156  
ACUS48 KWNS 310850  
SWOD48  
SPC AC 310848  
 
DAY 4-8 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK  
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK  
0348 AM CDT FRI JUL 31 2026  
 
VALID 031200Z - 081200Z  
   
..DISCUSSION  
   
..DAY 4/MONDAY  
 
A SHORT-WAVE TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED MID-LEVEL JET STREAK ARE FORECAST  
TO MOVE THROUGH THE NORTHERN PLAINS INTO THE UPPER MS VALLEY IN  
TANDEM WITH A SURFACE COLD FRONT. THE COMBINATION OF STEEP LAPSE  
RATES AND A MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER IS EXPECTED TO YIELD MODERATE TO  
STRONG INSTABILITY BY AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE FRONT, AMIDST A  
KINEMATIC ENVIRONMENT FEATURING 40-50+ KT OF DEEP-LAYER. AS SUCH,  
THE POTENTIAL WILL EXIST FOR ORGANIZED STORM MODES CAPABLE OF A MORE  
CONCENTRATED SEVERE WEATHER EVENT FROM EASTERN ND INTO NORTHWEST MN.  
MORE ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS APPEAR POSSIBLE SOUTHWEST ALONG THE  
FRONT INTO NE.  
 
ELSEWHERE, A MID-LEVEL TROUGH IS FORECAST TO INTENSIFY OVER WESTERN  
QC INTO THE ST. LAWRENCE VALLEY WITH AN ATTENDING BELT OF  
STRENGTHENING MID-LEVEL FLOW OVERSPREADING NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. AT  
THE SURFACE, A FRONT IS EXPECTED TO SETTLE SOUTH THROUGH NORTHERN  
NEW ENGLAND AND THE NORTHERN MID-ATLANTIC. WHERE STRONGER  
DESTABILIZATION CAN OCCUR, ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS APPEAR POSSIBLE  
ALONG THE FRONT, AIDED BY 30-40 KT OF DEEP-LAYER SHEAR.  
 
   
..DAYS 5 AND 6/TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY  
 
A BROADER-SCALE TROUGH OVER CENTRAL CANADA INTO THE NORTH-CENTRAL  
STATES ON TUESDAY IS FORECAST TO AMPLIFY SLIGHTLY WHILE MOVING INTO  
THE UPPER GREAT LAKES BY WEDNESDAY. MEANWHILE, A DOWNSTREAM TROUGH  
ACROSS THE UPPER OH VALLEY IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN WHILE ACCELERATING  
INTO THE NORTHEAST. AT THE SURFACE, A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH  
THE GREAT LAKES WITH THE TRAILING EXTENSION OF THE BOUNDARY STALLING  
OVER THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS. THE DEGREE OF INSTABILITY AHEAD OF THE  
FRONT REMAINS UNCERTAIN; HOWEVER, SUFFICIENT VERTICAL SHEAR IS  
EXPECTED ALONG THE FRONT TO SUPPORT A CONDITIONAL THREAT FOR AT  
LEAST ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS.  
 
   
..DAYS 7 AND 8/THURSDAY AND FRIDAY  
 
THE 00Z ENSEMBLE MEANS INDICATE A FLATTENED UPPER RIDGE OVER THE  
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S. WITH A BELT OF MODESTLY ENHANCED  
MID-LEVEL FLOW ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER OF STATES. HOWEVER, THERE IS  
CONSIDERABLE MODEL SPREAD IN THE LOCATION AND MOVEMENT OF  
DISTURBANCES EMBEDDED WITHIN THAT PATTERN THAT MAY FOCUS A SEVERE  
WEATHER THREAT. THAT BEING SAID, THERE IS A FAIRLY CONSISTENT SIGNAL  
ACROSS AI GUIDANCE FOR SOME SEVERE WEATHER THREAT ACROSS PARTS OF  
THE MID-ATLANTIC ON THURSDAY/DAY 7. MODEL TRENDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE  
MONITORED FOR THAT TIME PERIOD.  
 
..MEAD.. 07/31/2026  
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