414  
FOUS30 KWBC 222029  
QPFERD  
 
EXCESSIVE RAINFALL DISCUSSION  
NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD  
429 PM EDT THU OCT 22 2026  
 
DAY 1  
VALID 16Z THU OCT 22 2026 - 12Z FRI OCT 23 2026  
 
...THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL OVER PORTIONS OF  
SOUTHWEST COLORADO AND SOUTHERN UTAH...  
   
..16Z UPDATE
 
 
THE BIGGEST CHANGE WITH THIS UPDATE WAS THE INTRODUCTION OF A  
SLIGHT RISK ACROSS A SMALL PORTION OF THE INTERIOR NORTHWEST  
INCLUDING SOUTHEASTERN OREGON INTO NORTHWESTERN NEVADA AND FAR  
NORTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA. WHILE IT APPEARS INSTABILITY WILL BE  
LIMITED WITH THE RECENT MODEL CONSENSUS SHOWING MLCAPE OF ONLY A  
FEW HUNDRED J/KG AND MUCAPE LOCALLY OVER 500 J/KG LATER THIS  
AFTERNOON, 24 HOUR RAINFALL VALUES OF 1 TO 2+ INCHES APPEAR LIKELY  
BASED ON THE 12Z HREF/REFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY. SOME OF THE 24 HR  
QPF WILL BE IN THE FORM OF SNOW TOWARD THE END OF THE PERIOD BUT  
MOST WILL FALL AS LIQUID. REGARDING TIMING, THE 18-06Z WINDOW WILL  
FAVOR INCREASING UPPER LEVEL DIFFLUENCE AND DIVERGENCE AHEAD OF A  
90-110 KT UPPER LEVEL JET MAX LOCATED AHEAD OF AN ADVANCING CLOSED  
LOW/TROUGH FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA THROUGH  
TONIGHT. SLOW MOVEMENT OF HEAVY RAIN CORES COULD ALLOW FOR HOURLY  
RAINFALL LOCALLY EXCEEDING 0.5 INCHES AT TIMES. WHILE 100 YEAR  
RECURRENCE INTERVALS MAY NOT INDICATE THE MOST REPRESENTATIVE  
VALUES FOR THIS REGION OF THE U.S., BOTH THE HREF AND REFS SHOW  
FAIRLY HIGH PROBABILITIES OF EXCEEDING THE 100 YEAR ARI WITH 40-60  
PERCENT (12Z HREF) AND 60-90 PERCENT (12Z REFS). AGAIN, THE  
CONCERN FOR FLOODING IMPACTS MAY BE MORE OF A LONGER DURATION  
CONCERN, RATHER THAN OCCURRING ON A 1 OR 3 HOUR TIME SCALE.  
 
ELSEWHERE, THE MARGINAL RISK WAS EXPANDED ACROSS PORTIONS OF  
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR SLOW MOVING CELLS  
BENEATH THE CORE OF THE UPPER LOW AS IT MOVES EASTWARD THIS  
AFTERNOON. MLCAPE IS FORECAST TO RISE INTO THE 500-1000 J/KG RANGE  
ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY WITH CELL MOTIONS LESS  
THAN 10 KT AMONG PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES APPROACHING 1 INCH.  
HOURLY RAINFALL MAY EXCEED 1 INCH LOCALLY ACROSS THE GREAT VALLEY  
THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING.  
 
OTTO  
   
..PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS
 
 
   
..SOUTHWEST
 
 
A BROAD SLIGHT RISK REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AS A DEEP  
MID TO UPPER LEVEL LOW TRACKING INTO THE WEST COAST PROVIDES ROBUST  
LARGE SCALE SCENT. DYNAMIC FORCING IS FURTHER ENHANCED BY STRONG  
UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE WITHIN THE FAVORABLE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION  
OF AN UPPER JET STREAK AT THE BASE OF THE TROUGH. AHEAD OF THE  
TROUGH DEEP SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO ADVECT ANOMALOUS  
TROPICAL MOISTURE NORTHWARD, RESULTING IN A BROAD FOOTPRINT OF NEAR  
TO RECORD PW VALUES FOR THE TIME OF YEAR TO GO ALONG WITH NEAR RECORD  
IVT VALUES AS WELL.  
 
