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000
FXUS63 KARX 072027
AFDARX

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
227 PM CST FRI MAR 7 2014

.SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 227 PM CST FRI MAR 7 2014

MAIN CONCERN DEALS WITH PRECIPITATION CHANCES THROUGH TONIGHT...
MAINLY SOUTH OF I-90.

CURRENTLY...A COLD FRONT WAS MAKING PASSAGE THROUGH THE AREA. THIS
FRONT HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING SOME FREEZING RAIN THIS MORNING
ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MN INTO CENTRAL WI. RADAR CONTINUED TO
SHOW SOME VERY LIGHT RETURNS ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY BUT NO
SURFACE REPORTS OF PRECIPITATION AT THIS TIME. OTHERWISE...
TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE AREA WERE IN THE 30S UNDER MOSTLY CLOUDY
SKIES.

MEANWHILE...WATER VAPOR IMAGERY WAS SHOWING A MID-LEVEL SHORT WAVE
TROUGH DRIFTING EAST THROUGH THE CENTRAL PLAINS. RADAR MOSAIC ACROSS
THE CENTRAL PLAINS INTO THE MIDWEST WAS SHOWING A FINE LINE OF
ELEVATED SHOWER ACTIVITY ALONG THE I-80 CORRIDOR OF EASTERN NEB INTO
CENTRAL IA WITH LIFT OVER THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. HOWEVER...NONE OF
THIS PRECIPITATION WAS HITTING ANY SURFACE OBSERVATION SITES AT THIS
TIME.

LOOK FOR THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO CONTINUE MOVING SOUTH OUT OF THE
AREA TONIGHT AS THE MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE CONTINUES TO DRIFT EAST
ACROSS THE MID/UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY REGION THIS EVENING.
THIS WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE A CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION MAINLY SOUTH
OF THE I-90 CORRIDOR. BUFKIT SOUNDING/THERMODYNAMIC PROFILE STILL
SHOWING THE POTENTIAL FOR A WINTRY MIX OF RAIN/SNOW/SLEET GOING INTO
THIS EVENING...THEN TRANSITIONING TO ALL SNOW AS COLDER AIR FILTERS
IN. NOT LOOKING AT MUCH IN THE WAY OF ACCUMULATING PRECIPITATION
WITH JUST A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH AT MOST AND A TRACE TO A TENTH
OF AN INCH OF SNOWFALL.

HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE AREA ON SATURDAY FOR A COLDER/DRIER
DAY. MAY HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOME EARLY MORNING STRATUS ALONG/SOUTH OF
I-90...BUT THIS SHOULD DISSIPATE WITH INCREASING SUBSIDENCE AND
MIXING WITH MARCH SUNSHINE. PLAN ON HIGHS IN THE 25-30 DEGREE RANGE
WITH LIGHT NORTHWEST WINDS IN THE 5 TO 10 MPH RANGE.

HIGH PRESSURE WILL DRIFT ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT WITH MOSTLY
CLEAR SKIES. THIS WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO DIP DOWN INTO THE 5 TO
10 ABOVE ZERO RANGE.

.LONG TERM...(SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)
ISSUED AT 227 PM CST FRI MAR 7 2014

FOR SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY...TEMPERATURES WILL BE THE MAIN FOCUS.

WITH THE STORM TRACK SHIFTING NORTH INTO CANADA AND MID-LEVEL
HEIGHTS BUILDING OVER THE REGION...MILDER AIR WILL BE DRAWN IN FROM
THE SNOWLESS PLAINS. LOOKING LIKE HIGHS WILL BE PUSHING INTO THE
UPPER 30S/LOWER 40S ON SUNDAY...AND WELL INTO THE 40S ON MONDAY.

FOR LATE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...GFS/EC CONTINUE TO SHOW A
MID-LEVEL TROUGH DROPPING THROUGH THE REGION FOR A CHANCE OF RAIN
AND SNOW.  OTHERWISE...PLAN ON HIGHS ON TUESDAY IN THE MIDDLE/UPPER
30S...DROPPING INTO THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S ON WEDNESDAY.

MILDER CONDITIONS RETURN FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AS MID-LEVEL
RIDGING TAKES PLACE ONCE AGAIN OVER THE REGION. HIGHS ON THURSDAY
ARE EXPECTED TO TOP OFF IN THE 35-40 DEGREE RANGE THURSDAY AND IN
THE 40-45 DEGREE RANGE ON FRIDAY.

&&

.AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY AFTERNOON)
ISSUED AT 1145 AM CST FRI MAR 7 2014

VISIBILITY AND CEILINGS WILL CONTINUE TO DROP INTO THE MVFR/IFR
RANGE AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION EARLY THIS AFTERNOON.
VISIBILITY HAS ALREADY DROPPED TO 2.5SM AT RST WITH CEILINGS ABOUT
TO DROP TO AROUND 900FT AS THE FRONT HAS ALREADY COME THROUGH.
PRECIPITATION IS NOT EXPECTED...BUT SOME VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS DUE
TO THE FOG MAY PERSIST THROUGH MUCH OF THE AFTERNOON. CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY IMPROVE OVERNIGHT AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE
PUSHES IN FROM THE WEST. CONFIDENCE IS NOT VERY HIGH WITH WHEN THE
MVFR CEILINGS MAY BREAK UP...BUT FORECAST GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT IT
WILL BE TOWARD MID-LATE MORNING TOMORROW.

&&

.ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...NONE.
MN...NONE.
IA...NONE.
&&

$$

SHORT TERM...DAS
LONG TERM...DAS
AVIATION...HALBACH