Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Dodge City, KS
Issued by NWS Dodge City, KS
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034 FXUS63 KDDC 182310 AFDDDC Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Dodge City KS 610 PM CDT Sat May 18 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Overnight storms in northwest and north central Kansas could have some brief gusty winds. - A more organized severe weather event is on tap for Sunday with the primary threat being downburst winds 70 mph or greater with the potential to be destructive winds. - Cooler temperatures for the middle of next week. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 200 PM CDT Sat May 18 2024 18Z observations and upper air analysis shows a cold front located from central Kansas to around Liberal which is slowly progressing to the south and east. Winds behind the front have increased to 20-30 mph. A 1006 mb surface low is located in the Texas panhandle in association with an upper level shortwave while mid level winds are generally zonal. Tonight the main feature of interest is a forecast MCS to develop in northeast Colorado around sunset. Ahead of the storm complex a 700 mb shortwave and surface low will develop and the present cold front will lift back to the north as a warm front which should allow the return of more robust moisture as the winds switch back to the southeast. Through the evening and overnight hours BUFKIT soundings in northwest and northcentral Kansas show the storm will be quite elevated and the main threat would be downburst winds up to 60 mph and as a result there is a marginal risk of severe weather. These storms will likely affect areas along an north of a Syracuse to Hays line through sunrise Sunday morning. Sunday there should be a brief outflow boundary from the overnight convection which will stabilize the atmosphere through mid morning. Afterwards as the winds turn back to the southeast we will have growing moisture and instability ahead of a developing dryline along the Kansas-Colorado border. Mid level temperatures will be quite warm at 10-11(C) however with forecast highs reaching to the mid 90s around the dryline this should be warm enough to erode any cap we have. A 700 mb shortwave should move into the vicinity of the dryline around 20-21Z and thunderstorm initiation should quickly result around the Kansas/Colorado border. If we do have any supercells they will quickly evolve into a linear squall line within a couple hours. With short term models forecasting 3,000 J/kg or more CAPE these storms will have plenty of energy to work with as the progress eastward. Main threat for severe weather on Sunday will be straight line winds as the 12Z HRRR has hints of wind gusts approaching 75-80 kts once the line gets into the most robust moisture along and east of highway 183. Secondary threat with any squall line could be some brief QLCS spin up tornadoes embedded in the line. Hail threat will be the most with initial storm development and then lessen as the storms become more linear. The bulk of the line should be through by Sunday evening. Sunday evening as the main line of storms moves into central Kansas HRRR models hint at a secondary line of storms developing on an outflow/frontal boundary along K-96. If there is any instability left after the initial line this could certainly be a possibility. Storms look to fester between K-96 and I-70 through close to sunrise on Monday. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... Issued at 205 PM CDT Sat May 18 2024 Monday medium range ensembles have a large longwave trough in the western CONUS and southwest winds at 700 mb will push a shortwave into western Kansas by 00Z. With how the track of the surface to 850 mb the majority of the rain and storms will be concentrated in northwest and north central Kansas into Nebraska. Tuesday into Wednesday the longwave trough will be concentrated in the northern plains with a strong cold front moving into Kansas Tuesday. High temperatures on Wednesday will be in the 70s. A warming trend will return towards the end of the week as highs get into the middle 80s. The more active part of the jet stream looks to be in the northern plains. && .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 610 PM CDT Sat May 18 2024 VFR flying conditions this TAF cycle for all terminals. A couple rounds of thunderstorms are possible this period, the first only near HYS during the 07-16Z Sunday time frame, and the second near the end of the period at all terminals. Low confidence in timing only supported VCTS in the TAFs, but any direct terminal impact will bring MVFR/IFR or lower cigs and vis. Otherwise, ongoing breezy east/southeast winds will weaken to aoa 12 kts over the next couple hours as they slowly veer to southerly overnight. Around 13-15Z Sunday, winds will increase into the 18-23 kt range with gusts of 28-33 kts. && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SHORT TERM...Tatro LONG TERM...Tatro AVIATION...Springer