INSTABILITY WILL BE MAXIMIZED FROM SOUTHERN TO CENTRAL AZ INTO  
WEST CENTRAL NM, WHERE MUCAPE VALUE UPWARDS OF 2000 J/KG ARE  
EXPECTED. THIS CORRIDOR OF GREATER INSTABILITY IS WHERE THE  
GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR INTENSE CONVECTIVE RAINFALL RATES EXISTS,  
WITH RATES LOCALLY AS HIGH AS 1-2"/HR LIKELY. SEVERAL CAMS SIGNAL  
THE POTENTIAL FOR BRIEF CELL TRAINING WITHIN THE UNIDIRECTIONAL  
SOUTHERLY FLOW THIS MORNING ACROSS CENTRAL AZ, WITH THE CORRIDOR  
BETWEEN PHOENIX AND FLAGSTAFF FAVORED ALONG THE NOSE OF THE LOW  
LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT AXIS. THIS HIGHER RAINFALL RATE POTENTIAL  
WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT EASTWARD ACROSS CENTRAL AZ AND INTO WEST  
CENTRAL NM LATER TODAY INTO THIS EVENING. SCATTERED INSTANCES OF  
FLASH FLOODING ARE EXPECTED ALONG HIS CORRIDOR, WITH LOCALLY  
SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS POSSIBLE.  
 
FURTHER NORTH, THE MDT RISK CENTERED OVER THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS  
HAS BEEN EXPANDED WESTWARD INTO SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN UT.  
INSTABILITY WILL BE COMPARATIVELY LOWER OVER THIS NORTHERN FLANK,  
BUT PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN UT HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED HEAVY RAINFALL  
YESTERDAY, LEAVING HYDROLOGIC SENSITIVITY ELEVATED. A PROLONGED  
DURATION OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TODAY.  
WHILE QUICK CELL MOTIONS AND MARGINAL INSTABILITY WILL GENERALLY  
CAP HOURLY RATES AROUND 0.5"/HR, THE HIGHER CAPE AXIS (~1000 J/KG)  
IS FORECAST TO NUDGE NORTHWARD TOWARDS SOUTHERN UT BY LATER THIS  
MORNING AND AFTERNOON. THIS DESTABILIZATION, COMBINED WITH BRIEF  
CELL TRAINING, SHOULD SUPPORT LOCALIZED SWATHS OF 1"/HR RAIN RATES  
OVER SENSITIVE TERRAIN, SLOT CANYONS AND WASHES, LEADING TO  
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF FLASH FLOODING.  
 
THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS WILL SEE THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS  
FROM THIS EVENT, WITH MODEL CONSENSUS SUPPORTING AROUND 3-4", AND  
LOCALIZED TOTALS POTENTIALLY EXCEEDING 5". RAINFALL OF THIS  
MAGNITUDE GENERALLY EQUATES OT A 10-50YR ARI FOR 24HR TOTALS.  
INSTABILITY WILL STRUGGLE TO REACH THIS FAR NORTHEAST, KEEPING  
HIGH RES ENSEMBLE NEIGHBORHOOD PROBABILITIES FOR 1"/HR RAIN  
SUBDUED AT ROUGHLY 10-15%. HOWEVER, STRONG OROGRAPHIC ASCENT  
WITHIN THE DEEP MOISTURE PLUME WILL GENERATE PERSISTENT MODERATE  
TO AT TIMES HEAVY RAINFALL, WITH RATES PERIODICALLY REACHING  
0.5"/HR. WHILE SOME SNOWMELT IS EXPECTED TO ENHANCE RUNOFF AND THE  
FLOOD THREAT, TEMPERATURE AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS SHOULD REMAIN IN  
THE 30S AND 40S, ALLOWING EXISTING SNOWPACK TO ABSORB SOME OF THE  
RAIN. OVERALL THIS EVENT IS A SOLID MDT RISK, WITH NUMEROUS  
INSTANCES OF FLOODING LIKELY, SOME OF WHICH MAY PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT  
IMPACTS. THE LACK OF HIGHER CONVECTIVE RATES AND STORM TOTALS  
LARGELY HOLDING UNDER 5 INCHES KEEP THIS JUST BELOW HIGH RISK  
LEVELS...NONETHELESS, THIS IS STILL EXPECTED OT BE A HIGH IMPACT  
HYDROLOGIC EVENT FOR THE REGION.  
   
