Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Boston, MA

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533 FXUS61 KBOX 060748 AFDBOX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA 348 AM EDT Thu Jun 6 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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Showers move across the region this morning with brief heavy rainfall and perhaps isolated thunderstorms, especially near the south coast. A second round of scattered showers & thunderstorms cross the region late afternoon and evening. Unsettled conditions continue with scattered showers and thunderstorms Friday through Monday but it will not be a washout.
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&& .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/...
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Key Points... * Numerous showers and isolated t-storms with brief heavy rain this morning, with highest confidence across CT/RI & SE MA * A second round of scattered showers & t-storms late this afternoon and evening A robust mid level shortwave from the mid Atlc region will be lifting across SNE this morning and act on anomalous PWAT plume of 1.5 to 2 inches. Result will be numerous showers and perhaps a few t- storms moving across SNE this morning as there is some elevated instability. It appears heaviest rain will be focused near a weak boundary/warm front across CT/RI and SE MA. While 00z HREF has backed off somewhat on heavy rain potential it is still indicating 30-50 percent probs of 3 hr rainfall exceeding 1" which may lead to some nuisance street flooding if these amounts are realized. Will have to monitor convective trends over the ocean as this could cut back on potential rainfall amounts. The system is progressive and showers will be exiting from west to east later this morning, but early afternoon over Cape/Islands. We expect a period of dry conditions this afternoon after this initial round of showers moves through. Then will have to watch for a second round of scattered showers/t-storms moving in from the west late this afternoon ahead of next shortwave. It is possible there may be a few breaks of sunshine in western New Eng which will help to generate modest instability with CAPES up to 1000 J/kg in western MA/CT. Low and mid level lapse rates are not favorable which will limit severe potential. However, CSU and HRRR Neural network machine learning probs still indicating a low prob of severe storms in western New Eng. The better chance however will be to the west where updraft helicity swaths are more robust, likely due to greater forcing and instability to the west along with stronger wind fields closer to the shortwave energy. Regardless of severe potential, any storms will have the potential to produce heavy rainfall. Mainly cloudy skies will keep highs in the low-mid 70s, but could get close to 80 in the CT valley. Rather humid airmass with dewpoints 65 to 70.
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&& .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY/...
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Tonight... Ongoing scattered convection expected in the interior to start the evening, and this activity should weaken as it moves into the coastal plain with a low risk for an isolated t-storm in eastern MA and RI. Mid level shortwave will be lifting NE from the Gt Lakes tonight and passing well to the north with mid level drying moving in overnight. So, mainly dry conditions expected after evening convection dissipates. Stratus and patchy fog should gradually lift overnight from west to east. Low temps are forecast to be mostly between 60 and 65. Friday... Mid level low moves slowly east from the Gt Lakes with another shortwave approaching from the west. The accompanying cold front will be moving into western New Eng late in the day. Expect partly sunny skies with scattered showers developing in the afternoon in the interior as the shortwave approaches. However, soundings show a strong mid level cap so thunder risk is low. It will be a warm day as 925 mb temps increase to 18-20C ahead of the front. This supports highs in the low-mid 80s, but cooler near the coast where sea- breezes expected. it will be somewhat humid with dewpoints in the 60s but drier air will be moving into the interior in the afternoon with dewpoints dropping through the 50s.
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&& .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
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Highlights * Mainly dry on Saturday with some showers and storms possible west of Worcester * Scattered showers and possibly some embedded thunder on Sunday * Unsettled weather continues into early next week with a possible break in the pattern by Wednesday Saturday The forecast for Saturday has improved since our last update, as most model guidance is calling for a mainly dry day across southern New England. Despite a persistent upper-low and relatively steep lapse rates, limited moisture and atmospheric forcing will make it difficult for anything more than a few isolated showers to develop. Steady westerly flow and deep diurnal mixing should support a warm afternoon despite the anomalously cool air aloft. Expect most locations to reach the upper 70s to low 80s with downsloping from westerly winds supporting the warmest temps over eastern MA. Thinking that even the east facing shorelines should be warm as well as steady westerly winds should be able to fend off the cool sea- breeze. Any shower/thunderstorm activity should be focused to the north and west where the steepest lapse rates and greatest forcing will reside. Areas to the south and east can likely expect a dry/sunny day with a low risk for an isolated diurnal shower. Sunday A short-wave embedded in the broader upper-level low aloft will rotate through southern New England on Sunday. Low-level wind field takes on a more southwesterly wind component and allows PWATs to recover to around 1.2 to 1.3 inches. This coupled with forcing provided by the short-wave aloft should support a period of scattered showers on Sunday. Not too concerned about any embedded thunder given unimpressive dewpoints in the low to mid 50s and cooler temps in the low to mid 70s, but if the upper-level 500 hPa cold pool drops far enough south to enhance mid-level lapse rates and elevated instability, thunder could become a possibility. Next Week Model guidance continues to suggest that the upper-level low responsible for this prolonged period of unsettled weather will still be lingering into early next week. Furthermore, there is likely to be embedded short-waves aloft that will introduce daily shower/thunderstorm chances on both Monday and Tuesday. Details are vague at this time frame, so have leaned on the NBM for guidance which places chance PoPs over the region for Monday and Tuesday afternoon. There is some agreement among global ensembles that the pattern may break by Wednesday as a mid-level ridge builds over the eastern US. More details to follow as we ahead into the weekend.
