000
FXUS63 KGRR 161930
AFDGRR

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
255 PM EDT Wed Aug 16 2017

LATEST UPDATE...
Synopsis/Short Term/Long Term/Marine

.SYNOPSIS...
Issued at 255 PM EDT Wed Aug 16 2017

Showers and storms will arrive overnight and continue into Thursday.
Some storms could be strong to severe Thursday afternoon, perhaps
lingering into Thursday evening.  After a muggy highs in the upper
70s to lower 80s on Thursday, we will cool down to the low and mid
70s Friday and become less humid.  A few showers may continue into
Friday morning, north of I-96.

The weekend looks mainly dry, then another chance of showers and
storms should move back in Monday night through Tuesday night. Daily
highs for the weekend into next week should remain in the upper 70s
to mid 80s.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(This evening through Friday night)
Issued at 255 PM EDT Wed Aug 16 2017

Showers and storms will move in overnight and continue Thursday.
Severe storms are possible Thursday afternoon/early evening,
depending on the timing of several ingredients.

A quiet evening will become increasingly wet overnight as the upper
ridging that was overhead moves east, and a strong upper wave moves
into the Western Great Lakes by daybreak.  A warm advection surge of
moisture and lift will be over the heart of the CWA by 12Z.  Showers
and a few storms will be on the increase from 06Z, and covering much
of the CWA by 12Z.  No severe weather is expected with this wave of
pcpn.

However severe storms will be possible into Thursday.  But it will
depend on all factors coming together.  With the morning showers and
storms exiting we will need to destabilize again into the afternoon.
The models do indicate some clearing behind the morning wave,
allowing for instability to build into the afternoon. The most
likely region where this occurs should be for areas east of U.S.
131. Bulk shear values are most favorable into the afternoon for
organized storms with hail, around 35 knots, then it tails off to
around 25 knots by early evening. However a large portion of this
shear is in the lowest 1km into the evening.  A warm front will be
crossing the CWA, passably supplying more shear locally, and with
low LCLs we may see the risk of an isolated tornado.  Damaging winds
will also be possible with bowing line segments.

Precipitable water values spike to over two inches by Thursday
morning.  So we will also have to watch the heavy rain potential,
with very heavy localized rains likely with the WAA rains. Additional
heavy rains will be possible into the afternoon, but this will be
very more localized with the diurnal convection.

A breezy Friday with some warp around showers possible in the
morning.  Temps will be about 5 degrees cooler, along with falling
dew points.  More isolated showers and storms possible late Friday
night with another upper wave coming through.

.LONG TERM...(Saturday through Wednesday)
Issued at 255 PM EDT Wed Aug 16 2017

Two main periods of rain look possible in the long term, one on
Saturday, and then another centered around the Tuesday timeframe. We
are looking for temperatures to warm up quite a bit by Monday of
next week, before a pronounced cool down comes in for mid-week next
week.

A decent short wave will dive in quickly on Saturday, in the wake of
the upper system supporting the system for tomorrow into Friday.
There is decent agreement that this looks to affect mainly the srn
portion of the CWFA. We would not be surprised if this system digs a
little further south, and moves south of the area. We will roll with
chcs of showers/storms for Sat for the time being.

Dry and increasingly warmer weather is expected for Sunday and
Monday. We will see a flat upper ridge migrate over the area. Even
though the ridge will not be very strong, we will see a solid SW
flow bring in very warm air aloft from the Plains states. The
atmosphere will likely be capped through Monday. This is favorable
for eclipse viewing in the area Mon, aside from some small cumulus
development or high clouds that might approach the area.

The threat for rain will increase beginning Mon night and will
likely max out on Tue. The flat ridge will slip east, and we will
see an amplifying trough taking shape to our west. The stronger
nature of the wave combined with some Gulf moisture advecting in
looks to bring a good shot of showers/storms to the area. This
should move out by Wed, leaving a much cooler and drier air mass in
its wake.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Thursday afternoon)
Issued at 147 PM EDT Wed Aug 16 2017

Main impacts to aviation operations in this forecast period are
the thunderstorms and low clouds expected late tonight and Thu
morning.

Until tonight, diurnal cumulus based around 4-5k ft will be the
rule away from the lakeshore through around sunset. Winds will
generally be under 10 knots from the SE, with onshore wind at the
lakeshore.

We expect storms to start developing over the area after 06z
tonight. These look to be spotty in nature at this time. MVFR cigs
and vsbys are expected with any storms with some local IFR
possible. More widespread low clouds will start forming around or
after 08z as the warm front approaches. Storms will remain
possible until warm front pushes through from South to North Thu
morning.

Once the warm front pushes through, thunderstorm chances will
temporarily end, low clouds will blow out, and gusty SSW winds
will develop. Additional strong storms will be possible later
Thursday, after this valid fcst period.

&&

.MARINE...
Issued at 255 PM EDT Wed Aug 16 2017

Will issue a small craft advisory for Thursday afternoon north of
Holland and extend it through Friday.  Southerly winds will pick up
Thursday, then become westerly by late Thursday night.  Most likely
we will need to add the areas south of Holland into Thursday night
as this wind shift occurs.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
Issued at 330 PM EDT Wed Aug 16 2017

Multiple rounds of thunderstorms are possible Thursday. This may
lead to localized heavy rainfall where storms more frequently
occur. Early to mid morning showers and storms are expected along
a warm front and afternoon/evening showers and storms are possible
especially east of US 131. PWAT values will be quite high,
approaching 2.0 inches, along with surface dew points above 70.
There is some potential for a few training thunderstorms with MBE
velocities occasionally dropping below 10 kts. However, this does
not look like a classic flood setup outside of localized ponding
of roads. We will continue to monitor trends.

&&

.GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MI...None.
LM...Small Craft Advisory from noon Thursday to 9 PM EDT Friday for
     LMZ846>849.

&&

$$

SYNOPSIS...JK
SHORT TERM...JK
LONG TERM...NJJ
AVIATION...NJJ
HYDROLOGY...Hoving
MARINE...JK