Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Topeka, KS

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744 FXUS63 KTOP 021745 AFDTOP Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Topeka KS 1245 PM CDT Sun Jun 2 2024 .KEY MESSAGES...
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- While not a complete washout, several chances for thunderstorms continue through Tuesday evening. - Most likely widespread precip chances are on Sunday evening and Tuesday evening along the cold front. - Few storms could be marginally strong to severe with damaging wind gusts and large hail as the main hazards.
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&& .DISCUSSION... Issued at 323 AM CDT Sun Jun 2 2024 Active pattern this morning with several clusters of storms stretching from the Dakotas to Texas. Embedded perturbation traversing through KS this morning has aided in a line of storms forming near the theta-e gradient (west of highway 75 in central KS) accompanied by 1500 J/G of MUCAPE and around 25-40 kts of effective shear. The southerly LLJ has aided in isolated updrafts producing severe hail, but otherwise are expected to move into a more stable environment and should gradually weaken by sunrise across far eastern KS. CAMs continue to struggle with storm coverage and tracking given the weaker upper forcing aloft through the short term period, leading to less than average confidence in storm development through the morning and afternoon periods. Overall indications that weak height rises and a decent capping layer should inhibit afternoon convection. On another note, low level moisture increases this afternoon as southerly winds become gusty from 15 to 20 mph, gusting to 30 mph. Dewpoints peak near 70 degrees along with highs in the 80s, creating warm and humid conditions through at least Tuesday. Another round of more widespread strong to severe storms is anticipated to form across western KS and western NE late today before tracking eastward into north central KS in the late evening hours. Models vary somewhat on the development of a secondary MCS over southern KS or OK that could persist over east central KS into Monday morning. Initial storms will have between 2000-3000 J/KG of MUCAPE as they impact north central Kansas so large hail along with damaging wind gusts are possible. As the elevated instability wanes to around 1000 J/KG by Monday morning, damaging wind gusts become the main hazard for the remaining area. CAMs are showing a persistent signal of a residual boundary that sets up over far northeast Kansas on Monday afternoon that may lead to isolated storm development. Coverage overall should be limited so have maintained the low chance pops through the overnight hours as there may be another MCS that impacts southeast Kansas late Monday night. A stronger northern stream upper trough accompanied by a cold front increases confidence in a line of storms forming late Tuesday afternoon and evening directly over northeast Kansas before shifting southeast. Highest pops of the forecast (above 70%)with latest ensemble guidance focusing convection east of highway 75, quickly moving southeast into early Wednesday morning. Upper ridging to the west finally signals a drier period from Wednesday onward as temperatures and humidity lower by Thursday as highs reach around 80 degrees. Operational ECMWF depicts an embedded trough within the northwest flow bringing precip back to the area this weekend while the GFS is dry throughout the region. For now, slight chance pops seem to make sense until better consistency is realized. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/...
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Issued at 1245 PM CDT Sun Jun 2 2024 VFR conditions are expected through at least 05Z, but chances for showers and thunderstorms increase around this time. Confidence in the evolution of this activity remains low but enough model agreement and observational information remains to go with a PROB30 group. Minor wind gusts should develop shortly in decent afternoon insolation and mixing. Could see gusts after sunset as a moderate low-level forms.
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&& .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Prieto AVIATION...Poage