259  
FXUS61 KCTP 301827  
AFDCTP  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA  
227 PM EDT SUN AUG 30 2026  
   
WHAT HAS CHANGED  
 
* LEVEL 2 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM RISK INTRODUCED FOR TUESDAY (9/1)  
 
 
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
1) LATE SUMMER HEAT+HUMIDITY TO CLOSE AUGUST AND OPEN SEPTEMBER  
2) BOUTS OF HEAVY RAIN & SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE MONDAY-WEDNESDAY  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
 
KEY MESSAGE 1: LATE SUMMER HEAT+HUMIDITY TO CLOSE AUGUST AND  
OPEN SEPTEMBER  
 
STRONG UPPER RIDGE EXPANDING EAST-NORTHEASTWARD FROM THE  
SOUTH CENTRAL PLAINS THROUGH THE TN VALLEY INTO THE SOUTHERN  
MID ATLANTIC AND SOUTHEAST STATES WILL DELIVER A STRETCH OF  
ABOVE NORMAL LATE SUMMER WARMTH AND VERY HUMID CONDITIONS TO  
CLOSE OUT AUGUST AND KICKOFF SEPTEMBER. FORECAST MAX/MIN  
TEMPERATURES ARE PROJECTED TO RISE SEVERAL DEGREES ABOVE THE  
HISTORICAL AVERAGE SUNDAY-THURSDAY WITH THE LARGEST DEPARTURE  
FROM NORMAL (+10-20F) FOUND IN MIDWEEK OVERNIGHT LOWS. THE LATE  
SUMMER HEAT IS FORECAST TO PEAK TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WITH MAX  
HEAT INDICES APPROACHING ADVISORY LEVELS IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S  
ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL PA. THE WELL ABOVE NORMAL  
TEMPERATURES COMBINED WITH HIGH HUMIDITY AND VERY WARM OVERNIGHT  
LOWS WILL RESULT IN LEVEL 2 (MODERATE) TO LEVEL 3 (MAJOR)  
HEATRISK VALUES TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. INCREASING TROUGHING  
ACROSS THE NORTHEAST U.S. SHOULD DROP TEMPERATURES BACK TOWARD  
SEASONAL CLIMO BY FRIDAY/SATURDAY.  
 
KEY MESSAGE 2: BOUTS OF HEAVY RAIN AND SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE  
THROUGH LATE WEEK  
 
A SERIES OF MID LEVEL IMPULSES TRACKING EASTWARD ALONG THE  
NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE ELONGATED 500MB RIDGE WILL INTERACT  
WITH ANOMALOUS MOISTURE/INSTABILITY AND STRONG FLOW ALOFT TO  
PRODUCE A FEW EPISODES OF HEAVY RAINFALL AND POSSIBLE SEVERE  
WEATHER THROUGH LATE WEEK. THERE ARE TYPICAL TIMING AND  
AMPLITUDE DIFFERENCES OF THE SMALLER SCALE DISTURBANCES THAT  
WILL NEED TO BE RESOLVED, BUT THE OVERALL CONVECTIVE SIGNAL FROM  
OPERATIONAL/ENSEMBLE/ML/AI GUIDANCE IS SUPPORTIVELY BULLISH.  
THERE IS A GROWING SIGNAL FOR SEVERE STORMS AND HEAVY RAIN ON  
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. SPC INTRODUCED A LEVEL 2 SEVERE T-STORM  
RISK FOR D3/TUESDAY AND MAINTAINED THE 15% OR LEVEL 2 EQUIVALENT  
RISK FOR D4/WEDNESDAY. WPC CONTINUES TO COVER PARTS OF CPA WITH  
LEVEL 1 EXCESSIVE RAINFALL OUTLOOKS WHICH MAY BE REFINED/UPGRADED  
AS THE CONVECTIVE DETAILS BECOME MORE CLEAR AND CONFIDENCE IN  
TIMING AND LOCATION INCREASES.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /18Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/  
 
HIGH MVFR/LOW VFR STRATOCU CONTINUE TO HANG AROUND THE LOWER  
SUSQUEHANNA RIVER VALLEY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THIS IS LIKELY TO  
BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD VFR BY 20Z, BUT SOME MVFR CIGS REMAIN  
POSSIBLE LEADING UP TO THEN.  
 
A BAND OF SHOWERS IS MOVING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST, HOWEVER, MOST  
MODEL GUIDANCE INDICATES THIS SHOWERY ACTIVITY BREAKING DOWN  
BEFORE IT REACHES ANY OTHER SITES THAN BFD THIS AFTERNOON AND  
OVERNIGHT. SOME SPOTTY SHOWERY ACTIVITY IS POSSIBLE AT AOO,  
JST, AND UNV THOUGH THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT SO PREVAILED VCSH.  
OVERNIGHT -SHRA MAY REACH IPT AS WELL OVERNIGHT.  
 
AS FAR AS RESTRICTIONS OVERNIGHT/INTO TOMORROW MORNING GO, MVFR  
CIGS LOOK TO DEVELOP ACROSS MOST TERMINALS IN THE LATE  
NIGHT/EARLY MORNING. IFR VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS, AT THIS POINT,  
LOOK MOST LIKELY AT BFD AND IPT WHERE CHANCES FOR RAIN ARE  
HIGHEST. HOW THE RAIN EVOLVES THIS EVENING MAY AFFECT HOW FAR  
VISIBILITIES CAN DROP, SO SOME UNCERTAINTY REMAINS AT IPT AND  
UNV.  
 
BROKEN/OVERCAST SKIES WILL REMAIN TOMORROW, BUT SOME SCATTERING  
LOOKS TO OCCUR IN THE SOUTHERN TIER OF THE STATE.  
 
OUTLOOK...  
 
MON-FRI...SCATTERED SHRA/TSRA WITH BRIEF RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE;  
MORNING FOG POSSIBLE.  
 
 
   
CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
NONE.  
 
 
 
 
 
WHAT HAS CHANGED...STEINBUGL  
KEY MESSAGES...STEINBUGL  
DISCUSSION...STEINBUGL  
AVIATION...LAMBRECH  
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