Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Buffalo, NY

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578 FXUS61 KBUF 220112 AFDBUF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Buffalo NY 912 PM EDT Fri Jun 21 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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While it will still be uncomfortably warm and humid through this weekend, a frontal boundary oscillating back and forth over our region will support enough cloud cover and some thunderstorm activity to somewhat suppress the dangerously high heat indices. Unfortunately, the daily thunderstorms will carry the risk of torrential downpours and even severe weather. Notably cooler and more comfortable conditions can then be expected next week, especially during the latter half.
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&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TODAY/...
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Tonight will be fairly dry to the south, with potential for fog formation, especially near areas that received afternoon storms. To the north and near the frontal boundary and deeper moisture a few showers and thunderstorms could not be ruled out...mainly late. Otherwise it will be another warm night with lows in the mid 60s to lower 70s. Saturday with a frontal boundary still wavering near northern portions of our region, and plenty of instability showers and thunderstorms will again blossom. Favored regions of lake breeze boundrys and near the front will for storms. This will leave just areas NE of Lake Erie with the lowest chances for storms. Highs tomorrow will be in the mid to upper 80s, which with the humidity will yield apparent temperatures 90 to 95F. Deeper moisture/cloud cover east of Lake Ontario will likely keep this area in the mid 70s for highs.
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&& .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... An upper level trough will begin to dive across the upper Midwest Saturday night, causing associated low pressure to strengthen across the central Great Lakes and lift the warm front north of the region. This will place the area beneath the warm sector, supporting ample warm moist air advection. Overall the chances for showers and thunderstorms will continue throughout Saturday night, with the best likelihood for activity lying across the North Country due to its close proximity to the front. The now (roughly) 995mb surface low and associated trough will track to the north of the area and result in a windy day Sunday, given the 850mb winds ramp up to nearly 45 knots. Overall this will support the passage of a strong cold front across the area, likely producing thunderstorms with its passage. Organized convection featuring damaging winds will also be possible due to the ample wind shear across the region. With this cold frontal passage, the arrival time will play an important role with convection. There still are significant differences in model guidance timing the frontal passage and strength of the low. SPC has a portion of our area in a marginal risk for severe weather. Even without thunderstorms, it will be a windy day with wind gusts across the Niagara Frontier around 45 mph. The cold front will then slide to the east of the area Sunday night, supporting lingering showers and thunderstorms to taper off from west to east. The potent shortwave trough aloft will move across New England Monday and bring increasing chances for showers and a few thunderstorms across the North Country with lower chances elsewhere. After such a warm and humid week, it will be notably cooler and drier Monday with highs in the 70s. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... An upper level trough over New England Monday night will shift into the Canadian Maritimes by Tuesday, allowing a progressive mid-level ridge to briefly become established across the eastern Great Lakes. An attendant area of surface high pressure shifting southeast across the Appalachians to the Mid-Atlantic coast will provide the forecast area with a period of rain-free weather, while giving temperatures an upwards nudge back into the low and mid 80s by Tuesday afternoon. Shower and thunderstorm chances return from west to east late Tuesday evening and through Tuesday night as the mid-level ridge moves east, causing a warm front to lift out of the Ohio Valley and into WNY. Confidence is low in timing and coverage of showers/thunderstorms associated with this front as long range guidance is in poor agreement on the evolution of a shortwave expected to slide east across Southern Ontario and the Great Lakes during this same timeframe. Greater chances for showers and thunderstorms will arrive Wednesday as a ~982mb surface low tracks across northern Quebec, sending its elongated cold front through the Northeast. While timing of this front and its associated prefrontal trough remain in question and thus lend lower confidence in how convection will ultimately unfold Wednesday...The system is expected to tap into a deeper plume of GOMEX-based moisture with PWATs potentially climbing to near 2" as it approaches. Thus, any storms that develop and move through the region should have the potential to bring locally heavy rains. The primary cold front should move through the region Wednesday night, with increasing subsidence and a drier airmass allowing shower/thunderstorm chances to decrease from west to east in its wake. As much of the Northeast sits within the post-frontal airmass, temperatures will be notably cooler Thursday and Thursday night, with highs in the low/mid 70s and lows in the 50s and upper 40s respectively. Dry weather should then last through the end of the week with moderating temperatures as surface high pressure moves over and east of the region. && .AVIATION /01Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
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VFR conditions will be in place throughout the region through the first half of tonight. As we push through the wee hours of the morning though...some stratus could develop over the IAG Frontier. This could lead to MVFR to IFr cigs at KBUF and KIAG. On Saturday...the main issue will be threat for convection... particularly particularly east of Lake Ontario. Otherwise...there could be some MVFR cigs in the morning at KROC with a greater potential for cigs of 1500-2500 ft east at KART and KGTB. Outlook... Saturday night...Mainly VFR. A chance for evening thunderstorms inland from the lakes. Sunday...VFR/MVFR. Showers and thunderstorms likely. Monday...Mainly VFR. A chance for afternoon and evening thunderstorms inland from the lakes. Tuesday...Mainly VFR conditions expected. Tuesday night and Wednesday...MVFR/VFR with a chance for showers and thunderstorms.
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&& .MARINE...
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Light winds and minimal wave action is expected to continue across the Lower lakes through Saturday. There will still be the chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms which could produce gusty winds and higher wave action. A cold front will approach the region Sunday with increasing southwest winds which may bring a period of SCAs to area lakes. Northerly flow behind the front will then bring continued choppy conditions to the lakes through Monday. High pressure builds in late Monday with diminishing winds and waves for Tuesday.
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&& .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RSH NEAR TERM...RSH/Thomas SHORT TERM...Apffel LONG TERM...PP AVIATION...RSH MARINE...AR/Thomas