Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Boston, MA

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070 FXUS61 KBOX 241724 AFDBOX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA 124 PM EDT Fri May 24 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Warm and less humid conditions today into Saturday as high pressure builds into the region. Mild with hit-or-miss showers and storms possible on Sunday. Unsettled with widespread rains Monday into Tuesday and more seasonable temperatures. Rainfall could be heavy at times. Still unsettled mid to late in the week, but with considerable uncertainty in the forecast. Temperatures turning cooler as we head late into next week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... 950 AM update... Higher moisture has been pushed south of New Eng with much drier airmass across SNE which will lead to abundant sunshine. Cold front across northern VT/NH will slowly push south but no impact across SNE other than increasing W-SW wind especially across northern MA where a few gusts to 25 mph are expected. 925 mb temps 19-20C support highs low-mid 80s, except 70s along the immediate south coast. Low humidity as deep BL mixing and dry air aloft will allow dewpoints to drop into the 40s, except 50s closer to the south coast. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY/... Secondary cold front should finally pass across southern New England tonight, with a high pressure to follow for Saturday. Generally cooler for Saturday, but not by much. While still sunny and dry, the weakening pressure gradient will make it easier for sea breezes to develop along both coasts, leading to even cooler conditions along the immediate coasts. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... Highlights * Mild Sun with a hit-or-miss showers/storms possible, especially during the afternoon/eve. * Unsettled with widespread rain possible Mon into Tue. Rain may be heavy at times along with embedded thunder. Temps returning to more seasonable levels. * Still unsettled mid to late in the week. Considerable uncertainty with how things evolve during this timeframe. Saturday Night through Sunday... Caught between a broad cutoff/trough south of New England late Sat into Sun, while a ridge axis builds into the eastern Great Lakes. Appears that a weak frontal boundary/low will be located over southern New England during this period. Though a weak high will also nudge into our area as well. As mentioned 24 hours ago am generally anticipating dry and quiet weather through much of this timeframe. Really are lacking forcing with rising 500 hPa heights through the timeframe. Though despite this there is a nearly stationary front/broad low nearby/overhead. This in combination with the WSW/SW flow will advect a 1-1.25 inch PWAT plume overhead, which isn`t all that atypical for this time of year per the NAEFS/EPS situational awareness tables. Given the weak forcing confidence overall not the highest through this period, so think that slight chance to chances of precip suffice. Best opportunity for the hit-or-miss showers and storms is across the interior. This is depicted well per 24 hr probs of measurable QPF from the EPS/GEFS/GEPS guidance. Even have some mod probs (40-60 percent) of 24 hr QPF AOA 0.1 inches per the GEFS. The EPS/GEPS not as high with only low probs (10-30 percent) of 24 hr QPF AOA 0.1 inches. Should see another mild day across southern New England with 925 hPa temps ranging from 15-21 degrees Celsius. There may be enough cloudiness, which would keep us cooler than Sat. Highs on Sun range from the 60s across the immediate south coast to generally the 70s. Though will likely see some low 80 degree readings across the CT River Valley. Memorial Day through Tuesday... Next opportunity for more widespread rains and potentially impactful weather. Will have a complex cutoff low situated over Manitoba/Ontario and the Great Lakes region early on Mon. Several troughs/shortwaves rotate into the eastern Great Lakes and New England region during this period. In response a frontal system lifts into and perhaps through southern New England. Given the complex setup confidence lower than typical, especially on the Tue timeframe. As mentioned previously a dry slot still looking like it punches in, which would quickly erode our precip heading into Tue. Though with this said there are signals that we could have strong winds and heavy downpours, which could potentially lead to flooding concerns. Strong wind risk... Will have an anomalously strong low level jet impinging on our region. The latest NAEFS and EPS guidance indicate winds of 1.5-2.5 STD above model climatology. These anomalies are