Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Blacksburg, VA

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374 FXUS61 KRNK 272329 AFDRNK Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 729 PM EDT Mon May 27 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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A cold front will push east to the coast tonight. A series of upper disturbances will pass across Tuesday into Wednesday but overall mainly dry and less humid weather is expected.
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&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/...
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As of 720 PM EDT Sunday... Key Messages: 1. Very limited coverage of showers/storms expected this evening if any. 2. Chance for mountain showers Tuesday, but much quieter overall. Has been a quieter evening compared to 24 hours ago as best instability with the front and deeper moisture stayed east of our area. Cannot rule out a few showers and a clap of thunder this evening but overall not going to see much coverage. Clearing skies overall overnight with lows in the 50s in the mountains to lower to mid 60s east. Previous discussion from early this afternoon... Radar is entirely quiet around southwest VA currently. Skies have been clearing steadily since showers ended this morning. This will help destabilize the atmosphere a bit more, but after this morning`s activity, available energy in the atmosphere is fairly worked over. High-res guidance indicates a high probability that showers and storms will redevelop later this afternoon, mostly east of the Blue Ridge. A few storms could be severe, targeted in the Piedmont and further east of our area into central and eastern VA. Threats include damaging winds, large hail, the potential for isolated tornadoes. After this evening we will be clear of a cold front. With some pressure rises ahead of a surface dome of high pressure over the Great Lakes, we will see some light gusts up to 25 MPH across the CWA tonight. Winds will calm tomorrow, but northwest flow accompanied by a mid-level trough could cause scattered mountain showers Tuesday. Temperatures will be cooler than recent, dropping into the 50s overnight tonight.
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&& .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... As of 200 PM EDT Monday... Key Messages: 1. A few upslope showers and isolated storms possible Wednesday afternoon. Little change was made to the mid-range forecast as there is high confidence in the middle of the week will be calm with a cooling trend. From the previous discussion... The medium range models are in good agreement keeping the eastern U.S. under the influence of an upper level trof that is reinforced on Wednesday by an upper level system pushing south of the western Great Lakes. The 27/00Z SREF does show modest probabilities of SBCAPES exceeding 500 j/kg in central WV, as an upper level cool pool moves over the area, so an isolated storm cannot be ruled out on Tuesday in southeast WV. Widely scattered showers and perhaps an isolated storm is also possible Wednesday afternoon mainly in southeast WV, but most areas will remain dry with temperatures close to normal on Wednesday with temperatures expected to be a few degrees cooler on Wednesday. Generally followed the NBM guidance for temperatures during this period. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 215 PM EDT Monday... Key Messages: 1). Generally benign weather for the later half of the week into the weekend. 2). Unseasonably cool through much of the period. 3). Little to no rainfall for the Piedmont through the period. Light showers possible across the western mountains. The last week of May right into the first week of June will be dominated by cyclonic northwest flow around a deep upper low anchored over the eastern Great Lakes. This low pressure area will only very slowly drift east toward NY/New England through the week into the weekend, still influencing the weather across the eastern U.S. over the weekend. The Thu-Sat time period will be largely dry. There is little if any support for precipitation during this time frame. A surface high takes over by late Thursday in the Mid-Atlantic, and going into the weekend, an upper ridge begins to tighten and intensify over the area. This will allow a short wave to traverse the Midwest/OH/TN valley reaching our area by the weekend. However, there is considerable disagreement among the various models as to when and how this system will impact the region. Have kept PoPs under 25% for the most part through the weekend. 850mb temperatures will drop from the early double-digit readings in the low to mid teens deg. C to around +5C to +8C through much of the later half of the week. Temperatures will be on the cool side for late May/early June, only reaching the 60s across the higher terrain west of the Blue Ridge until the weekend, when lower to mid 70s will return. These readings are 5-10 degrees below normal. Nights will be chilly with lows in the 40s west and 50s east. A few spots such as Burkes Garden and Quinwood could see the upper 30s Friday morning behind a secondary surge of cold air rotating around the upper low. /Confidence Levels in Forecast Parameters/ - Moderate to High Confidence in Temperatures, - Low to Moderate Confidence in Precipitation Probabilities, - Moderate Confidence in Wind Direction and Speed, - Low Confidence in Thunderstorm Potential. && .AVIATION /00Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
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As of 720 PM EDT Monday... VFR conditions anticipated through the period. Exception may be some MVFR cigs around BLF/LWB. Fog not out of the question but winds stay up just enough that thinking is limited for terminals so leaving it out. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK... VFR Tuesday night 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.
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&& .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...None. NC...None. WV...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...PH/WP NEAR TERM...VFJ/WP SHORT TERM...PH/VFJ LONG TERM...RAB/VFJ AVIATION...PH/VFJ/WP