..CA INTO ID
 
 
ALONG THE CA COAST, THE INITIAL BAND OF HEAVIER RAINFALL SHOULD  
HAVE WEAKENED BY 12Z. HOWEVER, WITH THE MAIN MID TO UPPER LEVEL LOW  
STILL OFFSHORE, ADDITIONAL ISOLATED TO SCATTERED CONVECTIVE CELLS  
ARE LIKELY TO REDEVELOP THROUGH THE DAY, SUPPORTING A LOCALIZED  
FLASH FLOOD RISK.  
 
FURTHER INLAND, MODEST DESTABILIZATION AT OR BELOW 500 J/KG IS  
EXPECTED INTO PORTIONS OF NV/OR/UT. THIS WEAK INSTABILITY PAIRED  
WITH QUICK CELL MOTIONS OFF TO THE NORTH NORTHEAST SHOULD KEEP ANY  
FLASH FLOOD THREAT LOCALIZED AND PRIMARILY OVER SENSITIVE TERRAIN  
AND BURN SCARS.  
 
A LOCALIZED CORRIDOR OF HIGHER RAINFALL (1 TO 2", LOCALLY UP TO 3")  
IS EXPECTED FROM FAR NORTHWEST NV INTO FAR NORTHEAST CA AND  
PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST OR. TOTALS OF THIS MAGNITUDE REPRESENT A  
10-25YR ARI FOR THIS REGION AND MAY BE SUFFICIENT TO INDUCE  
HYDROLOGIC CONCERNS. A SLIGHT RISK WAS CONSIDERED GIVEN THE  
ANOMALOUS RAINFALL MAGNITUDES FOR THE LOCAL CLIMATOLOGY, BUT  
LIMITED INSTABILITY SHOULD RESULT IN AN INCREASINGLY STRATIFORM  
CHARACTER OF THE RAIN FOLLOWING A PERIOD OF INITIAL CONVECTION.  
THIS MAY HELP KEEP THE HYDROLOGIC IMPACTS MORE ISOLATED IN NATURE.  
   
..SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
 
 
A MARGINAL RISK CONTINUES FOR THE SOUTHEAST FL URBAN CORRIDOR. LOW  
LEVEL COASTAL CONVERGENCE WITHIN PREVAILING NORTHEASTERLY FLOW  
WILL REMAIN THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR CONVECTION, WITH THE POTENTIAL  
TO ANCHOR SLOW MOVING CELL EITHER ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST OR  
JUST OFFSHORE. SEVERAL CAMS HIGHLIGHT LOCALIZED SWATHS OF 5"+ OF  
RAIN. HOWEVER, UNCERTAINTY REMAINS WHETHER THESE HEAVY CORES WILL  
MAKE IT ONSHORE OR STAY JUST OFFSHORE. IN ADDITION, PW VALUES ARE  
CURRENTLY AROUND 1.4", AND WHILE THESE VALUES MAY INCREASE SOME  
TODAY, A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IS NOT EXPECTED. THUS SOME OF THE  
MORE AGGRESSIVE HIGH RES GUIDANCE COULD VERY WELL BE A BIT  
OVERDONE WITH PEAK RAINFALL MAGNITUDES. A MARGINAL RISK REMAINS  
APPROPRIATE TO COVER THE LOCALIZED CONDITIONAL FLASH FLOOD RISK.  
 
CHENARD  
 
 
DAY 2  
VALID 12Z FRI OCT 23 2026 - 12Z SAT OCT 24 2026  
 
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL FOR THE SACRAMENTO  
MOUNTAINS SOUTH THROUGH THE EL PASO METRO...  
   
