Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Charleston, WV

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700 FXUS61 KRLX 131637 AFDRLX AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Charleston WV 1237 PM EDT Mon May 13 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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High pressure provides dry and mostly pleasant weather today, amid a warming trend. Wet weather returns tonight lasting into Wednesday. Mainly dry Thursday, then unsettled for the weekend.
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&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 1100 AM Monday... Tweaked dew points down a few degrees to better reflect observed conditions and forecast mixing into substantially drier air aloft. With such dry air aloft to overcome, any accumulating precipitation is likely delayed until late tonight/early Tuesday. As of 550 AM Monday... Made updates to temperatures as valley locations have decoupled and are seeing the lowest temperatures compared to ridge tops. Temperatures in the lower 30s are being reported on weather stations across Nicholas, Pocahontas, Randolph and Webster counties. That said, continued the SPS for frost until 830 this morning for these locations. Models are starting to slow the timing for the onset of rain showers tonight by an hour or two, still starting it before midnight though. The HRRR does through some scattered showers across the area later this afternoon ahead of the main batch of showers that will arrive from the SW before midnight. QPF has also backed off quite a bit as well, but still seeing PWATs between 1.25" and 1.50" on HiRes model data early Tuesday morning, so will have to monitor trends closely. As of 200 AM Monday... Expecting another cool morning with surface high pressure to our east invading the area. Most locations have already decoupled or will within the next few hours due to stagnant air flow from proximity to the high. Patchy fog along the sheltered river valleys across the coalfields of VA/WV, metro valley and the mountains. Radiational cooling also allowing for cool spots to see low temperatures in the lower 40s across the lowlands; upper 30s in the mountains. Pockets of frost will be possible in the mountain valleys across Pocahontas and Randolph counties. An SPS has been hoisted to cover this as frost not expected to be widespread enough for an advisory. Skies will remain mostly clear, outside of some passing cirrus from the west through the morning. High temperatures look to be above normal today due to southerly flow picking up this afternoon. Highs will be in the low 80s across the lowlands, 70s to around 80 in the mountains. Expecting more cloud coverage later this afternoon with lowering ceilings, especially this evening when an occluding low moves out of the Mississippi River Valley and over the eastern Midwest. That said, PoPs increase from SW to NE later this evening as it slowly makes its way towards us. PoPs become likely by midnight with scattered showers, and even slight chances for an isolated thunderstorm across the coalfields and the eastern mountains. Tuesday looks to start out rather wet after having a few decent, albeit chilly mornings. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/...
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As of 1235 PM Monday... Low pressure will move over the area Wednesday, bringing continued chances for showers and thunderstorms. Low 500-mb heights will lead to a cooler day for most with high temperatures in the upper 60s and lower 70s. Severe weather is not expected due to weak wind profiles and a lack of instability. The threat of flooding will be low, but areas that see repeated downpours may be at risk of localized flooding. A cold front will cross the region late Wednesday with northwest flow returning. This should bring mainly dry weather Thursday with a small chance of showers in the mountains. The return of afternoon sunshine should help temperatures rebound into the upper 70s and lower 80s across the lowlands. The mountains will remain cooler as cloud cover hangs around a bit longer.
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&& .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
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As of 1236 PM Monday... Another low pressure system and its associated warm front will approach from the west Friday, bringing the return of showers by Friday afternoon. Chances for showers and thunderstorms will remain in the forecast for next weekend with upper-level low pressure lingering over the mid-Atlantic region. We are currently forecasting near-normal temperatures Friday and Saturday, with the return of summer-like warmth by Sunday. However, confidence in the overall forecast remains low at this time, and everything will depend on the evolution of the upper- level pattern.
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&& .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
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As of 645 AM Monday... VFR through the period, outside of patchy river valley fog this morning. EKN is reporting IFR restrictions due to fog; CRW is reporting VCFG but winds are picking up and not expecting major impacts, still allowed TEMPO groups and VCFG to cover scattered nature of fog. Expecting return to VFR by ~13Z for any sites experiencing restrictions. High clouds will filter through this morning and will be SCT at times, before becoming BKN by afternoon; SCT mid-level clouds due to daytime heating will be likely as well. CIGs will gradually start lowering SW to NE after ~20Z as a disturbance makes its way toward the region. VFR still expected at least until ~06Z Tuesday. Light to calm S`rly winds this morning will pick up at a light to gentle breeze by afternoon. Winds will be breezy at times in the mountains later today. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: High ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: None EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. UTC 1HRLY 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 EDT 1HRLY 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 CRW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H BKW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H EKN CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H AFTER 18Z TUESDAY... Scattered IFR visibilities and ceilings are possible in rain showers and thunderstorms Tuesday into Wednesday.
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&& .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...None. OH...None. KY...None. VA...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LTC/JMC NEAR TERM...JP/LTC SHORT TERM...JMC LONG TERM...JMC AVIATION...LTC