253  
FXUS61 KBGM 151814  
AFDBGM  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY  
214 PM EDT SUN MAR 15 2026  
   
WHAT HAS CHANGED  
 
A SLIGHT NORTHWARD EXPANSION OF THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM  
POTENTIAL. ALSO, THERE IS SLIGHTLY MORE CONCERN FOR HEAVY RAIN  
AND FAST RUNOFF IN THE CATSKILLS AND POCONOS MONDAY  
EVENING/NIGHT. PLACED MORE EMPHASIS ON THE DROP IN TEMPERATURES  
MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING WITH WINDS REMAINING STRONGER  
THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT DURING THIS TIME.  
 
 
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
1) WIND ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT.  
 
2) SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING  
WITH THE MAIN THREATS BEING DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES. BRIEF  
HEAVY RAIN COULD ALSO LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING AND  
SMALLER STREAM HEADWATER FLOODING.  
 
3) RAPID DROP IN TEMPERATURES WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD  
FRONT MONDAY NIGHT WHERE 20-25 DEG F TEMPERATURE FALLS IN 3-5  
HOURS ARE POSSIBLE...INCREASING THE RISK OF A FLASH FREEZE.  
 
4) ACCUMULATING LAKE EFFECT SNOW IN THE SNOWBELT REGION OF  
NORTHERN ONONDAGA/MADISON AND ONEIDA COUNTIES TUESDAY NIGHT.  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
 
KEY MESSAGE 1...  
 
A STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW IS EXPECTED TO PICK UP THIS AFTERNOON  
AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS INTO EARLY MONDAY  
MORNING. THE STRONGEST WINDS, AROUND 40 TO 50 MPH, ARE EXPECTED  
ACROSS THE ELEVATED LOCATIONS ABOVE 1400 FEET OF THE SOUTHERN  
TIER OF NY, NORTH CENTRAL TIER OF PA AND THE DOWNSLOPING AREAS  
OF THE FINGER LAKES.  
 
THESE GUSTY SOUTH WINDS ARE IN RESPONSE TO A RAPIDLY TIGHTENING  
SFC PRES GRADIENT INDUCED BY A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE OFF  
THE NEW ENGLAND COAST AND AN APPROACHING DEEP LOW PRESSURE  
SYSTEM FROM THE WEST. AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS THE STRONGEST  
WINDS WILL OCCUR LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT OVER WESTERN NY AND  
PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NY AND NORTH-CENTRAL PA. HOWEVER, WINDS WILL  
STILL BE QUITE GUSTY EAST OF I- 81 DURING THIS TIME...GUSTING  
30 TO 40 MPH. THE WINDS WILL ALSO REMAIN ON THE GUSTY SIDE  
THROUGH THE DAY MONDAY WITH PERIODIC GUSTS 30 TO 40 MPH  
THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND EVEN INTO THE LOWER ELEVATION VALLEY  
AREAS WHERE THE WINDS WILL BE ABLE TO MIX DOWN TO THE SURFACE.  
 
KEY MESSAGE 2...  
 
OUR PRIMARY FOCUS OF ATTENTION WILL BE ON THE THREAT OF SEVERE  
THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN LEADING TO POSSIBLY A  
FEW INSTANCES OF LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING.  
 
NORTHEAST PA AND PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NY CONTINUE TO BE UNDER  
THE THREAT FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AFTERNOON AND  
EVENING. A VERY STRONG, AMPLIFYING TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO DIG  
INTO THE OH/TN VALLEY AREA MONDAY MORNING WHILE AT THE SAME TIME  
CAUSING THE RIDGE TO THE EAST TO AMPLIFY AND DRAW NORTHWARD A  
VERY WARM AND SLIGHTLY UNSTABLE AIR MASS ALONG THE EAST COAST.  
THE AMOUNT OF WARMING THAT WILL OCCUR...850MB TEMPERATURE AROUND  
+10 DEG C AND SURFACE TEMPERATURES INTO THE LOWER TO MID  
60S...WILL CONTRAST SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THE INCOMING AIR MASS ON  
THE BACK SIDE OF THE SYSTEM...850MB TEMPS AROUND -12 DEG C AND  
SFC TEMPS IN THE UPPER 20S...TO CREATE A VERY STRONG SURFACE  
BAROCLINIC ZONE THAT WILL HELP FOCUS THE CONVECTION ON.  
 