..21Z UPDATE
 
 
   
..NM AND SOUTHERN CO
 
 
MODEL AGREEMENT REMAINS GOOD CONCERNING THE TRACK AND TIMING OF A  
MID TO UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH AXIS MOVING EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST  
THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. AS THE MAIN ENERGY OVER ARIZONA/UTAH FROM  
THURSDAY NIGHT LIFTS NORTHEASTWARD, THE TROUGH IS REINFORCED ON  
FRIDAY OVER CALIFORNIA/NEVADA/ARIZONA, RESULTING IN THE FORMATION  
OF A NEW CLOSED LOW. THE NET RESULT DOWNSTREAM IS ONLY A MINOR  
EASTWARD PUSH OF HEIGHTS INTO NEW MEXICO AND COLORADO WHICH WILL BE  
A HINDRANCE FOR FORCING. HOWEVER, PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES ARE  
FORECAST TO REMAIN ANOMALOUS (2 TO 4+ STANDARDIZED ANOMALIES FROM  
THE 12Z GFS) FROM FAR WESTERN TEXAS INTO CENTRAL/EASTERN NEW MEXICO  
AND SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO INCLUDING A MIDDLE AND UPPER LEVEL  
CONNECTION TO MOISTURE RELATED TO REMNANT TROPICAL SYSTEMS WEST OF  
THE CENTRAL MEXICAN COAST.  
 
THE MEAN STEERING FLOW WILL BE FROM THE SSW, RANGING FROM 20 TO 40  
KT AND 850-700 MB WINDS REMAIN FAIRLY STRONG AT 15 TO 30+ KT.  
THEREFORE, WHILE INDIVIDUAL CELLS SHOULD REMAIN PROGRESSIVE, THERE  
WILL BE HIGH POTENTIAL FOR REPEATING AND TRAINING OF HEAVY RAIN.  
THE 12Z HREF/REFS SHOWED THAT THE PROBABILITIES FOR 0.5 TO 1.0+  
IN/HR RAINFALL RAMP UP IN THE 18-21Z TIME FRAME AND DIMINISH AFTER  
06Z SATURDAY. TOTAL RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES IS LIKELY ACROSS  
PORTIONS OF CENTRAL/EASTERN NEW MEXICO INTO SOUTHERN COLORADO FOR  
THE 24 HOUR PERIOD WITH LOCALIZED TOTALS BETWEEN 2 TO 3 INCHES.  
 
THINKING FROM THE PREVIOUS SHIFT REMAINS VALID (SEE BELOW),  
INCLUDING THE HIGHER POTENTIAL FOR HIGHER RATES/INSTABILITY ACROSS  
FAR WESTERN TEXAS INTO SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO DESPITE THE QPF SIGNAL  
IN THE MODELS LOWERING THE EXISTING SLIGHT RISK AREA.  
   
..EAST COAST OF FLORIDA
 
 
A MARGINAL RISK REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN FLORIDA BUT  
WAS EXPANDED NORTHWARD TO INCLUDE CAPE CANAVERAL WHERE SIMILAR  
POTENTIAL FOR SLOW MOVING CELLS WILL EXIST. SOME OF THE 12Z MODEL  
GUIDANCE SHOWED THE POTENTIAL FOR HIGHER INSTABILITY FARTHER NORTH  
WITH 500 TO 1000 J/KG IN PLACE AT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE 24 HOUR  
PERIOD NEAR THE CAPE CANAVERAL REGION. WHILE PRECIPITABLE WATER  
VALUES ARE LOWER INTO THE SPACE COAST (AT OR LESS THAN 1 INCH),  
THERE ARE SOME MODEST PROBABILITIES FOR 3, 5 AND 8 INCHES OVER THE  
24 HOUR PERIOD ENDING SATURDAY MORNING NEAR OR JUST OFFSHORE OF THE  
COAST ACCORDING TO THE 12Z HREF/REFS.  
 
