Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Lake Charles, LA
Issued by NWS Lake Charles, LA
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861 FXUS64 KLCH 012336 AFDLCH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lake Charles LA 636 PM CDT Sat Jun 1 2024 ...New AVIATION... .SHORT TERM... (Tonight through Monday night) Issued at 345 PM CDT Sat Jun 1 2024 In the near term, expanded Severe Thunderstorm Watch #365 a small ways to the east earlier after collaborating with SPC as ongoing convection within the initially issued watch was moving eastward out of the watch into an area that was also conducive to severe potential. No change to the watch`s expiration time. Mid-afternoon sfc analysis shows a trof/convergence boundary sitting along roughly the I-10 corridor, otherwise high pressure centered along the Carolina coast is remaining in control with srly low-level flow in place. Water vapor imagery shows weak troffing in place over the center of the country with a significant shortwave dropping through it approaching the region at this time. The combo of these features along with a very moist airmass (12z KLCH sounding showed a PWAT near 1.8 inches which forecast soundings indicate is likely higher this afternoon) has led to another round of scattered/numerous showers/thunderstorms which initiated near the coast over sern TX and have been gradually spreading ewd (as lift spreads ahead of the wave) and inland (via outflow development/collisions). This convection is expected to linger into the evening hours before sunset/loss of heating leads to a gradual dissipation. Until then, the severe threat lingers (thus the going WW) while the flash flooding threat, already present as noted in reports received from sern TX, likely grows due to continued development and slow storm movement. In response, WPC has upgraded the forecast area to a slight risk for the remainder of today into tonight. Sunday looks fairly similar to today as another shortwave is progged to push ewd across the region within a developing zonal flow aloft behind the departing trof axis. Forecast soundings indicate good moisture lingering (mean RHs around 80 percent and PWATs nearing 2.0 inches which exceeds the 90th percentile per SPC climo). With daytime heating/mesoscale impacts, expecting yet another round of convection with elevated rain chances. SPC has highlighted the swrn 2/3 of the forecast area in a marginal risk for severe with damaging wind gusts being the main concern (although recent days have shown that large hail will likely be part of the equation again). Meanwhile, WPC has highlighted the entire area again in a marginal risk for excessive rainfall... while forecasted QPF values don`t look menacing, the antecedent wet conditions will allow for lesser rainfalls to create flooding issues. Monday should finally bring some dry weather as the nearly zonal flow begins getting replaced by weak ridging aloft. Forecast soundings indicate less capping and better moisture over the nern zones...and with daytime heating being the primary driver, we could see a few showers/storms during the afternoon across mainly the Atchafalaya Basin/e-cntl LA. 25 && .LONG TERM... (Tuesday through next Friday) Issued at 345 PM CDT Sat Jun 1 2024 The long term begins Tuesday with ridging developing aloft in response to a mid/upper-level low digging swd through the Desert SW into nwrn Mexico...the resulting capping should keep convection at bay across our region despite the continued good low-level moisture. Wednesday currently looks like a repeat performance,. Rain chances, albeit small, return to the forecast for Thursday and Friday as the ridge begins breaking down in response to a digging trof over the ern CONUS...the resultant weak capping allowing for widely scattered convection to develop mainly over our nern zones. Temperatures are progged to start rather seasonal with daytime highs around 90F, although warmer than normal mins are forecast with readings all through the 70s. A slight warming trend is in the works with highs in the lower/mid 90s by period`s end...overnight lows remain rather static. && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Exiting area of -TSRA from AEX to LFT/ARA expecting to end within the next hour or so. Another stronger TSRA complex across Northeast Texas/Northwest Louisiana likely to clip areas of Central Louisiana from 01-03z this evening, if it holds together. Left VCTS for AEX through 02z, but may have to upgrade to TSRA on latest radar trends. Otherwise, MVFR ceilings expected by 11z through 15z. Another healthy chance of TSRA for Sunday afternoon, with VCTS beginning around 17-18Z with a PROB30 group from 19-24z for all sites. 08/DML && .MARINE... Issued at 345 PM CDT Sat Jun 1 2024 No headlines are anticipated on the CWF until Monday when a tightening gradient on lowering pressures over the srn Plains lead srly winds to increase to caution criteria. 25 && .CLIMATE... Issued at 345 PM CDT Sat Jun 1 2024 With the month of May, as well as the climatological Spring (March through May), behind us, here`s a quick recap of how the warmth/wet of the seasons ranked within history. AEX (records date to 1892) 5/27 high of 98 deg tied for 4th warmest May day 10th wettest Spring - 24.05" (record 32.85/1953) ARA (records date to 1948) 3rd warmest May - 78.6 deg (record 79.0/2018) 8th warmest Spring - 71.0 deg (record 73.1/2012) BPT (records date to 1901) Tied 10th warmest May - 78.9 deg (record 81.1/1902) 5th wettest May - 14.75" (record 20.58/1923) 4th warmest Spring - 71.9 deg (record 72.6/2012) 5th wettest Spring - 25.18" (record 34.79/1914) LCH (records date to 1895) 4th warmest May - 78.7 deg (record 79.9/2010) 3rd warmest Spring - 71.5 deg (record 73.0/2012) LFT (records date to 1893) 3rd warmest May - 79.9 deg (record 80.0/2018) 2nd warmest Spring- 72.4 deg (record 72.7/2012) 25 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AEX 69 88 71 90 / 40 40 30 20 LCH 72 88 76 88 / 30 50 20 10 LFT 73 88 75 91 / 50 60 30 10 BPT 74 90 76 89 / 20 40 10 10 && .LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...None. TX...None. GM...None. && $$ SHORT TERM...25 LONG TERM....17 AVIATION...08