Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Buffalo, NY

Home |  Current Version |  Previous Version |  Text Only |  Print | Product List |  Glossary Off
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
-- Highlight Changed Discussion --
-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --
732 FXUS61 KBUF 071742 AFDBUF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Buffalo NY 142 PM EDT Fri Jun 7 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
-- Changed Discussion --
Cooler today with scattered to numerous showers and some thunderstorms as an area of low pressure moves through the region. Shower chances decrease Saturday with a brief period of drier weather. Unsettle weather returns Saturday night and lasts through Sunday with chances for showers and some thunderstorms.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/...
-- Changed Discussion --
A moist cyclonic flow around a deep mid-level low will continue to deliver unsettle weather across the Lower Lakes today. As mid-levels cool aloft, to the tune of +6C to +7C, and the support from channeled shortwave energy we will continue to see showers and some thunderstorms through early this evening. In terms of sunshine...should be fairly limited given the cooler air mass filtering in aloft. Any amount of sunshine is likely to lead to more clouds and then additional storms. All this activity is in concert with the arrival of deeper moisture and the trough axis swinging into the region. Given the convective nature of the storms...rainfall amount will vary greatly over any given location, with up to 0.50 inch in the stronger cells. Otherwise...it will become breezy with wind gusts up to 35 mph. Tonight...the mid-level low will slowly churn eastward and heads towards New England overnight. We should see a general decrease in shower and storm coverage overall, especially with the loss of daytime heating. That said...given the cool airmass aloft (+5C/+6C at H850) there may be some lake induced showers east and southeast of the lakes. Its marginal but with lakes in the 60s (+16C/17C) it certainly is enough. The best shot will `likely` be east of Lake Ontario where deeper synoptic background moisture will be found and a longer fetch given W-WNW flow. There will still be some showers east of Lake Ontario early Saturday morning. After that...weak shortwave ridging gradually builds in which will bring about a drying trend from west to east by the afternoon. However...this will be short-lived with the next round of showers and storms arriving by Saturday night. More on that in the short-term disco. Overall not quite as cool Saturday...we should see a decent amount of sunshine too with highs peaking in the upper 60s to low 70s.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
-- Changed Discussion --
Saturday night, another seasonably strong mid level closed circulation will move from northwest Ontario to southern Quebec, with DPVA and height falls spreading into the eastern Great Lakes overnight. The forcing from the approaching trough will combine with a strengthening upper level jet streak rounding the base of the trough to bring a period of deep layer ascent to the eastern Great Lakes. Model guidance continues to suggest a baroclinic wave will peel off of a system over the central High Plains and partially phase with the incoming trough, producing a period of widespread showers and a few scattered thunderstorms Saturday night across much of the region as the baroclinic wave enhances frontogenesis and deformation. Sunday through Sunday night, the organized area of rain from Saturday night will exit early Sunday. Several additional shortwaves will move trough the mean trough across the Great Lakes and New England, bringing a few more rounds of at least scattered showers Sunday through Sunday night. Modest diurnal instability will contribute to shower chances Sunday, and modest lake instability and upslope flow will contribute Sunday night. Temperatures will be on the cool side, with highs in the mid to upper 60s in most locations.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... The same general longwave pattern will remain in place across North America through early next week, with an expansive ridge in the west and a trough in the east. In fact, the trough in the east will reach its deepest extent on Monday when 850MB temps drop to around +4C across the eastern Great Lakes. The trough and associated forcing, deeper moisture, and cool air aloft will continue to support showers and cool temperatures through Monday night. Weak diurnal instability will continue to enhance showers by day, with lake instability enhancing showers by night. By Tuesday, the trough will begin to deamplify and drift to along or just off the east coast. Temperatures aloft are still quite cool, and this may still support a few spotty showers, but with less coverage than Monday. Tuesday night height rises will spread across the Ohio Valley and eastern Great Lakes ahead of another trough digging into the upper Great Lakes. This will bring a brief interlude of dry weather. Model guidance begins to diverge by Wednesday and Thursday with the handling of the next system. The 00Z GFS develops another closed low over the Ohio Valley and eastern Great Lakes with increasing rain chances. Meanwhile, the 00Z ECMWF/GEM are much weaker and farther north with this shortwave energy, keeping a weak open wave moving through southern Canada. Given the model spread and weak look of the ECMWF/GEM solutions, kept POPS low for Wednesday, in the 20-30 percent range. A warming trend will develop by the middle of next week after a few cool days, with above average temperatures returning. && .AVIATION /18Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
-- Changed Discussion --
A mix of mainly MVFR/VFR conditions are expected today as scattered to numerous showers and a few thunderstorms develop through this evening. Any of the stronger cells may bring brief IFR conditions to area terminals. VFR conditions are expected this evening through tonight. Outlook... Saturday...Mainly VFR. Chance of showers in the morning at KART. Saturday night...VFR/MVFR with showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Sunday...Mainly VFR. Chance of showers. Monday...Mainly VFR. Chance of showers. Tuesday and Wednesday...VFR conditions.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .MARINE... Fresh southwest to west winds expected on both lakes today producing modest chop. Small craft advisories and beach hazards are in place on Lake Erie through Saturday. Small crafts on Lake Ontario for the eastern portion of Lake Ontario today but will likely be expanded west to cover the entire lake tonight through Saturday. Winds relax Saturday night, before increasing again Sunday into early next week. Small Craft Advisories may be needed during this time. && .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
-- Changed Discussion --
NY...Beach Hazards Statement until 11 PM EDT this evening for NYZ010-019-085. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 8 PM EDT this evening for LEZ020. Small Craft Advisory until midnight EDT tonight for LEZ040- 041. Small Craft Advisory from 5 PM this afternoon to 2 AM EDT Sunday for LOZ044-045.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& $$ SYNOPSIS...AR NEAR TERM...AR SHORT TERM...Hitchcock LONG TERM...Hitchcock AVIATION...AR MARINE...AR