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&& .AVIATION /08Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
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Forecast Confidence Levels: Low - less than 30 percent. Moderate - 30 to 60 percent. High - greater than 60 percent. 06z TAF Update... Through 12z... IFR-LIFR cigs expanding northward across SNE. Showers and isolated thunder overspreading portions of SW MA, N CT and RI 09-12z. Today...Moderate confidence. Widespread IFR-LIFR conditions. Numerous showers will be overspreading the region this morning and exiting Cape Cod early this afternoon. Isolated thunder and locally heavy rain possible near the south coast. A second round of scattered showers & t-storms with locally heavy rainfall will impact interior MA into CT late this afternoon. SE-S wind 5-15 kt. Tonight...Moderate confidence. Scattered showers & t-storms will weaken as they move into the coastal plain this evening, then drying out overnight. IFR-LIFR conditions in the evening may improve to VFR from W to E 06-12z, but stratus and patchy fog persisting across eastern MA. Light to calm wind. Friday...Moderate confidence. Any lingering stratus will burn off in the morning, otherwise VFR. Scattered showers developing in the afternoon. SW wind 5-15 kt, with sea-breezes developing along the coast. KBOS TAF...Moderate confidence. Deteriorating cigs to IFR with LIFR possible. Showers develop this morning, but thunder chances have diminished as best chance will be closer to the south coast. KBDL TAF...Moderate confidence. Deteriorating cigs to IFR as showers develop 11-15z with low risk for a t-storm, but better chance near the south coast. Improving to MVFR this afternoon with additional showers/t-storms possible late this afternoon. Outlook /Friday Night through Monday/... Friday Night: VFR. Slight chance SHRA. Saturday: VFR. Breezy. Slight chance SHRA. Saturday Night: VFR. Slight chance SHRA. Sunday: VFR. Breezy. Chance SHRA. Sunday Night through Monday: VFR. Slight chance SHRA.
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&& .MARINE...
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Forecaster Confidence Levels: Low - less than 30 percent. Medium - 30 to 60 percent. High - greater than 60 percent. Moderate confidence through Friday. Today...SE winds across the northern waters with S-SW winds increasing over southern waters where some 20+ kt gusts expected. Seas will build to 5 ft over southern waters where SCA will continue. Numerous showers and a few t-storms move through this morning into early afternoon. Vsbys reduced in fog and showers. Tonight...SW wind 10-20 kt over southern waters, with SE winds shifting to NW over NE MA waters overnight. Seas around 5 ft over southern waters. Vsbys reduced in fog. Friday...SW wind 10-15 kt over southern waters and shifting back to E-SE across NE MA waters. Persistent 5 ft seas over southern waters. Outlook /Friday Night through Monday/... Friday Night through Saturday: Winds less than 25 kt. Areas of seas approaching 5 ft. Saturday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Areas of seas approaching 5 ft. Slight chance of rain showers. Sunday: Winds less than 25 kt. Areas of seas approaching 5 ft. Chance of rain showers. Sunday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Seas locally approaching 5 ft. Slight chance of rain showers. Monday: Winds less than 25 kt. Slight chance of rain showers.
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&& .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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CT...None. MA...None. RI...None. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 2 PM this afternoon to 8 PM EDT Friday for ANZ254>256.
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&& $$ SYNOPSIS...KJC/RM NEAR TERM...KJC SHORT TERM...KJC LONG TERM...RM AVIATION...KJC/RM MARINE...KJC/RM