351  
FXUS61 KOKX 171412  
AFDOKX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY  
1012 AM EDT FRI JUL 17 2026  
   
WHAT HAS CHANGED  
 
AN AIR QUALITY ALERT HAS BEEN ISSUED BY STATE DECS/DEPS FOR ALL  
AREAS TODAY, AND THROUGH SATURDAY FOR NORTHEAST NJ.  
 
MUCH OF THE AREA NOW IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS  
ON SATURDAY.  
 
NYC METRO, NE NJ, LI AND S CT NOW IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR EXCESSIVE  
RAINFALL ON SATURDAY.  
 
 
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
1) REDUCED VISIBILITY FROM WILDFIRE SMOKE GRADUALLY IMPROVES  
TODAY BEFORE LIKELY RETURNING TONIGHT INTO A PORTION OF SATURDAY.  
AN AIR QUALITY ALERT HAS BEEN ISSUED BY STATE DECS/DEPS FOR ALL  
AREAS TODAY, AND THROUGH SATURDAY FOR NORTHEAST NJ.  
 
2) SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY EVENING HAVE  
THE POTENTIAL TO BRING HEAVY RAINFALL, ISOLATED TO SCATTERED  
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS, AND ISOLATED TO SCATTERED FLASH FLOODING.  
 
3) ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE LATE  
TUESDAY INTO A PORTION OF WEDNESDAY.  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
   
KEY MESSAGE 1  
 
THE LATEST NEAR SURFACE SMOKE MODELING FROM THE HRRR AND RRFS  
SHOWS THE PLUME DROPPING SOUTH OF THE AREA THIS MORNING AS HIGH  
PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE NORTHEAST. THIS SHOULD BRING AN  
IMPROVEMENT TO VISIBILITIES. SOME PATCHY SMOKE COULD LINGER  
NEAR THE COAST IN THE AFTERNOON AS THEY WILL BE CLOSEST TO THE  
PLUME THAT SHOULD RESIDE ACROSS CENTRAL/SOUTHERN NJ INTO THE  
MIDDLE ATLANTIC. SMOKE ALOFT MAY ALSO BE LIMITED COMPARED TO  
RECENT AFTERNOONS ALLOWING TEMPERATURES TO REACH THE MID TO  
UPPER 80S.  
 
THE HIGH PRESSURE WILL SHIFT OFF THE COAST TONIGHT ALLOWING A  
RETURN FLOW TO SET UP ABOVE THE SURFACE. THE SMOKE LIKELY  
RETURNS FROM SOUTH TO NORTH AND POTENTIALLY FROM THE NW ACROSS  
THE AREA. SOME DROP IN VISIBILITY IS POSSIBLE. MODELED NEAR  
SURFACE SMOKE CONCENTRATIONS DO NOT APPEAR AS HIGH AS WHAT HAS  
OCCURRED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS. A FAST MOVING FRONTAL SYSTEM  
PASSES ACROSS THE REGION LATE SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT,  
WHICH SHOULD PUSH THE SMOKE OFFSHORE.  
 
   
KEY MESSAGE 2  
 
A SHORTWAVE TROUGH DIGS DOWN INTO THE GREAT LAKES SATURDAY  
AND SWINGS ACROSS EASTERN CANADA AND THE NORTHEAST SATURDAY  
NIGHT. THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA LATE  
SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT.  
 
INCREASING SW FLOW AHEAD OF THE INCOMING TROUGH AND FRONT WILL  
SET THE STAGE FOR A DEEP, MOIST AIRMASS OVER THE AREA. PWATS  
ARE PROGGED TO REACH AROUND 2 INCHES, AND COULD POTENTIALLY GET  
A BIT HIGHER (~2.25 INCHES). THE LARGER SCALE GUIDANCE IS  
SIGNALING SHORTWAVE ENERGY AHEAD OF THE MAIN SYSTEM TO PASS  
ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THE 00Z CAMS ARE SIGNALING  
THE POTENTIAL FOR CONVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ENERGY.  
ANOTHER ROUND OF CONVECTION IS EXPECTED LATE IN THE DAY AND  
EVENING AS THE MAIN UPPER TROUGH AND COLD FRONT NEAR THE AREA.  
THERE MAY ALSO BE SUPPORT FROM A 100-120 KT JET STREAM ACROSS  
NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND AND SE CANADA, WITH THE LOCAL AREA FALLING  
WITHIN THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION, A SOURCE FOR LARGER SCALE  
LIFT.  
 
