Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Topeka, KS
Issued by NWS Topeka, KS
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339 FXUS63 KTOP 032354 AFDTOP Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Topeka KS 654 PM CDT Fri May 3 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... -A line of thunderstorms is expected to move from west to east across the area tonight into early Saturday morning. There is a low chance for a few damaging wind gusts. -A better chance for severe weather arrives Monday afternoon as a stronger system impacts the central US. All modes of severe weather will be possible. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 240 PM CDT Fri May 3 2024 This afternoon, a shortwave trough is evident on water vapor imagery over Wyoming with southwest flow over KS. Surface obs show high pressure centered in eastern Iowa. South-southeast winds are beginning to transport higher dew points back into the area, which will continue as high pressure slides further northeast and low level flow increases this evening. The shortwave over WY will move eastward across the Dakotas this evening and tonight, bringing a cold front across KS. A linear complex of thunderstorms is expected to develop in western Nebraska/Kansas near the boundary this evening, marching eastward into tonight. Instability will initially increase in eastern KS with the theta-e advection this evening, but CIN is also expected to increase as the night progresses and the storms approach. HREF MUCAPE values range from about 1000-1500 J/kg ahead of the front, with storms likely along or just behind the instability gradient. Shear still looks to range from about 30-35 kts, helping to maintain storm structure aloft. Given these parameters, strong winds and small hail will be the main concerns with storms as they move through tonight. Lingering post-frontal showers, and gusty northwest winds will be possible through Saturday morning before high pressure brings in a cooler and drier air mass. High temperatures Saturday afternoon look to run about ten degrees cooler than today. Another shortwave trough could then bring precipitation back to the forecast area, but this time from the south. That trough will move across TX and the Red River Valley, then into the Ozarks on Sunday. Instability and moisture will be more limited, so severe weather is not expected. Have also decreased POPs slightly with some deterministic models now keeping most of the area dry. Still think there is at least a slight chance for light QPF mainly south of I-70. A much stronger and more impactful system is still on track for the Monday afternoon/evening timeframe. A deep H5 trough looks to move across the Rockies and take on a negative tilt as it progresses over the High Plains Monday afternoon. Strong southerly flow will quickly transport moisture into the region ahead of a deepening surface low. Instability will build in the warm sector across central and eastern KS in response, with models showing anywhere between 2000-3500 J/kg of SBCAPE. With effective bulk shear possibly exceeding 40 kts and 0-3 km SRH above 200 m2/s2, another round of severe weather is anticipated. All modes will be possible, including damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes. Severe weather is not currently expected for the rest of next week, but a series of shortwave troughs embedded the the flow aloft could at least keep some POPs around through midweek. && .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 652 PM CDT Fri May 3 2024 The main aviation concern this period is the arrival of thunderstorms overnight, along with a cold front shifting winds to the northwest. Timing of TS may still be adjusted as trends are monitored with the line of storms as it approaches from western/central KS. It`s also possible this could be a broken line by the time it reaches TOP/FOE, as it looks like storms will generally weaken as they move west to east into early Saturday morning. MVFR cigs also look to arrive with TS and continue beyond the fropa into afternoon. There may be a brief period of IFR around sunrise, but confidence is not high enough to include in TAFs. VFR conditions should return in the later part of the period. && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Teefey AVIATION...Picha