OTTO  
   
..PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS
 
 
   
..NM AND SOUTHERN CO
 
 
SCATTERED CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS PORTIONS OF NM  
INTO SOUTHERN CO DOWNSTREAM OF A MID TO UPPER LEVEL TROUGH  
TRACKING EASTWARD FROM CA INTO AZ. IN THE BROADER EVOLUTION OF THE  
SYSTEM, DAY 2 (FRIDAY) APPEARS TO REPRESENT A RELATIVE MINIMUM IN  
CONVECTIVE COVERAGE AND OVERALL INTENSITY COMPARED TO MORE ACTIVE  
PERIODS EXPECTED ON BOTH THURSDAY AND SATURDAY. NONETHELESS, PWS  
WILL REMAIN ANOMALOUS AND COLLOCATED WITH 500-1500 J/KG OF CAPE.  
THIS ENVIRONMENT WILL SUPPORT SCATTERED CONVECTION CAPABLE OF  
LOCALLY HIGH RAINFALL RATES AND AN ISOLATED FLASH FLOOD THREAT.  
WHILE THE LATEST QPF GUIDANCE REMAINS MODEST AND GENERALLY  
SUPPORTIVE OF A MARGINAL RISK, THE PRESENCE OF BETTER INSTABILITY  
OVER SOUTHERN NM COULD YIELD AN UPTICK IN CONVECTIVE RAINFALL AS WE  
GET MORE INTO THE HIGH RES MODEL TIMEFRAME. CONSIDERING THE  
HYDROLOGIC VULNERABILITY, THE INHERITED SLIGHT RISK WAS MAINTAINED  
ACROSS THE TERRAIN AND BURN SCARS OF THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS INTO  
ADJACENT URBAN CORRIDORS.  
   
..SOUTHEAST FL
 
 
A SETUP SIMILAR TO DAY 1 WILL PERSIST ACROSS SOUTHEAST FL, WHERE  
LOW LEVEL NORTHEASTERLY FLOW AND COASTAL CONVERGENCE COULD FOCUS  
SLOW MOVING CELLS ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST. THE HEAVY RAINFALL  
THREAT REMAINS CONDITIONAL, WITH A POSSIBILITY THE HEAVIEST CORES  
REMAIN JUST OFFSHORE. MODEL DIFFERENCES ALSO INTRODUCE SOME  
UNCERTAINTY REGARDING THE MOISTURE PROFILE, WITH THE GFS SHOWING  
NOTABLY HIGHER PW VALUES THAN THE ECMWF. GIVEN THE LINGERING  
UNCERTAINTY WITH THESE DETAILS THE INHERITED MARGINAL RISK WAS LEFT  
UNCHANGED.  
 
CHENARD  
 
 
DAY 3  
VALID 12Z SAT OCT 24 2026 - 12Z SUN OCT 25 2026  
 
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL FROM EASTERN NEW  
MEXICO INTO SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO, AND OVER SOUTHEAST FLORIDA...  
   
..21Z UPDATE
 
 
   
..EASTERN NM INTO SOUTHEAST CO
 
 
MINOR TIMING DIFFERENCES EXISTED IN THE 12Z MODELS REGARDING THE  
EASTWARD PROGRESSION OF A MID TO UPPER-LEVEL CLOSED LOW OVER THE  
SOUTHWEST WITH THE 12Z GFS A BIT FASTER THAN THE CONSENSUS BY  
SUNDAY MORNING. DESPITE THESE DIFFERENCES, THE MODELS ARE  
UNANIMOUS WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL, ESPECIALLY OVER  
EASTERN NEW MEXICO, WITH BROAD SUPPORT FOR 1 TO 3 INCHES OVER THE  
24 HOUR PERIOD. ANOMALOUS PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES FROM FRIDAY  
WILL REMAIN OVER EASTERN NEW MEXICO/EASTERN COLORADO INTO THE  
ADJACENT HIGH PLAINS CONTAINING 2 TO 4+ STANDARDIZED ANOMALIES IN  
THE 12Z GFS. THE INCREASED FORCING/INSTABILITY MENTIONED IN THE  
PREVIOUS DISCUSSION CONTINUES TO LOOK VALID WHICH WILL LIKELY  
SUPPORT HIGHER POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAIN. HOURLY RAINFALL LOCALLY  
EXCEEDING 1 INCH APPEARS LIKELY AND WHEN COMBINING WITH ANTECEDENT  
HEAVY RAINFALL FROM THE PREVIOUS COUPLE OF DAYS, A HIGHER END  
SLIGHT RISK REMAINS FOCUSED FROM THE SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS  
INTO FAR SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO.  
 
