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000
FXUS61 KRNK 292039
AFDRNK

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
439 PM EDT Thu Sep 29 2016

.SYNOPSIS...
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A strong upper level area of low pressure will remain just west of
the mountains today into Friday. This system will combine with a
residual stationary front across the region to produce periods of
showers and thunderstorms into Friday night. The low will move
northeast, away from the region, resulting in drier weather this
weekend.
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&&

.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/...
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As of 430 PM EDT Thursday...

Upper low was along the Ohio River as seen in all satellite loops.
A well defined area of mid level drying over the central and
southern Appalachians into the eastern Great Lakes. The upper low
is forecast to drift southeast into Kentucky then loop back into
Indiana. Good consensus in the guidance with the track of the low.
As a result there will be little change in the weather pattern
tonight or Friday.

Surface through low level winds will keep dew points in the 60s in
all but the southwest tip of Virginia and extreme western North
Carolina. This will fill low clouds and fog in over the foothills
and to the east. The western edge of multiple bands of showers and
thunderstorms will gradually move northeast tonight and Friday.

Have taken a blend of bias corrected MET and MAV guidance for lows
tonight. Areas closer to the upper low, west of Bluefield and
Wilkesboro will have the coolest temperatures overnight. Highs on
Friday will very dependent on cloud cover, similar to today.
Locations that have more sunshine will be close to 80 degrees.
Spots that stay in the low clouds longer may only reach the lower
70s.
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&&

.SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
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As of 330 PM EDT Thursday...

The closed low over the Ohio valley that has been dominating the upper
level pattern will slowly pull up to the Great Lakes region as it
starts to open up, dragging a well occluded surface low with it. This
will position our region essentially in the dry slot under a neutral
thermal advection regime with slight warming aloft. This should yield a
weekend forecast devoid of significant precipitation though an isolated
shower may still be possible. By sunday night, high pressure pushing in
form the upper midwest will nudge a cold front to our western doorstep
but the best forcing and instability will be shearing off to our
northwest so the chances for any frontal precipitation encroaching
Sunday night are low.
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&&

.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
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As of 330 PM EDT Thursday...

The upper low will give way to ridging in the eastern US through the
early part of next week. This stall the approaching front and allow a
large area of high pressure to settle over New England and wedge down
the east side of the Appalachians. The big variable lies with the
potential track of TS Matthew as it is expected to turn north and move
up the Atlantic coast. The exact track of Matthew will determine how
much, if any, precipitation it can push into the region from the east
and how much overrunning precipitation will develop as it interacts
with the wedge. Right now, the most likely scenario is for some light
overrunning precipitation to develop by Tuesday and increase a bit into
Wednesday especially in the east, with any significant effects form
Matthew remaining to our east.
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&&

.AVIATION /20Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
As of 215 PM EDT Thursday...

Low clouds along the Blue Ridge an in the foothills of Virginia
and North Carolina have either lifted to MVFR or eroded as of the
18Z start of the TAF forecast period.

Scattered thunderstorms have already developed. The best
probability of precipitation will be in three main bands. The
first will be from the Tennessee/North Carolina border north into
central West Virginia. Another band of storms will line up from
the North Carolina foothills into southeast West Virginia.
Confidence is lower in the formation of storms farther east but
this bans would be mainly east of a KDAN to KLYH line. The
environment favorable for hail this afternoon and evening, with
the best probability of any hail possibly impacting an airport
would be at KLWB or KBLF.

Best concentration shifts into central and northern Virginia late
tonight. This should again allow for areas of MVFR to IFR ceilings
to fill in again with fog overnight. With little movement of the
low pressure system at the surface or upper levels, confidence is
high in the persistent easterly upslope winds through 12Z/8AM.
Have added LLWS in for KLWB late tonight.

Similar to today, improvement in conditions will be slow after
sunrise. Ceilings are likely to not reach VFR until after
15Z/11AM.

Extended aviation discussion...

A deep upper low will remain over the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys
into Friday night with a slow drift to the northeast on Saturday.
This will keep variable clouds, MVFR cigs, and periods of -SHRA
across the region through much of the period. Should finally see
VFR return during Saturday and continue into Monday as the upper
low lifts northeast and weak high pressure builds in.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
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As of 430 PM EDT Thursday...

Development of thunderstorms had been early this afternoon mainly
over the mountains. Storms were lining up and moving from south to
north. MSAS analysis showed most unstable air was over the
northwest North Carolina mountains and from central North Carolina
into eastern Virginia. Highest precipitable water values were east
of Lynchburg and Danville. Until the threat of thunderstorms
diminishes after sunset, will keep the flash flood watch going.
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&&

.RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
VA...Flash Flood Watch until 6 PM EDT this evening for VAZ024-035-
     044>047-058-059.
NC...None.
WV...None.

&&

$$
SYNOPSIS...AMS
NEAR TERM...AMS
SHORT TERM...MBS
LONG TERM...MBS
AVIATION...AMS/JH
HYDROLOGY...JH