Severe Storm Outlook Narrative (AC)
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
555 ACUS02 KWNS 211728 SWODY2 SPC AC 211727 Day 2 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 1127 AM CST Fri Nov 21 2025 Valid 221200Z - 231200Z ...NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AREAS FORECAST... ...SUMMARY... Isolated thunderstorms are possible from the Southwest into the southern Plains and Southeast tomorrow (Saturday), though severe thunderstorm potential appears low. ...Synopsis... A broad mid-level trough, with multiple embedded impulses, will progress across the eastern U.S. as upper ridging builds over the Plains, and an upper low overspreads the Southwest tomorrow (Saturday). With the evolution of this upper pattern, surface high pressure and accompanying cooler, stable air will overspread most of the central and northern CONUS, limiting thunderstorm potential. From southeast TX to the coastal Carolinas, widely scattered thunderstorm development is possible ahead of a surface cold front, which will be ushered southeast by the aforementioned mid-level trough, toward a seasonably moist low-level airmass. Thunderstorms will also be possible across portions of the Desert Southwest into western TX, beneath the progression of the upper low, which may evolve into an upper wave through Saturday. Cooler temperatures aloft will promote buoyancy (albeit scant) for thunderstorm development. ...Southeast VA into central and eastern NC... In roughly the 18-00Z period, isolated to widespread scattered thunderstorm development is possible ahead of the cold front, aided further by upper support with an overspreading embedded mid-level impulse. Overlapping 60-70 kt 500 mb westerly flow atop 25+ kt west-southwesterly 850 mb winds will yield elongated, straight hodographs and 40+ kts of effective bulk shear. Through the day, diurnal heating will support upper 60s/mid 70s F surface temperatures amid 60+ F dewpoints. These low-level thermodynamic conditions should yield around 500 J/kg MLCAPE via tall/thin buoyancy profiles given modest tropospheric lapse rates. While gusty conditions and perhaps some hail may accompany the stronger storms, organized severe wind/hail seems unlikely, with severe probabilities withheld for now. ...Southern and central AZ into southwestern NM... A nearly vertically stacked upper low (from roughly 850 mb on up) will overspread AZ and NM through the period. A belt of stronger, mostly unidirectional flow in the 850-500 mb layer will pivot around the low and overspread portions of southern into central AZ and southwestern NM in the 00-12Z time frame. This flow, resulting in elongated hodographs (and 35-45 kts of effective bulk shear) will coincide with 7.5-8 C/km mid-level lapse rates, supporting multicells capable of at least small hail. Since these favorable conditions will be overspreading an overnight (potentially stable) boundary layer, MUCAPE should be thin, and only reach a few hundred J/kg. As such, the current thinking is that buoyancy may be too limited to support severe probabilities. ..Squitieri.. 11/21/2025 $$