Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Los Angeles, CA

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886 FXUS66 KLOX 240353 AFDLOX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA 853 PM PDT Sun Jun 23 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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23/852 PM. Dangerously hot weather will continue away from the coast as high pressure aloft remain in place across much of the southern United States. There will be a gradual cooling trend over many locations during the upcoming week, except for the Antelope Valley where conditions will stay very hot into mid- week. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms through Monday.
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&& .SHORT TERM (SUN-WED)...
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23/851 PM. Another hot day for areas away from the immediate coast. Many interior areas climbed to over 100 degrees including Chatsworth at 104 degrees, Woodland Hills at 103 degrees, and Lancaster/Palmdale at 102 degrees. Even the interior coastal plain saw a rise in temperatures today, with Long Beach Airport reaching 95 degrees, downtown LA at 90 degrees, and a new record high for the date at Camarillo Airport at 89 degrees. The influx of moisture from former tropical cyclone Alberto added to the heat discomfort. With daytime heating, the moisture and instability generate a strong and nearly stationary thunderstorm complex across the mountains of northeast Ventura County and extreme northwest LA county (near the Post Fire). This thunderstorm complex generated numerous lightning strikes and doppler radar estimated rainfall rates as high as 2 inches per hour at the core of the storm. This resulted in the issuance of a Flash Flood Warning and a significant weather advisory for strong wind gusts and frequent lightning. While convection ended over the mountains after sundown, satellite imagery continues to show a surge of mid level clouds moving towards the coasts of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The influx of mid level moisture and elevated instability will still bring a 10-15 percent chance of elevated thunderstorms tonight, mainly Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. If any thunderstorms were to develop, the main threats would be isolated dry lightning strikes with limited rainfall, and gusty downdraft winds. On Monday, there continues to be residual moisture across the region. This moisture combined with increased instability will bring a slight chance of afternoon thunderstorms to the mountains of Ventura County and eastern San Gabriels, as well as the eastern Antelope Valley. 00Z NAM model showing better instability on Monday afternoon, with lifted index values between -3 and -6 for these mountain areas. Taking a look at model soundings for these areas, the Ventura County mountains have a better moisture profile with light steering flow, which could bring the threat of slow moving storms and localized flash flooding. Further east over the eastern San Gabriels and Antelope Valley, there is less moisture, with more of an inverted-v structure and DCAPE values over 1000 J/kg. As a result, the main risks for these areas will be isolated dry lightning strikes with less rainfall and strong downdrafts. Another interesting feature to watch will be SLO county on Monday afternoon, as the models have been showing some upper level divergence along with the residual mid level moisture/instability that could bring a 10-15 percent chance of thunderstorms for SLO county. With the lower levels of the atmosphere still quite dry, there could also be a threat of isolated dry lightning strikes with less rainfall. Another very warm day on tap for Monday, but most areas should see a few degrees of cooling as onshore flow continues to strengthen. Heat Warning remains in effect for the Antelope Valley through Thursday as afternoon high temperatures continue to exceed 100 degrees. The Heat Warnings for the Santa Barbara Interior mountains and West San Gabriels were downgraded to a heat advisory for Monday, with temperatures still expected to reach close to 100 degrees at lower elevations. Heat advisories were extended into Monday for the Santa Clarita Valley, western San Fernando Valley, Santa Ynez Valley, Cuyama Valley, and interior San Luis Obispo county. All of these areas will see high temperatures of 92 to 101 degrees, with continued warm overnight lows. *** From previous discussion *** A reorientation of the flow aloft to the southwest to west and departure of mid level moisture should support increased and breezy onshore winds Monday into Tuesday, supporting the aforementioned cooling trend most notable for coasts and coastal valleys. The marine layer may struggle to form clouds for a day or two for Los Angeles, Ventura, and Southern Santa Barbara Counties. Where low clouds do form, patchy dense fog will be possible through at least Monday as the ridge aloft keeps a shallow marine layer in place. .LONG TERM (THU-SUN)...23/132 PM. Only moderate confidence in the extended period as there is a 60-70 percent chance for significant rebound in the heat (as hot if not hotter for many areas) next weekend. Similar to the ongoing heat, the marine layer will probably somewhat limit the heat and related impacts near the coast. Low to moderate heat risk will continue Thursday through Friday or Saturday, before potentially increasing to moderate to high levels next weekend. If the higher heat scenario plays out, there may be a monsoon push into at least Los Angeles County towards the end of the weekend or into early next week. Breezy northwest to onshore winds will continue, potentially nearing advisory levels for southwest Santa Barbara County in particular late in the week.
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&& .AVIATION...23/2324Z. At 0000Z at KLAX, the marine layer was 800 feet deep. The top of the inversion was at 2200 ft with a temperature of 30 deg C. Low to moderate confidence for all sites in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. Monsoonal moisture moving over the area will bring a 10-15 percent chance of a thunderstorm affecting the airports during the overnight period through 12Z. In addition there is low confidence in the low cloud forecasts for KSBA, KSMX and KSBP as the monsoonal flow may disrupt the marine layer, resulting in no low cloud formation. Otherwise, moderate confidence in the remainder of the coastal TAFs, and high confidence for the LA County valley and desert sites. The timing of low clouds arrival along the coast is low confidence. and there is a 30 percent of no cloud cover overnight. KLAX...Moderate confidence in the 00Z TAF. The arrival time of low cigs could differ by +/- 2 hours from TAF time, and there is a 30 percent chance of no low clouds. There is a 10 percent chance of SHRA or TSRA through 06Z. Good confidence that any east wind component will be under 5kt. KBUR...High confidence in the 00Z TAF. There is a 15 percent chance of SHRA or TSRA through 06Z. && .MARINE...23/128 PM. For the Outer Waters, high confidence in current forecast. Conds will likely remain below Small Craft Advisory (SCA) levels through Wednesday morning. NW winds are forecast to increase to SCA levels Wednesday afternoon then linger for much of the time through Friday night. For the Inner Waters north of Point Sal, moderate to high confidence in current forecast. Conds will likely remain below SCA levels through Wednesday morning. SCA level wind gusts are then expected mainly afternoon and evening hours Wednesday afternoon through Thursday. There is then a 30% chance of SCA level wind gusts Friday afternoon and evening. For the inner waters south of Point Conception, moderate to high confidence in current forecast. SCA winds are not expected over most of the area through Friday night, except for the western third of the Santa Barbara Channel where there is a 40% chance of SCA level wind gusts mainly afternoons and evenings Wednesday through Friday. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms mainly over the northern waters through this evening. In addition, areas of dense fog will likely continue at times through early this week. Please see the Marine Weather Statement (LAXMWSLOX) for information of the thunderstorm potential, as well as the potential for dense fog. && .LOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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CA...Heat Advisory now in effect until 8 PM PDT Monday for zones 38-88-344-345-348-353-372-379. (See LAXNPWLOX). Excessive Heat Warning remains in effect until 8 PM PDT Thursday for zones 382-383. (See LAXNPWLOX). PZ...NONE.
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&& $$ PUBLIC...Gomberg/Munroe AVIATION...Smith MARINE...Sirard SYNOPSIS...Hall/Gomberg weather.gov/losangeles Experimental Graphical Hazardous Weather Outlook at: https://www.weather.gov/erh/ghwo?wfo=lox