088
FXUS64 KLCH 181625
AFDLCH

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
1125 AM CDT Sat May 18 2024

...New UPDATE, AVIATION, MARINE...

.UPDATE...
Wx map shows weak surface high pressure ridge remains over the
area, which is expected to keep winds light from the southeast to
variable this afternoon. Areas of morning dense fog has dissipated
this morning, with partly cloudy skies expected this afternoon
and warmer temperatures, with mid to upper 80s over Central and
Southern Louisiana, and upper 80s to near 90 over Southeast Texas.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms 20 to 60 nautical miles south
of Vermilion and Atchafalaya bays will continue to diminish this
morning through the early afternoon hours, with no precipitation
expected inland. Updates included new text wording for the ending
of the dense fog advisory, otherwise, no changes made.

Likely to have areas of fog once again late tonight/Sunday
morning, with visibilities lowest towards daybreak.

08/DML

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(Today through Monday night)
Issued at 400 AM CDT Sat May 18 2024

Early morning sfc analysis shows a weak cold front extending from an
area of low pressure over far srn MS swwd across sern LA and into
our far ern coastal waters. Water vapor imagery shows a significant
shortwave approaching the forecast area from the Ozarks/ern TX.
Combined with good moisture over the region (00z KLCH sounding
showed a low-level mean RH of 80 percent and a PWAT of 1.63 inches
while KLIX raob showed 82 percent/1.85 inches), local 88Ds were
showing widespread convection over coastal swrn LA/all of s-cntl
LA, plus the adjoining coastal water...some of the activity over
the Gulf was rather hefty with large hail possibly falling.
Meanwhile, the other problem child over the forecast area was
patchy dense fog developing.

In the near term, have issued a Dense Fog Advisory for the wrn 2/3
of the forecast area as observations on the past hour have shown an
increase in the number of sites seeing lower visibilities, or at
least a downward trend. The fog should burn off after sunrise, with
an expiration time for the advisory of 15z.

This morning should see the last of the rain for a while. Ongoing
activity is expected to continue pushing ewd as the mid-level
shortwave shifts into the forecast area and the sfc front further
departs. For now, POP grids show decreasing rain chances over the
far sern zones for the first couple hours after sunrise. Thereafter,
skies should begin clearing as good dry air aloft begins
encroaching. Despite being on the back side of a cool front, it
won`t really be cool today with highs generally in the upper 80s
(about normal for mid-May).

Moving forward, the remainder of the sho658rt term continues to
look dry as ridging aloft builds over the region. Guidance isn`t
very bullish on fog development tonight, which is reflected in the
grids/zones at this time...suspect that the combo of clear
skies/calm winds with lingering boundary layer moisture will spell
at least some patchy fog development prior to sunrise Sunday.
Look for highs back in the lower 90s for most of the area tomorrow
and Monday.

25

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Tuesday through Saturday)
Issued at 400 AM CDT Sat May 18 2024

The bulk of the long term continues to look dry as the ridging aloft
lingers into mid-week. We do begin to see a little bit of a pattern
change by late Wednesday though as a nrn stream shortwave begins
breaking down the ridge/nudging it ewd. Meanwhile, an associated sfc
front is progged to drift swd into nrn LA before stalling. As a
series of disturbances swing by to our north, we should see some
convection begin encroaching on our nrn zones by Thursday, although
rain chances remain rather small at this time.

High temps generally hold around 90 degrees through the long term.
Lows are progged to slowly inch upward with mid 70s likely across
the srn zones by the end of the period.

25

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)

VFR expected this afternoon and evening with partly cloudy skies.
Southeast winds around 7-8 kts at BPT/LCH, variable at 5 kts
remainder of sites. Areas of fog likely to form once again after
16z, with the lowest visibilities between 09-13z at all sites with
IFR/LIFR conditions. After 14z Sunday, expect southeast winds 6-8
kts at southern terminals, variable 5 kts at AEX.

08/DML

&&

.MARINE...

Scattered showers and thunderstorms 20 to 60 nautical miles south
of Vermilion and Atchafalaya bays will continue to diminish this
morning through the early afternoon hours. Otherwise, light
onshore flow and low seas with no precipitation is expected
through the period as high pressure prevails.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
AEX  87  66  90  67 /   0   0   0   0
LCH  87  70  90  71 /  10   0   0   0
LFT  88  72  91  72 /  10   0   0   0
BPT  89  70  91  71 /   0   0   0   0

&&

.LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...None.
TX...None.
GM...None.
&&

$$

SHORT TERM...08
LONG TERM....25
AVIATION...08