Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Pueblo, CO
Issued by NWS Pueblo, CO
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825 FXUS65 KPUB 142011 AFDPUB Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 211 PM MDT Tue May 14 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Strong to severe storms are possible across our plains today, with the primary threat being damaging winds gusting to 60 mph. - Strong to severe storms are possible tomorrow as well, with primary threats being excessive rainfall and localized flash flooding, along with strong winds and hail. - Drier and warmer conditions arrive for the weekend. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 208 PM MDT Tue May 14 2024 Currently.. Satellite and radar imagery depict lots of showers and mostly weak thunderstorm activity across the high country as of 2pm, with possibly a stronger storm or two over the southern San Luis Valley. A few storms have pushed off the terrain and into the southern I-25 corridor this hour, with new convection looking to possibly get going over El Paso County shortly as well. Temperatures are in mid 70s to mid 80s across the plains. Dewpoints range from the low 40s on our far eastern plains to upper 20s near the mountains. Winds are mostly westerly. Rest of Today and Tonight.. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue through the rest of this afternoon and this evening along a boundary that is working its way across our plains, as well as across the high country. The primary concern with today`s storms continues to be damaging winds. Forecast soundings still show a deep layer of dry air at the surface and inverted V profiles. Meso analysis paints an area of 1400 J/Kg of DCAPE across the Lower Arkansas River Valley from around 5pm to 7pm this evening, which seems to be the most likely timeframe to see gusty outflows from storms in this area today. Gusts from 50 to 60 mph are likely with any stronger storms that move into this area later this afternoon and into this evening. Once the sun goes down, expecting storms to weaken as they push east. Expecting showers and storms to come to an end just after midnight at the latest across most locations, though increased post-frontal moisture and cooler temperatures will linger into tomorrow. Tomorrow and Tomorrow Night.. After Tuesday`s initial cold frontal passage, we will be cooler, more moist, and more unstable for our Wednesday. We are again left between two interacting systems, with a low beginning to make its way onshore over the southern coast of California, and a trough passing to our north. Another cold front looks to push south across our plains throughout the afternoon hours, which looks to spark another round of showers and thunderstorms on our plains. Wednesday`s storms look to be more efficient rainmakers, with forecast qpf anywhere from 0.10 from 0.30 painted across our entire forecast area for tomorrow afternoon and tomorrow evening as better moisture continues to stream in towards our area. Both EPS and GEFs ensemble members show PWATs at around 120% to 160% of normal across a majority of our area as well, with GEFs members showing some hot spots of nearly 200% or normal over our southern Sangres, the San Juans, and Fremont County for tomorrow. The WPC has our plains outlined for a marginal risk for excessive rainfall for tomorrow. The SPC also has our far southeastern plains outlined for a marginal risk for severe storms tomorrow. With high res model guidance suggesting SBCAPE ranging around 500-1000 J/kg, DCAPE ranging around 700-1000 J/kg, and steepening lapse rates, current thinking is that primary threats with storms tomorrow will be excessive rainfall and localized flash flooding, along with strong wind gusts to 50 mph, and quarter size hail, mainly across our far southeastern plains. Daytime high temperatures tomorrow will be much cooler, with most locations topping out in the 70s for the lower Arkansas River Valley, 60s elsewhere for the plains and for mountain valleys, and 50s for higher terrain locations. Showers and thunderstorms will be scattered to numerous over the high country for tomorrow, with snow chances remaining limited to elevations above 11,000ft. New snow accumulations are expected to be very limited for tomorrow, though Pikes Peak could manage to see a couple of inches of new snow Wednesday Night. Instability and chances for severe storms on our plains will wane quickly once we lose daytime heating, though rain showers could linger into the early morning hours of Thursday, especially south of Highway 50. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... Issued at 208 PM MDT Tue May 14 2024 Models continue to be in good agreement through much of the extended period, with differences by late this weekend into early next week. A shift from wetter conditions to drier conditions is forecast by Friday and prevailing into the weekend. Weak embedded disturbances in the flow will likely lead to a few afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms through the weekend into early next week. The next upper storm system looks to move into the region by Sunday, but guidance is struggling with how quickly and how strong the upper system will be as it ejects across the Rockies. Thursday...an upper shortwave will continue to dive south across southern Colorado on Thursday. Northeasterly upslope flow behind a cold front looks to shift southward during the morning hours, with showers and thunderstorms over the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains, down into the Raton Mesa region. The upper system will progress southward through the afternoon, with precipitation coming to an end by Thursday evening. Given the PWAT values remaining elevated and upslope flow into the mountains and Raton Mesa, these showers will be efficient precipitation makers. A few isolated showers and thunderstorms will be possible back west over the Continental Divide during the afternoon and evening hours. Temperatures on Thursday look to be in the 60s across the San Luis Valley, and 60s to mid 70s across the Plains. Friday and Saturday...weak ridging aloft will spread eastward across Colorado with temperatures warming each day. Highs will reach into the 70s and 80s, with a few locations out east approaching 90 degrees. An upper system will pass to the north on Saturday, which will send a weak cold front across the Plains. Drier air across the region should help keep things dry, even with the frontal passage. A few showers and thunderstorms could be possible both Friday and Saturday during the afternoon and evening hours, but confidence in occurrence is low at this time. Sunday into Tuesday...models agree that some sort of upper trough will impact the region during this period. Most guidance has the parent upper low dropping south into the west coast Monday into Tuesday. But there are differences in upper system strength. Ahead of the upper low, flow looks to return southwesterly across Colorado. Embedded energy in the flow looks to bring increased chances of showers and thunderstorms to the mountain areas, and perhaps into the adjacent plains. Temperatures also look to remain warm, with 70s and 80s across the region. Southwesterly flow aloft would also mean higher potential for strong winds across the San Luis Valley and Eastern Plains. Did not stray from the NBM guidance again today given the uncertainty in the overall upper pattern evolution. Mozley && .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 208 PM MDT Tue May 14 2024 VFR ceilings and visibilities are expected at all three TAF sites for the next 24 hours. Afternoon showers and thunderstorms are expected across the area today, with chances for storms moving within the vicinity possible for all three stations, with the highest likelihood at KCOS and KALS. The most likely window for thunderstorms on station at KCOS will be from around 20Z to 23Z this afternoon. If storms do move over station, a period of MVFR visibilities and erratic wind gusts to 40kt will be possible. Mid- level cloud cover is expected to clear overnight, but will increase again tomorrow. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SHORT TERM...EHR LONG TERM...MOZLEY AVIATION...EHR