THE MAIN THREATS WITH THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY  
INTO SATURDAY EVENING ARE HEAVY RAINFALL, ISOLATED TO SCATTERED  
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND ISOLATED TO SCATTERED FLASH FLOODING.  
 
SPC HAS UPGRADED MUCH OF THE AREA TO A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE  
THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY. THE AMOUNT OF DESTABILIZATION IS A  
CONCERN DUE TO POTENTIAL OF MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF CONVECTION,  
LINGERING SMOKE, AND CLOUDS. LATEST GUIDANCE IS KEEPING THE  
HIGHEST SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY MAINLY TO OUR SOUTH. THERE IS  
A CHANCE FOR HIGHER SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY TO NUDGE NORTH  
INTO THE AREA IN THE AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE MAIN COLD FRONT  
PASSAGE. BULK SHEAR VALUES ARE FORECAST TO RANGE FROM 30-40 KT,  
STRONGEST LATE IN THE DAY AND EVENING. WHILE THERE ARE CONCERNS  
WITH THE AMOUNT OF DESTABILIZATION, SHEAR AND POTENTIAL LARGE  
SCALE FORCING COULD STILL LEAD TO THE POTENTIAL OF DAMAGING  
WIND GUSTS IN ANY OF THE STRONGER STORMS THAT DEVELOP. THERE IS  
ALSO A RISK FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES WITH DIRECTIONAL SHEAR FROM  
THE SURFACE TO 5KFT. THE SEVERE THREAT MAY LINGER BEYOND SUNSET  
UNTIL THE COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA.  
 
THE NYC METRO, NE NJ, LONG ISLAND, AND S CT ARE NOW INCLUDED IN  
A SLIGHT RISK SATURDAY FOR EXCESSIVE RAINFALL BASED ON  
COLLABORATION WITH NEIGHBORING OFFICES AND WPC. THE POTENTIAL  
EXISTS FOR HEAVY RAINFALL WITH DEEP MOISTURE, HIGH FREEZING  
LEVELS AND LARGE WARM CLOUD DEPTHS (13-15KFT). THE FAST FLOW  
ALOFT SHOULD PRECLUDE SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING CONCERNS.  
HOWEVER, RAINFALL RATES COULD PEAK AROUND 1.5-2" PER HOUR IN  
THE HEAVIEST SHOWERS/STORMS. THESE RAINFALL RATES ARE  
PROBLEMATIC OVER THE URBAN CORRIDOR OF NE NJ, NYC METRO, I-95  
CORRIDOR IN CT, AND PARTS OF LONG ISLAND. THE FLASH FLOODING  
RISK SHOULD ISOLATED TO SCATTERED. DECIDED TO HOLD OFF ON A  
FLOOD WATCH, BUT ONE MAY BE ISSUED AS CONFIDENCE WHERE THE  
HEAVIEST RAINFALL MAY OCCUR INCREASES OVER THE NEXT 12-24 HOURS.  
BASIN AVERAGED RAINFALL IS AROUND 1 INCH ACROSS THE AREA WITH  
LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE.  
 
   
KEY MESSAGE 3  
 
DRY CONDITIONS RETURN ON SUNDAY AND CONTINUE INTO MONDAY WITH  
SEASONABLY WARM CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEK. A  
MUCH MORE HUMID AIRMASS RETURNS TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY.  
COMFORTABLE HUMIDITY LEVELS AND NEAR SEASONABLE WARMTH MAY  
RETURN TO END THE WEEK.  
 