...FOUR CORNERS REGION  
 
WHILE BETTER MOISTURE WILL HAVE SHIFTED WELL EAST OF THE FOUR  
CORNERS REGION BY SATURDAY MORNING, THERE WILL CONTINUE A LOCALIZED  
CONCERN FOR HEAVY RAINFALL NEAR AND JUST EAST OF THE APPROACHING  
CLOSED LOW ALOFT OVER ARIZONA/UTAH. SNOW LEVELS SHOULD REMAIN HIGH  
ENOUGH (9000+ FEET ABOVE MSL) ACROSS THE REGION TO ALLOW FOR HEAVY  
RAINFALL FROM SLOW MOVING OR REPEATING CELLS. MODEL FORECAST  
INSTABILITY IS WEAK ACROSS THE REGION BUT WHERE POCKETS OF AT LEAST  
A FEW HUNDRED J/KG ARE EXPECTED TO SET UP, THERE WILL BE SUPPORT  
FOR LOCALIZED RAINFALL OF 0.5 TO 1.0+ INCHES IN 3 HOURS. GIVEN THE  
PRECEDING DAYS OF HEAVY RAINFALL LEADING UP TO SATURDAY, THE  
REGION WILL BE MORE HYDROLOGICALLY SENSITIVE THAN AVERAGE TO  
ADDITIONAL, ALBIET LOCALIZED, HEAVY RAINFALL.  
   
..EAST COAST OF FLORIDA
 
 
SIMILAR TO FRIDAY/FRIDAY NIGHT, THE PREVIOUS MARGINAL RISK WAS  
EXTENDED NORTHWARD TO INCLUDE THE SPACE COAST GIVEN SIMILAR  
POTENTIAL FOR INSTABILITY AND HEAVY RAIN FROM SLOW MOVING CELLS.  
THERE IS BETTER MODEL AGREEMENT TODAY, REGARDING A MID-LEVEL LOW  
THAT IS FORECAST TO DROP SOUTHWARD NEAR THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA  
LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY, ASSOCIATED WITH A SURGE IN MOISTURE AND  
LOW LEVEL EASTERLY FLOW INTO THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PENINSULA.  
WHILE MODEL QPF FOR SOUTHEASTERN FLORIDA ARE MIXED, CANNOT RULE OUT  
SOME LOCALLY ENHANCED THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING ACROSS THE URBAN  
SOUTHEASTERN CORRIDOR GIVEN THE SETUP, SO THE SLIGHT RISK WAS LEFT  
IN PLACE FOR NOW. ONCE THE FORECAST IS MORE WITHIN THE HIRES  
WINDOW, A BETTER DEPICTION OF THE FLASH FLOOD POTENTIAL SHOULD  
HOPEFULLY EMERGE WITH POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE ERO.  
 
OTTO  
   
..PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS
 
 
   
..EASTERN NM INTO SOUTHEAST CO
 
 
AN UPTICK IN THE FLASH FLOOD THREAT COMPARED TO DAY 2 IS  
ANTICIPATED ACROSS EASTERN NM INTO SOUTHEASTERN CO ON SATURDAY.  
SYNOPTIC SCALE ASCENT WILL STRENGTHEN AS THE MID TO UPPER LEVEL  
TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED JET STREAK APPROACH THE REGION, WHICH WILL  
ALSO HELP AMPLIFY THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT AXIS. PWS WILL  
REMAIN ANOMALOUS, HOLDING WELL ABOVE NORMAL AND NEAR CLIMATOLOGICAL  
MAX VALUES FOR LATE OCTOBER. MODEL GUIDANCE ALSO INDICATES UPWARDS  
OF 500-1500 J/KG OF CAPE WITHIN THIS MOISTURE PLUME. DEEP  
UNIDIRECTIONAL SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL FAVOR SOME CELL TRAINING AND  
BACKBUILDING POTENTIAL. GIVEN THE FAVORABLE INGREDIENTS, NOT  
SURPRISING THAT MODEL QPF VALUES ARE NOTABLY HIGHER COMPARED TO  
DAY 2.  
 