THE UPPER LEVEL FORCING WITH THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO BE  
QUITE INTENSE AS WELL. AN EMBEDDED SHORT WAVE PUSHING TO THE  
EAST WILL CREATE A WEAK NEGATIVE TILT TO THE TROUGH AND ALSO  
MOVE EASTWARD WITH A STRONG AREA OF PVA THE ENHANCE THE VERTICAL  
LIFT. THE JET DYNAMICS ARE ALSO CONDUCIVE TO ADDITIONAL UPPER  
LEVEL FORCING/LIFT AS MUCH OF THE NORTHEAST US IS WITHIN THE  
RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF A 160KT JET STREAK.  
 
THIS EVENT WILL BE DOMINATED BY THE INTENSE AMOUNT OF  
SHEAR...WITH ROUGHLY 60-70 KT OF 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR AND 0-1 KM  
SHEAR VALUES EXCEEDING 40 KT. ML CAPE VALUES ROUGHLY 100-200  
J/KG COULD BE BUMPED UP A LITTLE HIGHER IF THE AREA CAN SCOUR  
OUT THE CLOUD COVER IN THE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. IF  
THERE IS MORE CLEARING THAT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME, SOME OF  
THE CONVECTION THAT INITIATES AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT COULD  
ALLOW FOR MORE CELLULAR STORM TYPES. HOWEVER, MOST OF THE FOCUS  
WILL BE ON THE LINEAR CONVECTION THAT IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN  
WEST CENTRAL PA LATE MONDAY MORNING AND LIFT TO THE  
EAST/NORTHEAST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON ACROSS SOUTHERN/CENTRAL NY  
AND NE PA. THIS COULD ACTUALLY BE A SITUATION, IF THE  
INSTABILITY DOES NOT INCREASE, WHERE THE LINE OF "STORMS" MAY  
NOT HAVE MUCH IN THE WAY OF LIGHTNING AND COULD BE MOSTLY LOW-  
TOPPED.  
 
THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS ALONG THE LINE, BUT  
EMBEDDED QUICK-SPIN UP TORNADOES CANNOT BE RULED OUT GIVEN THE  
EXTREME AMOUNT OF SHEAR. THE THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS WILL MOVE  
EAST OF THE EASTERN CATSKILLS AFTER 8-10 PM.  
 
THE ADDITIONAL THREAT WITH THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL BE THE  
CENTERED AROUND THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL RATES THAT MAY  
LEAD TO SOME INSTANCES OF FLASH FLOODING. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF  
FACTORS THAT WILL LIKELY LIMIT THE THREAT...NAMELY THE FAST  
PROGRESSION OF THE SYSTEM AND THE RELATIVELY LOW RESIDENCE TIME  
OF HEAVY RAIN/DEEP MOISTURE OVER MUCH OF THE REGION. THE  
HEAVIEST PLUME OF DEEP MOISTURE LOOKS TO BECOME SITUATED WELL TO  
OUR EAST WITH NE PA AND CENTRAL NY WITHIN AN AREA OF PWS AROUND  
0.75 TO 1 INCH. HOWEVER, IF LOCATIONS EAST OF I-81 SEE A ROUND  
OF CONVECTION IN THE MORNING AND THEN MORE RAINFALL WITH THE  
LINE OF STORMS THAT MOVE THROUGH IN THE LATE AFTERNOON AND  
EVENING HOURS, THE TWO ROUNDS OF RAIN, COMBINED WITH SATURATED  
SOILS AND EVEN SOME LINGERING SNOW PACK MELTING, COULD CAUSE  
ISSUES IN SOME LOCATIONS. AT THIS TIME IT LOOKS LIKE THE THREAT  
IS LIMITED, BUT WE DO REMAIN IN A MARGINAL RISK OUTLOOK FROM  
WPC.  
 
KEY MESSAGE 3...  
 
BEHIND THE COLD FRONT A VERY COLD AIR MASS FOR THIS TIME OF  
YEAR WILL MOVE IN QUICKLY AND CAUSE SURFACE TEMPERATURES TO DROP  
20-25 DEG F IN A 3-5 HOUR WINDOW (BETWEEN 8PM AND MIDNIGHT).  
THERE IS SOME CONCERN FOR A FLASH FREEZE IN THIS SITUATION GIVEN  
HOW QUICKLY THE AIR TEMPERATURES DROP BEHIND A RAIN-PRODUCING  
FRONT. A LIMITING FACTOR IN THIS SITUATION WILL BE RELATED TO  
THE FACT THAT THE GROUND TEMPERATURES OVERALL ARE MUCH WARMER  
THAN EVEN A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. ROAD SURFACE TEMPERATURES WILL  
LIKELY BE IN THE 50S OR HIGHER ON MONDAY GIVEN 2M SFC  
TEMPERATURES IN THE 60S. WINDS WILL ALSO BE QUITE BREEZY THROUGH  
MORNING AND DAYTIME HOURS ON TUESDAY WHICH WILL HELP TO DRY OUT  
THE WET ROADS BEFORE THE COLD AIR REALLY SETTLES IN.  
 