THERE IS GOOD AGREEMENT AMONG THE DETERMINISTIC MODELS AND ENSEMBLE  
MEANS FOR AN AMPLIFIED SHORTWAVE TROUGH TO SWING ACROSS THE  
NORTHEAST LATE TUESDAY THROUGH MID WEEK. THIS PATTERN LIKELY BRINGS  
A FRONTAL SYSTEM ACROSS THE AREA LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY.  
GUIDANCE HAS SPED UP THE TIMING OF THE SYSTEM WITH THE LATEST  
MODEL CONSENSUS INDICATING THE HIGHEST PROBABILITIES FOR  
SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY EVENING INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY. IT  
IS MUCH TOO EARLY FOR ANY CONFIDENCE IN POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER  
IMPACTS OR HYDRO IMPACTS. CONDITIONS SHOULD DRY OUT TO END THE  
WEEK BASED ON THE LATEST MODEL CONSENSUS DESPITE THE UPPER  
TROUGH LINGERING OVER THE REGION.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /14Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/  
 
A COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE SOUTH OF THE AREA AS HIGH PRESSURE  
BUILDS IN FROM THE W TODAY.  
 
MVFR VSBYS FROM WILDFIRE SMOKE TO START THE MORNING. IT SHOULD  
BE NOTED THAT CIGS UNDER 5 KFT BEING REPORTED IN SEVERAL METARS  
ARE LIKELY ERRONEOUS AND A RESULT OF THE SMOKE IMPACTING THE  
CEILOMETER. VSBYS LIKELY IMPROVE TO VFR BY 15Z AS THE PLUME  
SHIFTS SOUTH. SMOKE THEN LIKELY RETURNS IN THE EVENING, MAINLY  
AFTER 00Z, POTENTIALLY BRINGING MVFR VSBY RESTRICTIONS ONCE  
AGAIN INTO SATURDAY. SHOWER CHANCES INCREASE AFTER 12Z SAT, AND  
TEMPO INTRODUCED FOR NOW, WITH THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE BY THE  
AFTERNOON.  
 
A GENERAL NW FLOW PERSISTS THRU AT LEAST MID MORNING BEFORE  
BACKING SW/S THROUGH THE DAY. WINDS THEN SETTLE IN A LIGHT S  
DIRECTION OR BECOME LIGHT AND VARIABLE TOWARD 00Z.  
 
...NY METRO (KEWR/KLGA/KJFK/KTEB) TAF UNCERTAINTY...  
 
OCCASIONAL GUSTS 15-18 KT POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON.  
   
OUTLOOK FOR 06Z SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY  
 
LATE TONIGHT: MVFR LIKELY WITH SMOKE.  
 
SATURDAY: MVFR OR LOWER WITH SHOWERS/TSTMS AND SMOKE.  
 
SUNDAY AND MONDAY: MAINLY VFR.  
 
TUESDAY: MVFR OR LOWER WITH SHOWERS/TSTMS.  
 
 
   
MARINE  
 
CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN BELOW SCA LEVELS THROUGH SATURDAY  
MORNING. INCREASE S FLOW DEVELOPS SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH THE  
LIKELIHOOD OF 25-30 KT GUSTS INTO THE EVENING. SEAS WILL ALSO  
BUILD TO AROUND 5 FT. THE HAZARDOUS SEAS COULD LINGER E OF  
MORICHES INLET INTO SUNDAY MORNING BEFORE SUBSIDING LATER IN THE  
DAY.  
 
WEAK FLOW OVER THE WATERS SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY WILL LEAD TO  
CONDITIONS BELOW SCA LEVELS. THE NEXT CHANCE FOR SCA CONDITIONS  
WILL BE LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY WITH THE NEXT FRONTAL  
SYSTEM.  
 
RIP CURRENTS:  
 
THE OVERALL RIP CURRENT RISK IS LOW TODAY WITH LIGHT S/SW WINDS  
AT OR UNDER 10 KT AND S SWELLS 1-2 FT AT 5 SEC PERIODS.  
 
THE RISK INCREASES TO HIGH AT ALL LOCAL OCEAN BEACHES ON  
SATURDAY. SOUTHERLY WINDS STRENGTHEN TO 15-20 MPH AS S SWELLS  
INCREASE TO 3-4 FT DURING THE AFTERNOON.  
 
 
   
OKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
CT...AIR QUALITY ALERT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR CTZ005>012.  
NY...AIR QUALITY ALERT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR NYZ067>075-  
078>081-176>179.  
NJ...AIR QUALITY ALERT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT SATURDAY NIGHT FOR NJZ002-  
004-006-103>108.  
MARINE...NONE.  
 
 
 
 
 
DISCUSSION...DS/JT  
AVIATION...DR  
MARINE...DR/DS  
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