Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Blacksburg, VA

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
-- Remove Highlighting --
-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --
200 FXUS61 KRNK 281056 AFDRNK Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 656 AM EDT Tue May 28 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
-- Changed Discussion --
A series of upper disturbances will pass across today into Wednesday that could allow for isolated shower and thunderstorms in parts of the far north and west. Otherwise mainly dry and less humid weather is expected to persist through the work week. The next main chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms looks to be over the weekend.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 230 AM EDT Tuesday... Key Message: 1. Mainly dry and pleasant conditions with isolated chance for showers or storms in the far western mountains. Early this morning there is a cluster of showers pushing into the far SWERN CWA perhaps associated with a weak low level wave. This should diminish here in the next few hours or so. Expect mostly clear to partly cloudy skies for the vast majority of the area today as we mainly stay in a drier post frontal airmass though still east of the broad upper trough axis. A weak amplification and perturbation traversing the flow may allow for isolated convection in the far northern mountains for the afternoon. Will need to monitor how some of the CAM guidance trends as the Nam nest looks to be an outlier with an area of perhaps more organized convection propagating into more of the mountains this evening, though quickly diminishing in coverage/intensity. Max temps today look to mostly range from the upper 60s to mid 70s in the mountains and low to mid 80s in the Piedmont. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... As of 445 AM EDT Tuesday... Key Messages: 1). Upper low eastern Great Lakes dominates the weather conditions through the period. 2). Temperatures will remain below normal through the period. 3). Scattered showers in the mountains Wednesday and Thursday diminishing/ending by Friday. A broad upper-low anchored over the Great Lakes will dominate the weather through this period. 850mb temperatures will drop into the +5C to +8c through the period resulting in unseasonably cool temperatures in the 40s at night and only 60s daytime for the mountains with 50s to 70s Piedmont during this time frame. Cyclonic flow and steep daytime lapse rates as a result of the strong late May insolation and cold temperatures aloft will promote considerable daytime cloud cover, less so at night. Upslope northwest flow combined with subtle disturbances tracking through the base of the deep upper low will aid in the development of scattered light rain showers across the mountains. Given the steep lapse rates, an isolated afternoon/early evening thunderstorms also cannot be ruled out, especially near the I-64 corridor where instability and dynamics will be the greatest. Any rainfall will be spotty and light with little to none in the Piedmont through the period. Severe weather is not expected. /Confidence Levels in Forecast Parameters/ - Moderate Confidence in Temperatures, - Low Confidence in Precipitation Probabilities, - Moderate Confidence in Wind Direction and Speed, - Low Confidence in Thunderstorm Potential. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 445 AM EDT Tuesday... Key Messages: 1). Somewhat more unsettled weather conditions expected to evolve through the weekend into early next week. 2). Very slow warming trend with temperatures very close to seasonal normals through the first few days of June. The upper-low that will dominate the weather scene through the later half of the week will begin to move northeast over the weekend. The flow aloft will become increasingly zonal as a result. Embedded within this zonal flow is a vigorous highly kinematic short wave that will spread into the region from the west during the later part of the weekend into the first half of next week. As a result, look for an increasing threat for showers and thunderstorms Sunday and beyond into the first half of next week. This will be the next chance for any severe weather and heavy rain. Until then, weather conditions remain relatively benign for the region with seasonal temperatures. Maximum temperatures will be mostly in the 70s west to the lower 80s Piedmont. Low temperatures will generally be in the 40s/50s trending toward mostly 50s by the weekend. /Confidence Levels in Forecast Parameters/ - Moderate to High Confidence in Temperatures, - Low Confidence in Precipitation Probabilities, - Low to Moderate Confidence in Wind Direction and Speed, - Low Confidence in Thunderstorm Potential. && .AVIATION /12Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... As of 650 AM EDT Tuesday... Mainly VFR conditions through period though some MVFR cigs could flirt with KBLF and KLWB this morning. Otherwise expect FEW/SCT cu field near 4-5 kft today into this evening. Could have some alto coverage by this evening also. Some isolated SHRA/TSRA possible mainly this afternoon near KLWB but chance not high enough to include in TAF. Winds generally light out of the west this morning, increasing to 7-11 kts during the day (gusts near 18-20 kts for KBLF and KLWB), then light west to calm this evening into tonight. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK... VFR tonight through much of the week. There is a low chance for showers and thunderstorms across WV Wednesday. Patchy fog with periods of MVFR/LIFR will be possible in the mornings near mountain and river valleys. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...None. NC...None. WV...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...AB/WP NEAR TERM...AB SHORT TERM...PH/VFJ LONG TERM...RAB AVIATION...AB/RAB