Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wilmington, OH

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619 FXUS61 KILN 240552 AFDILN AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Wilmington OH 152 AM EDT Fri May 24 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Episodic showers and thunderstorms are expected through the end of the work week and into the weekend. Temperatures are expected to remain above normal through the weekend before a stronger system impacts the Ohio Valley Sunday into Monday, which will reduce temperatures to near normal at the beginning of the next work week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
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Evening update... The combination of a mid-level shortwave and MCV has driven a band of light stratiform rain and embedded thunderstorms into northern Kentucky this evening. With lingering instability in place across southern Ohio, this activity will likely continue over the next few hours as it pushes northward. Eventually, the activity will weaken, leaving behind a lingering moist-level boundary layer and mostly clear skies. Due to the mostly-clear skies, radiation cooling will result in the development of stratus and fog, especially across northern Kentucky and southern Ohio. Dense fog will be a possibility in river valleys. With more clearing to the west of the current thunderstorm anvil shield, can`t rule out dense fog along and west of the I-75 corridor for the Friday morning commute. Previous discussion... A stalled frontal boundary is currently draped across the southern portions of our CWA. While fairly weak, it will help provide a source of lift for a relatively warm/humid, unstable air mass. Temperatures will not climb quite as high today, but upper 70s to near 80 degrees will be observed. CAMs suggest storm coverage may increase later this afternoon into the evening hours. This is likely in response to a subtle shortwave that ripples through southern portions of our CWA. Overall, solutions are quite different amongst hi-res models given the weak forcing in place, so will have to see how this environment responds to this source of energy. PoPs will be highest for southern OH and northern KY, but isolated shower/storm development will still become possible for areas further north towards the I-70 corridor.
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&& .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY/... A chance of showers and storms will continue into the evening. Then, as the aforementioned disturbance moves east and instability wanes, pcpn should diminish and come to an end. Quasi-stationary frontal boundary will slowly move north as a warm front overnight. We could see some low clouds and some patchy/areas of fog overnight, especially south of the front given a light wind regime and high humidity. Lows will drop into the lower 60s. On Friday, weak mid level ridging will be across our region during the morning, so dry weather is expected. Low clouds and fog will lift during the morning. Our attention will then turn to the west and northwest. Warm and humid air will advect north, bringing at least moderate MLCAPE values to the region. Several convective allowing models have been showing a potential MCS complex developing across the Plains, moving east into our region by late in the day or evening. For now, it appears this system may be on a weakening trend as it enters our area. However, given moderate instability, we could still see a strong or severe storm in the late afternoon and into the evening hours. Will mention this in the HWO. Otherwise, it will be warm and humid with highs in the lower to perhaps mid 80s. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... The extended period will begin in a zonal flow pattern as periodic pieces of shortwave energy push east across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys. On Friday night, the first of these with an associated line of showers and storms will push east through the Ohio Valley. Most guidance shows this line will be decaying as it lifts into the ridge over the East Coast. A drying period looks to arrive on Saturday before a stronger disturbance approaches Sunday. Guidance continues to show a rather deep surface low tracking from eastern Kansas to southern Wisconsin Sunday/Sunday night which would increase the potential for strong to severe storms (increased vertical wind profile, better forcing). An upper trough moves into the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley late Monday into the mid week, finally bringing a return to near normal or slightly below normal temperatures after an extended warm spell. && .AVIATION /06Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
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Through 12Z...mid level disturbance over northeast Kentucky will move east to West Virginia. This will allow debris clouds to clear out. Due to recent rainfall and light wind flow, some low stratus and/or fog will develop before sunrise, mostly likely along and south of the Ohio River. For now, will forecast MVFR/IFR/LIFR conditions at some terminals. For today, low stratus and/or fog will eventually lift to SCT- BKN VFR cumulus by 16Z. A weak mid level ridge will be across the region while a weak frontal boundary move northeast as a warm into northern Ohio. Winds will generally be from the south between 5 and 10 knots. For tonight, convective allowing models have mostly backed off on a solution that had weakening showers and storms moving in from the west around 00Z Saturday. Thus, it appears that a chance of showers and thunderstorms will approach the western forecast area more likely late as a cold front encroaches from that direction. OUTLOOK...Thunderstorms possible at times through Tuesday.
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&& .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...None. KY...None. IN...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Clark NEAR TERM...Clark/McGinnis SHORT TERM...Clark LONG TERM...JGL AVIATION...Hickman