THE COMBINATION OF STRONG FORCING, DEEP AND ANOMALOUS MOISTURE,  
AND SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY, WILL SUPPORT CONVECTIVE RAIN RATES  
LOCALLY AS HIGH AS 1-2"/HR. OVERALL MODEL AGREEMENT ON THE AXIS OF  
HEAVIEST RAINFALL IS ABOVE AVERAGE FOR A DAY 3 FORECAST. HIGHER  
END SLIGHT RISK PROBABILITIES ARE JUSTIFIED ACROSS MUCH OF EASTERN  
NM WITH SCATTERED FLASH FLOODING EXPECTED.  
   
..SOUTHEAST FL
 
 
THE SLIGHT RISK HAS BEEN MAINTAINED ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST FL URBAN  
CORRIDOR. THE MESOSCALE SETUP REMAINS SIMILAR TO DAYS 1 AND 2,  
WITH NORTHEASTERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW PROMOTING COASTAL CONVERGENCE  
AND POSSIBLE SLOW MOVING CONVECTION. BY THIS TIME, DYNAMIC ASCENT  
MAY BE AIDED BY A DISTINCT MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE DROPPING SOUTHWARD  
INTO THE AREA. WHILE MODEL GUIDANCE IS IN RELATIVELY GOOD AGREEMENT  
SYNOPTICALLY, MODEL SPREAD PERSISTS REGARDING THE MAGNITUDE OF  
MOISTURE PRESENT. THE ECMWF AND AIFS REMAIN NOTICEABLY DRIER  
OVERALL, DEPICTING AN ENVIRONMENT LESS CONDUCIVE FOR HEAVY  
RAINFALL. CONVERSELY, THE GFS/AIGFS/UKMET/CMC ALL DEPICT A DEEPER  
MOISTURE PROFILE AND CONSISTENTLY PRODUCE A COASTAL HEAVY RAIN  
SIGNAL. GIVEN THIS LINGERING UNCERTAINTY AND THE CONDITIONAL  
PROBABILITY FOR SLOW MOVING CONVECTION TO ANCHOR ALONG THE  
SENSITIVE COASTAL CORRIDOR, THERE IS NO REASON TO DEVIATE FROM THE  
INHERITED SLIGHT RISK. TRENDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED IN  
SUBSEQUENT FORECAST CYCLES.  
 
CHENARD  
 
 
DAY 4 AND DAY 5  
 
VALID 12Z SUN OCT 25 2026 - 12Z TUE OCT 27 2026  
 
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL OVER PORTIONS OF  
THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS, AS WELL AS SOUTHEAST FLORIDA  
ON SUNDAY...  
   