WITH ALL OF THAT BEING SAID THE THREAT IS LIKELY FAIRLY LOW,  
BUT NOT ZERO. SO, THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE SOME CONCERN FOR ICY  
SPOTS ON THE ROADS TUE MORNING AND THROUGH THE DAY.  
 
KEY MESSAGE 4...  
 
SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO KICK UP BEHIND THE FRONT ON  
TUESDAY BUT BE VERY DISORGANIZED IN NATURE EVEN THOUGH THERE  
WILL BE A LAKE EFFECT COMPONENT. TEMPERATURES AT 850MB ADVECTING  
IN WILL RANGE FROM -16 TO -19 DEG C AND INITIALLY WORK WITH A  
MOSTLY WESTERLY FLOW OFF OF LAKE ONTARIO TO PLACE SNOW SHOWERS  
INTO THE TUG HILL PLATEAU ON TUESDAY. HOWEVER AS THE PRIMARY  
UPPER TROUGH SHIFTS EASTWARD THE FLOW WILL BECOME MORE NWLY,  
WHICH WILL FAVOR AN UPSTREAM LAKE CONNECTION WITH ONTARIO INTO  
LOCATIONS ALONG THE NY THRUWAY BETWEEN SYRACUSE AND UTICA. THE  
MIXED LAYER DEPTH WILL BE MODEST, AROUND 8 KFT WITH A WEAK TO  
MODERATE LIFT WITHIN THE FAVORABLE DGZ. AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS  
THE MOST FAVORABLE TIME FOR ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL BE TUESDAY  
EVENING THROUGH WED MORNING. AS MUCH AS 4 TO 6 INCHES IS  
POSSIBLE, BUT CONFIDENCE IS STILL ON THE LOW SIDE GIVEN THAT THE  
EVENT IS STILL BEYOND 48 HOURS. AS WE GET CLOSER TO THIS TIME  
FRAME A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LES MAY BE NEEDED.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /18Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/  
 
VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH 00Z ACROSS THE  
AREA. LOWER CEILINGS ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD NORTHWARD ALONG WITH  
SPOTTY SHOWERS LATER TONIGHT AS A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTHWARD  
AND A DISTURBANCE PASSES BY TO THE SOUTH AND EAST. THIS IS  
EXPECTED TO LEAD TO A MIX OF MVFR/FUEL-ALT RESTRICTIONS, BUT IFR  
OR WORSE CIGS CAN MIX IN, WITH THE BEST CHANCE BEING AT BGM AND  
ELM.  
 
A STRENGTHENING LOW LEVEL JET WILL BE LEADING TO THE DEVELOPMENT  
OF WIDESPREAD, STRONG, SOUTHERLY LLWS BETWEEN 40 AND 50 KNOTS  
THIS EVENING. THE LLWS IS EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH MID TO  
LATE MORNING HOURS TOMORROW AT ALL TERMINALS BEFORE STARTING TO  
EASE.  
 
SHORTLY AFTER THE 18Z TAF COMES TO AN END, WE'LL BE WATCHING  
THE POTENTIAL FOR A SQUALL LINE TO START TO MAKE ITS WAY TOWARD  
THE WESTERN TERMINALS, BRINGING A RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER THAT  
WILL SPREAD EAST WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS BEING THE MAIN  
CONCERN ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN.  
 
OUTLOOK:  
 
MONDAY AFTERNOON...RESTRICTIONS EXPECTED IN RAIN AND  
THUNDERSTORMS; SOME STORMS CAN BE SEVERE.  
 
MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW WITH  
RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE. WIDESPREAD SNOW SHOWERS BECOME MORE  
LOCALIZED AS LAKE EFFECT SNOW OVER SYR AND RME LATE ON TUESDAY.  
 
WEDNESDAY...MAINLY VFR.  
 
THURSDAY...MAINLY VFR; A LOW CHANCE FOR SPOTTY RAIN/SNOW  
SHOWERS.  
 
FRIDAY...A LOW CHANCE FOR ADDITIONAL SHOWERS.  
 
 
   
BGM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
PA...WIND ADVISORY FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 AM EDT MONDAY FOR  
PAZ038-043.  
NY...WIND ADVISORY FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 AM EDT MONDAY FOR  
NYZ015>018-022>025-036-044-055.  
 
 
 
 
 
DISCUSSION...BJT  
AVIATION...DK  
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