HUDSON VALLEY AND NW  
CT IN ADVANCE OF THE MID LEVEL SHORT-WAVE. THE THUNDERSTORMS  
APPEAR TO BE TRAINING...AND A FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED  
FOR LITCHFIELD COUNTY CT...AND SE DUTCHESS COUNTY. A 30-35 KT H850  
LLJ AND STRONG LOW-LEVEL THETA-E ADVECTION HAVE CAUSED THE  
BAND OF CONVECTION. POPS WERE ISSUED FOR CATEGORICAL VALUES. MOST  
OF THE REST OF THE FCST AREA IS SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE TWO  
BOUNDARIES WITH JUST SOME SCT SHOWERS. ANOTHER BAND IS STARTING TO  
REACH THE WRN DACKS...SO HIGHER POPS HAVE PLACED HERE.  
 
THE SATELLITE PICTURE IS CLUTTERED WITH CLOUD COVER WHICH WILL  
INHIBIT WIDESPREAD STRONG TO SEVERE CONVECTION AT THIS TIME.  
DEWPTS REMAIN IN THE U50S TO M60S...SO ANY HOLES IN THE CLOUD  
COVER MAY ALLOW SBCAPES VALUES OF 400-800 J/KG TO DEVELOP. THE MID  
LEVEL LAPSE RATES CONTINUE TO LOOK POOR AT THIS TIME...BUT THE  
BETTER UPPER LEVEL JET DYNAMICS ARRIVE IN THE LATE PM AND EVENING  
/OUR FORECAST AREA GETS IN THE RIGHT REAR QUADRANT OF THE JET  
STREAK/...AND THE DEEP SHEAR STRENGTHENS TO 40-50 KTS...ESPECIALLY  
FROM THE CAPITAL REGION NORTHWARD BTWN 18Z- 00Z. THE AMOUNT OF  
HEATING AND SFC DESTABILIZATION REMAINS THE QUESTION FOR THE  
POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS PM. NO ENHANCED WORDING IN  
THE ZONES AND GRIDS YET. SOME MULTICELLS EVOLVING INTO LINES AND  
BANDS LOOK POSSIBLE BASED ON THE MODEL SOUNDINGS AND HODOGRAPHS.  
THE LOW TO MODEST INSTABILITY AMOUNTS SHOULD LIMIT TALL UPDRAFTS.  
 
THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS UP FOR THE NRN HALF OF THE FCST  
AREA. ZONAL FFG VALUES IN THE 1/3/6 HR TIME FRAME HAVE LOWERED TO  
1-2 INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF THE CAPITAL REGION AND SRN VT DUE TO  
THE HEAVY RAINS THE PAST FEW DAYS. THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE  
BOUNDARY COUPLED WITH THE ANOMALOUS PWAT VALUES COULD PRODUCE SOME  
FLASH FLOODING IN A FEW SPOTS. AT THIS TIME...MONITORING FOR  
EXPANSION BASED ON THE HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE  
SOUTH.  
 
TEMPS WERE LOWERED ABOUT A CATEGORY TO THE M60S TO M70S OVER THE  
REGION FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON.  
 
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD EVOLVE INTO JUST AN AREAS OF STEADY  
RAIN LATE TONIGHT AS THE LOW LEVEL COOLING GRADUALLY SPREADS  
EAST...AND THE STRENGTHENING UPPER FEATURE BEGINS TO CUT OFF AND  
TRACK ALONG THE NORTHEAST COAST TOMORROW INTO THE WEEKEND. LOWS  
WILL BE IN THE 50S TO L60S.  
 
 
   
SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/  
 
THE TREND THAT BEGAN APPEARING IN THE MODEL SUITE TWO DAYS AGO...IS  
NOW CONSENSUS FOR THE WEEKEND. 00 UTC GFS/NAM/ECMWF HAVE CDFNT  
STALLING ALONG I-95 CORRIDOR BY FRI MORNING. SHARP 500HPA TROF FM  
QB TO APPALACHIANS MOVING EAST...AS SERIES OF SHORT WAVES DIVE  
SOUTHWARD INTO IT AND CUT IT OFF.  
 