..CENTRAL TO SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS
 
 
OUR WESTERN DISTURBANCE WILL CONTINUE TO EJECT EASTWARD, ALBEIT  
RELATIVELY SLOWLY, OVER THE COURSE OF SUNDAY LEADING TO ENHANCED  
ASCENT DOWNSTREAM OF THE MEAN TROUGH. ELEVATED MOISTURE POSITIONED  
OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS IN TANDEM WITH THE  
INCREASED ASCENT WITHIN A DEFINED JET COUPLING OVER THE AREA WILL  
ALLOW FOR SCATTERED TO WIDESPREAD CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT DURING THE  
COURSE OF SUNDAY INTO EARLY MONDAY MORNING BEFORE WE FINALLY SEE  
THE PATTERN SETTLE HEADING INTO THE D5 TIME FRAME. CURRENT ENSEMBLE  
MEANS REMAIN STEADY WITH A BROAD AXIS OF 1-2" OF RAINFALL WITH THE  
INDIVIDUAL GLOBAL DETERMINISTIC OUTPUT SHOWING SOME OF THE  
EMBEDDED 3-4" HIGHER AMOUNTS DURING THE D4 PERIOD ACROSS THE REGION  
BETWEEN SOUTHERN NE DOWN INTO THE TX PANHANDLE AND ADJACENT  
NORTHEASTERN NM. THE OVERALL PATTERN HAS BEEN FAIRLY CONSISTENT  
RUN-TO-RUN IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WITH  
CLOSED UPPER LEVEL REFLECTION FINALLY OPENING UP AND EJECTING  
NORTHEAST INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS BY THE D5 TIME FRAME WHICH WILL  
SUBSEQUENTLY PUT AN END TO THE MORE PROLIFIC HEAVY RAINFALL POSTURE  
WE'VE EXPERIENCED FROM THE SOUTHWEST TO THE EVENTUAL IMPACT ACROSS  
PARTS OF THE HIGH PLAINS. THE PREVIOUS SLGT RISK ON D4 WAS ADJUSTED  
A BIT TO REFLECT THE, AGAIN, SLOWER TRENDS IN THE FORWARD  
PROPAGATION OF THE UPPER LOW ACROSS THE FOUR CORNERS WHICH ALLOWED  
FOR A SMALL SHIFT WESTWARD IN THE OVERALL THREAT. THE MAIN AREA OF  
INTEREST HAS NOT CHANGED, HOWEVER, SO THE FORECAST REMAINS IN GOOD  
STANDING WITH THE GREATEST THREAT LIKELY OVER EASTERN NM UP THROUGH  
THE TX/OK PANHANDLES, AND INTO WESTERN KS.  
 
BY D5, THE THREAT BEGINS WIND DOWN AS THE PRIMARY ASCENT SHIFTS  
NORTHWARD AND THE LINGERING ELEVATED MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY IS  
OFFSET FROM THE PRIMARY FORCING. MAINTAINED THE MRGL RISK ACROSS  
THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS TO REFLECT THE POTENTIAL LINGERING INTO  
MONDAY AND WILL NEED TO MONITOR A POTENTIAL RISK ADDITION OVER THE  
MIDWEST AS THE MAIN ENERGY LIFTS INTO THE AREA. THAT SAID,  
INSTABILITY TO THE NORTH IS MEAGER, COMPARATIVELY, SO THE THREAT  
IS NOT AS PREVALENT OVER AREAS OF SD/MN TO AREAS SOUTH INTO TX/OK.  
   
..SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
 
 
A RELATIVELY STAGNANT SYNOPTIC PATTERN WILL LEAD TO A CONTINUATION  
OF HEAVY CONVECTIVE THREATS ANCHORED TO THE IMMEDIATE COAST OF  
SOUTHEASTERN FL. THIS IS LIKELY THE FINAL DAY OF THE HEAVY RAIN  
POTENTIAL, ALTHOUGH A FEW MODELS DO WANT TO LINGER A BIT INTO EARLY  
NEXT WEEK. REGARDLESS, A BIT OF A HOLD OVER FROM WHAT WILL LIKELY  
BE AN ACTIVE D3 PERIOD LEADING TO THE THREAT FOR D4 (SUNDAY) BEFORE  
THINGS FINALLY SETTLE. EXPECTATION IS FOR LOCAL TOTALS OF 3-5"  
ADDITIONAL ON TOP OF ANY HEAVY RAIN THE PREVIOUS PERIODS WILL ONLY  
ADD TO THE PROSPECTS OF FLASH FLOODING WITHIN THE URBAN CORRIDOR.  
GIVEN THE EXPECTED ANTECEDENT CONDITIONS AND THE THREAT OF HEAVY  
RAIN FROM ANY CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT, A SLGT RISK REMAINS IN PLACE  
FOR THE D4 TIME FRAME BEFORE WE FINALLY FALL TO A NIL ERO FOR D5  
(MONDAY) AS THE THREAT BEGINS TO FADE.  
 
KLEEBAUER  
 
 
DAY 1 THREAT AREA: HTTPS://WWW.WPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/QPF/94EPOINTS.TXT  
DAY 2 THREAT AREA: HTTPS://WWW.WPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/QPF/98EPOINTS.TXT  
DAY 3 THREAT AREA: HTTPS://WWW.WPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/QPF/99EPOINTS.TXT  
 

 
 
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