Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Topeka, KS
Issued by NWS Topeka, KS
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914 FXUS63 KTOP 290840 AFDTOP Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Topeka KS 340 AM CDT Wed May 29 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - A few showers and thunderstorm (20% or less chance) may occur across the western and southern counties of the forecast area areas this afternoon. - Thursday night through Saturday morning, widespread rain and thunderstorms will be possible (60 to 80 percent chance). Rainfall totals are forecast to be in the 1 to 2 range. Some rivers may see minor flooding. - Chances for showers and storms will continue through the weekend and into the middle of next week. The weekend will not be a total wash out but we may see a 30 to 50 percent chance for showers and storms daily. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 321 AM CDT Wed May 29 2024 Early this morning a broad upper trough was centered across the eastern Great Lakes States, with a upper trough axis extending southward across the mid Atlantic States. An upper level trough was moving onshore across the Pacific northwest. A perturbation embedded within the southern stream of the upper jet was moving east across OK and east central TX. A second perturbation was located across northwest Mexico. At the surface a lee trough extended from eastern CO, south across the southern high Plains. A stationary front extended from southeast TX, northwest into the South Plains of west TX, where it formed a triple point with the surface dryline along the TX/NM border. Richer moisture at 850mb, was being advect northwest into the western TX PNHDL/eastern NM, then north into eastern CO. Today and Tonight: The Pacific Northwest H5 trough will move east across MT and WY while weak near zonal flow will continue across KS. The Southeast 850mb winds will veer more to the south-southwest across OK and western KS, allowing for some richer moisture to shift east towards the western counties of the CWA. A broad surface ridge across the southern Great Lakes will expand southwest into the lower OH River Valley with drier air parcels rounding the ridge axis across MO and far eastern KS. The WRF and FV3 cams show enough ascent from the richer moisture advection into central KS and perhaps ascent ahead of a weak perturbation, may allow a few showers and thunderstorms to develop across central and north central KS. Some of these storms may move southeast across the western and southern counties of the CWA. The CAMs vary in the amount of instability that develops. Most show only 400-800 J/KG of MLCAPE this afternoon. The NAM12 has the high bias of 1200 J/KG of MLCAPE. The effective shear will only reach 20 to 25 KTS. So, storms that develop should not be severe, though some of the pulse type storms may produce gusty winds and small hail. Any showers and storms that develop this afternoon should dissipate after sunset. Highs Today will reach the upper 70s to lower 80s. Most of Tonight will remain dry, with showers ans storms developing in west central KS as a more amplified perturbation moves northeast out of NM into southwest KS early Thursday morning. Thursday through Wednesday: The first perturbation over southwest KS will fill as it shifts northeast into northeast KS/southeast NE. The combination of weak ascent along with isentropic lift ahead of deeper moisture advection northward across KS will cause scattered showers and storms to move east across the CWA after 12Z THU. We may see a break in the rainfall during the late morning and afternoon hours. A more amplified perturbation will move east out of CO into western KS by 00Z FRI. Widespread showers and thunderstorms will develop across western KS Thursday afternoon and spread east across the CWA Friday night. The stronger H5 trough will be moving across the norther Plains. The westerly H5 flow across KS will only be 15 to 25 KTS. The lack of vertical windshear will prevent any organized severe thunderstorms from developing. The perturbation across KS will begin to amplify as if shifts east into MO Friday evening. At this time, much of the CWA will see 1 to 2 inches of QPF Thursday night through Friday. During the Weekend and into Monday, there will continue to be chances for showers and thunderstorms, with weak zonal flow across KS and embedded perturbations moving east across the region. The more amplified H5 trough across the northern Plains will lift northeast into the Great Lakes and New England. Highs will be in the lower tom mid 80s. Tuesday through Wednesday morning, a more amplified upper level trough will move east across the Plains. The H5 flow in the base of the H5 trough will increase to 30 to 50 KTS, so the effective shear confined with instability may provide the CWA with a better chance for strong to severe thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night ahead of a cold front. The GFS and ECMWF are in fair agreement with the timing of the upper trough moving across the central Plains. These longer range model solutions could change over time. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 1237 AM CDT Wed May 29 2024 Expect VFR conditions to continue for the next 24 hours. east- southeast surface winds will increase late this morning up to 10 to 12 KTS with some minor gusts possible during the afternoon hours. Winds should subside early this evening. && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Gargan AVIATION...Gargan