DURING FRI IT CUTS OFF OVER THE MID ATLC STATES...COASTAL  
CYCLOGENISUS ENSUES OFF LONG ISLAND...AND THE SLOWLY DEEPENING SFC  
LOW AND THE 500HPA CUT OFF BCMG VERTICAL OFF S NEW ENG COAST  
SAT...THEN DRIFT SLOWLY N SUNDAY INTO GULF OF MAINE.  
 
NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS IS GOING TO FEEL MORE LIKE A LATE OCTOBER  
WEEKEND IN THE NORTHEAST. DURING FRIDAY -SHRA WILL TRANSITION TO  
PERIODS OF RAIN IN ANNA TYPE FRONT BTWN SFC FRONT AND 500HPA AXIS.  
AT SAME TIME GRADIENT BETWEEN 1031MB HIGH OVER MIDWEST...AND  
DEEPENING SFC LOW OFF LONG ISLAND WILL RESULT IN A 14MB WIND  
GRADIENT ACROSS NYS FRI & SAT. N WINDS WILL INCR TO 10-20 MPH AND  
RESULT WILL BE A RAINY RAW FRI AND SAT.  
 
GFS QPF OF 1-2.5 INCHES...ECMWF 0.75 TO 1.0 FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH  
SAT NT.  
 
DURING THE DAY FRIDAY TEMPERATURES WILL JUST HOLD STEADY NEAR  
MORNING LOWS...BEFORE FALLING DURING FRI AFTN IN STRONG CAA. THEY  
WILL FALL FURTHER FRI NT INTO THE 40S WITH 30S IN WESTERN  
PERIPHERY. SAT HIGHS WILL BE IN THE 50S AND LOW 60S WITH CLOUDS  
AND PERIODS OF RAIN. MAX MIN TEMPS IN GUIDANCE ARE PROBABLY NOT  
MUCH USE...AS ALOT OF NON-DIURNAL EFFECTS GOING ON FRI INTO SAT.  
WILL USE 3 HOURLIES AND LET MAX/MINS FALL OUT.  
 
OF NOTE IS THAT THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE PCPN/CLOUDS WITH THIS  
SYSTEM WILL BE A VERY SHARP TRANSITION...SOMEWHERE ON THE WESTERN  
PERIPHERY OF FCA. PCPN COULD BE SPOTTY OR NON-EXISTENT ALONG W  
EDGE OF FCA...AND THERE MAY BE PERIODS OF THINNING CLOUDS WHICH  
WOULD ALLOW TEMPS TO DROP TO NR FREEZING DURING MORNINGS.  
 
SUN THE VERTICAL SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO DRIFT THROUGH THE GULF  
OF MAINE...INTO THE MARITIMES SUN NT. THE GFS HAS CLOUDS AND -SHRA  
DIM SUNDAY WITH INCRG SUN ALONG W PRTNS OF FCA. THE ECMWF KEEPS IT  
CLOUDY AND WET INTO SUN EVENING. THE O6UTC NAM/GFS ARE A TAD MORE  
PROGRESSIVE WITH THIS SYSTEM AND HAS CLOUDS AND RAIN ONLY FM HUD  
VLY EAST SAT...AND THE SYSTEM CLEARLY EXITING REGION SAT NT.  
 
FOR NOW FCST REFLECTS 00UTC MODEL SUITE TIMING...WITH SKIES FINALLY  
CLEARING SUN NT ACROSS FCA AS 500HPA RIDGING BUILDS INTO THE GRTLKS  
AND SFC HIGH BUILDS INTO E GRTLKS. BUT IF THE EMERGING TREND  
CONTINUES ON LATER RUNS...CONDITIONS MIGHT NOTICEABLE IMPROVE  
ACROSS FCA FOR SUNDAY.  
 
