Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Albany, NY

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238 FXUS61 KALY 270806 AFDALY AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Albany NY 406 AM EDT Mon May 27 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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A humid air mass will be in place for Memorial Day ahead of an approaching frontal system, which will allow for widespread showers and thunderstorms this afternoon, some of which may contain heavy rainfall and gusty winds. Mainly drier conditions will return to the region by the middle of the week, with cooler temperatures as well, although a stray shower still can`t be ruled out. It will be dry and comfortable to end the week, as high pressure returns to the area.
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&& .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/...
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As of 406 AM EDT...A storm system will be slowly making its way from the lower Great Lakes towards Ontario and Quebec for today into this evening. With a moist southerly flow ahead of this system, abundant moisture moving into the region will help allow for a few rounds of precip for today. Initially, the storm`s warm front will be south of the region for early this morning. MRMS imagery already shows a band of precip containing light to moderate rainfall, with even an embedded rumble of thunder. As this lifts northeast towards the area, it will start to fall apart, but some showers are possible, mainly for western and southern areas for around or shortly after daybreak and into the first part of the morning. This will help allow our region to enter the storm`s warm sector. Behind these showers, there should be a rain-free period for several hours for the late morning or early afternoon. Although satellite imagery shows fairly widespread clouds around, a few breaks of sun can`t be ruled out for the late morning or early afternoon hours. Otherwise, it will stay mostly cloudy. Southerly winds look gusty today thanks to the strong pressure gradient in place, with some gusts reaching around 30 mph, especially in north-south valleys than channel the southerly flow. Temps will surge into the 70s for most valley areas and it will continue to be fairly muggy with dewpoints in the 60s. As a pre-frontal trough ahead towards the area for the afternoon ahead of the main cold front, at least one band of heavy showers and thunderstorms look to develop to the west of the area and move through the region, mainly for late in the day (after 4pm according to the 06z HRRR). Model soundings shows PWATs will surge above 1.50" and ensemble guidance suggest PWATs will reach 1 to 3 STD above normal for this time of year. Although showers and thunderstorms look progressive, some heavy downpours are expected and there could be some isolated poor drainage/urban flood issues around. A rogue flash flood can`t be ruled out if heavy rainfall repeats over any one location, although this looks like a low-end threat due to rapid movement of precip and likelihood that the heaviest batch will be within one main band ahead of the pre- frontal trough late today. In addition, there is a threat with this activity for some gusty winds. While instability will be limited (00z SPC HREF shows MUCAPE values under 1000 J/kg), there is a lot of shear in place. 0-6 km bulk shear values will be around 40 kts, with a lot of this in the 0-1 km layer (about 30 kts or so). It won`t take a tall storm to bring down some gusty winds, so downed tree limbs are possible within any heavier convective element. SPC has a marginal to slight risk for severe weather across western areas for late today.
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&& .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/...
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Showers and t-storm will still be ongoing this evening and will linger into the first part of the overnight, as the storm`s cold front slowly makes progress from west to east across the area. CAMs show most of the activity should be done by midnight to 2 AM or so and the threat for the heaviest showers/thunder is likely early, as the loss of heating should help keep storms from staying strong. Otherwise, mostly cloudy skies will gradually become partly to mostly clear towards daybreak Tuesday, with temps falling into the mid 50s to mid 60s and dewpoints starting to fall. Although it will be a little less humid on Tuesday, temps still look seasonably mild for most areas, with mid to upper 70s in valley areas. As the upper level trough approaches, some additional showers and possibly a rumble of thunder will be possible for late in the day. Any activity on Tuesday look fairly scattered and mainly limited to areas west and north of the Capital Region. While sky cover will start off mainly clear early in the day, it will become partly to mostly cloudy by afternoon. Any precip should diminish for Tuesday night with lows in the 50s (some 40s across the highest terrain). Temps will be a little cooler for Wed into Wed night with the upper level trough still overhead. Another disturbance rotating around the main upper level trough will help initiate a few more showers, although the best forcing looks to be passing south of the region. Will continue to go with chance POPs on Wednesday into Wednesday night for most areas, although any showers look fairly brief and light. Skies will continue to be partly to mostly cloudy and dewpoints will remain fairly low and comfortable in the 40s and 50s. Highs will only be in the 60s to low 70s with overnight lows mainly in the 40s to low 50s.
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&& .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
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An upper-level trough swinging across the region midweek will exit eastward on Thursday, with rain showers diminishing from west to east through the day as drier air arrives in its wake. Heights aloft begin to rise late Thursday into Friday as high-amplitude upper ridging builds over the region, bringing a return to dry weather with clearing skies into the weekend. Temperatures through the period trend upward each day, with afternoon highs increasing from upper 50s in high terrain to low 70s along the Hudson Valley on Thursday to upper 60s near 80 across the region on Sunday. Overnight lows similarly trend warmer, from widespread 40s on Thursday night to upper 40s to upper 50s on Sunday night. On the far side of the weekend, numerical guidance begins to show substantial differences in the evolution of the upper ridge, leaving some potential for rain shower chances late Sunday, although confidence is low at this lead time.
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&& .AVIATION /08Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
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Through 06Z Tuesday...VFR conditions are expected to trend to MVFR through the remainder of the overnight period at all terminals as low stratus at 1-2 kft, already observed at POU, will spread to ALB/PSF/GFL by 08-10Z Mon as a surface warm front lifts across the region. Scattered rain showers arriving by 08-10Z Mon will increase in coverage resulting in MVFR vsbys within a more organized band of showers spreading to the north and east in the early morning, from 11-13Z through 14-16Z Mon. IFR cigs are most likely at POU during this period, but are also possible at other regional terminals through much of the morning. Behind the warm frontal passage, conditions may improve, with VFR vsbys expected and cigs lifting back to MVFR across the region. A robust cold front will then approach from the west in the early afternoon, with a period of steady rain expected from 20-21Z Mon to 02-03Z Tue. Within the larger area of rain, a narrower band of thunderstorms is expected to cross from west to east, reaching ALB/GFL/POU and the Hudson Valley between 21-24Z Mon and PSF between 22Z Mon-01Z Tue. IFR cigs/vsbys within thunderstorms are expected in this period, though the worst flying conditions will likely be a more brief window than is currently identified in PROB30 groups. Behind the cold front, lingering showers may see continued MVFR conditions through the reminder of the period, although conditions may trend toward VFR closer to 06Z Tue. Continued south to southeast winds are expected through the period. Speeds of 10 kt or less at all terminals will steadily increase to 10-20 kt by 12Z Mon, with gusts of 10-20 kt beginning after 08Z Mon and increasing to 20-30 kt after 12Z Mon. Brief strong gusty winds over 30 kt are possible within thunderstorms during the cold frontal passage around 21-24Z Mon, before speeds decrease to 5-15 kt after 02-03Z Tue. Outlook... Tuesday Night: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Wednesday: Moderate Operational Impact. Chance of SHRA. Wednesday Night: Moderate Operational Impact. Chance of SHRA. Thursday: Moderate Operational Impact. Slight Chance of SHRA. Thursday Night: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Friday: Low Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Friday Night: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Saturday: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX.
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&& .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...None. NY...None. MA...None. VT...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Frugis NEAR TERM...Frugis SHORT TERM...Frugis LONG TERM...Picard AVIATION...Picard