highest at the 850 hPa level. At this point looks like a 30-40+ kt S to SW/W low level jet slides through. The timing appears most likely late Mon into early Tue. The V component of the wind is actually 2-3.5 STD above model climo signaling a fairly anomalous event. The question will be how much of this can actually mix down, as GFS soundings at this point show we remain inverted. Something to keep an eye on, but this anomalous north/south component of the wind will also act to pump in higher moisture values. Heavy rain/thunder risk... As mentioned the S/SW low level jet impinging on the region will pump in anomalously high moisture values. At this point PWATs appearing to increase to roughly 1-2 inches. The NAEFS/EPS are more muted at 1.25-1.5 inches, which is still 1.5-2 STD above model climo. Could have a few hundred J/kg of MUCAPE in place along with warm cloud layer depths of 3.5-4 km. So, rainfall processes could be efficient. Given this setup and these values think that the WPC Marginal Excessive Rainfall Outlook suffices for now. The GEFS continues to not be as amped up with the heavy rain risk with low to nil probs of 24 hr QPF AOA 1 inch into early Tue. The EPS/GEPS indicating low to mod probs (10-40 percent) of 24 hr QPF AOA 1 inch and highlight the greatest risk along the immediate south coast. The EPS even shows some low probs for 24 hr QPF AOA 2 inches. Given the discrepancy have just stuck with WPC for QPF for now. Will also note that there is roughly 30-50 kts of 0-6 km bulk layer shear in place. The low/mid level lapse rates are quite poor. Given the GFS inverted profiles am thinking will be tough for any stronger storms, but CSU MLP do indicate some low probs for strong/severe storms. More concerned with the heavy rain risk at this point, but something to keep an eye on. Wednesday through Thursday... Caught under cyclonic flow through this timeframe with a cutoff nearby or a trough overhead. Still unsettled through this period, but with considerable uncertainty on how things evolve given it will depend on how things pan out in prior periods. Due to the high uncertainty in this period have just stuck with the NBM. This keeps slight chances to chances of precip. This should suffice for now. Temperatures still around seasonable levels on Wed, but we may turn cooler as we head later into the week. && .AVIATION /17Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
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Forecast Confidence Levels: Low - less than 30 percent. Moderate - 30 to 60 percent. High - greater than 60 percent. Through Tonight...High confidence. VFR, but patchy stratus/fog may impact ACK this evening. W-SW gusts to 25 kt diminishing this evening and becoming light N overnight. Saturday...High confidence. VFR. S-SW wind near 10 kt developing Sat afternoon with sea- breezes along the coast. Saturday night...Moderate confidence. Mainly VFR, but patchy MVFR-IFR stratus and fog possible overnight. Areal coverage of lower conditions is uncertain. A few showers possible in the interior. KBOS TAF...High confidence in TAF. KBDL TAF...High confidence in TAF. Outlook /Sunday through Tuesday/... Sunday: VFR. Slight chance SHRA, isolated TSRA. Sunday Night: VFR. Memorial Day: Mainly VFR, with local MVFR possible. Breezy. Chance RA. Monday Night: MVFR/IFR conditions possible. Breezy. RA, isolated TSRA. Tuesday: Mainly VFR, with local IFR possible. Breezy. Chance SHRA.
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&& .MARINE... Forecaster Confidence Levels: Low - less than 30 percent. Medium - 30 to 60 percent. High - greater than 60 percent. Through Saturday...High Confidence. A cold front should move across the waters today, followed by a secondary cold front tonight. Gusty SW to W winds today diminish this evening and turn NW to N. More light and variable winds for Saturday. Local sea breezes near shore Saturday. Rather light seas expected through Saturday. Outlook /Saturday Night through Tuesday/... Saturday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Sunday: Winds less than 25 kt. Slight chance of rain showers. Sunday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Memorial Day: Winds less than 25 kt. Seas locally approaching 5 ft. Slight chance of rain. Monday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Seas up to 5 ft. Rain likely, isolated thunderstorms. Tuesday: Winds less than 25 kt. Seas up to 5 ft. Chance of rain showers, isolated thunderstorms. && .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...None. MA...None. RI...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Belk/BL NEAR TERM...KJC SHORT TERM...Belk/BL LONG TERM...BL AVIATION...KJC/BL MARINE...Belk/BL