 
   
LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/  
 
AFTER A SOGGY HOLIDAY WEEKEND...THE CUTOFF AND SFC SYSTEM DEPART  
AS RIDGE AT 500HPA BUILDS INTO GRTLKS AND SFC HIGH BUILDS FROM  
GRTLKS TO CAROLINAS MONDAY. THIS PATTERN WILL SHIFT EAST AS LARGE  
500 HPA RIDGE BUILDS OVER E USA AND SFC HIGH SETTLES OFF THE EAST  
COAST. TEMPS WILL RETURN TO NR NORMAL MONDAY..AND BUILD UPWARD  
INTO THE WEEK. FCA IN WAA REGIME THROUGHOUT. THE GFS BRINGS A  
WMFNT AND CHC -SHRA/TSTMS LATE TUES AND WED...WHILE ECMWF KEEPS IT  
DRY INTO THU. ONLY 6 MEMBERS OF THE GEFS ARE IN LINE WITH THE  
OPERATIONAL RUN PCPN WED...THE REST OF THEIR PLUMES ARE FLAT  
LINED. WPC HOLDS PCPN OFF TILL END OF EFP ON THUR. SO FOR NOW WILL  
HAVE A FAIR WARM EFP...WITH A VERY NOTICEABLE WARMING TREND TO ABV  
NORMAL TEMPS. WILL POPULATE WITH WPC FROM MIDNIGHT SHIFT.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/  
 
MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS...BUT MVFR-IFR POSSIBLE AT TIMES THROUGH THE  
AFTERNOON IN SHOWERS AND A POSSIBLE RUMBLE OF THUNDER.  
PREDOMINANTLY MVFR CONDITIONS TONIGHT AND FRIDAY AS A SLOW-MOVING  
COLD FRONT SWITCHES SOUTHERLY WINDS AROUND TO NORTHERLY SOMETIME  
AROUND DAYBREAK UPON ITS PASSAGE THROUGH THE AIRPORTS. LOW PRESSURE  
RIDING UP ALONG THE FRONT WILL KEEP CLOUDS AROUND INTO THE EARLY  
AFTERNOON ON FRIDAY. NO SHEAR ISSUES.  
 
OUTLOOK...  
FRI PM-SAT...MAINLY VFR. -SHRA LIKELY.  
SAT NGT-SUN...VFR...CHC -SHRA.  
SUN NGT-TUE...VFR...NO SIG WX.  
 
 
   
FIRE WEATHER  
 
NO FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS INTO SUNDAY. PERIODS OF RAIN...MODERATE  
TO HEAVY AT TIMES WILL CONTINUE INTO THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND.  
 
RH VALUES WILL INCREASE TO 85 TO 100 PERCENT TONIGHT...AND  
FRIDAY NIGHT...AND LOWER TO 45 TO 60 PERCENT THURSDAY AFTERNOON  
AND ONLY 60-80 PERCENT FRIDAY AFTERNOON.  
 
WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE SOUTH AT 5 TO 10 MPH TODAY...TURNING NORTH  
FRIDAY AND INCREASING TO 10 TO 15 MPH. .  
 
 
   
HYDROLOGY  
 
ECMWF AND GFS VERY AGGRESSIVE IN BRINGING HEAVY RAINFALL INTO CWA  
INTO THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. OPERATIONAL ECMWF AND GFS PRODUCE  
2.50 TO 5.0 INCHES OF RAIN IN CWA INTO SUNDAY. GEFS SHOW AVERAGE  
OF 2.0 INCHES THROUGH WEEKEND WITH 8 MEMBERS PUSHING IN EXCESS OF  
3.5 INCHES.  
 
FIRST CHALLENGE FOR HEAVY RAIN WILL COME WITH TODAYS SLOWLY MOVING  
FRONT. EASTERN CWA AND CENTRAL CWA HAVE SEEN HEAVIEST RAIN OVER  
THE LAST TWO DAYS AND WOULD APPEAR TO BE THE REGION WHERE FLASH  
FLOOD THREAT IS AT HIGHEST. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH ISSUED FOR THESE  
AREAS.  
 
 
   
ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
CT...NONE.  
NY...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING FOR NYZ032-033-  
038>043-047>054-082>084.  
MA...NONE.  
VT...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING FOR VTZ013>015.  
 
 
 
 
 
SYNOPSIS...SNYDER/WASULA  
NEAR TERM...WASULA/NAS  
SHORT TERM...SNYDER  
LONG TERM...SNYDER  
AVIATION...ELH  
FIRE WEATHER...SNYDER  
HYDROLOGY...SNYDER  
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