Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Lake Charles, LA
Issued by NWS Lake Charles, LA
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272 FXUS64 KLCH 021130 AFDLCH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lake Charles LA 630 AM CDT Sun Jun 2 2024 ...New AVIATION... .SHORT TERM... (Today through Tuesday night) Issued at 444 AM CDT Sun Jun 2 2024 Rather busy night as short wave moving across along with a speed max has created some upper level divergence to keep going and enhance thunderstorm activity, mainly over south central Louisiana and coastal waters, with radar signatures suggesting very large hail and damaging microburst winds. Current activity is expected to diminish for the most part by sunrise, although tail end of short wave energy may keep shower activity along the Atchafalaya Basin. Only minor height rises noted over the forecast area, so upper level ridge will likely not build enough into the forecast area today to preclude shower and thunderstorm activity. Therefore, expect daytime heating to initiate showers and thunderstorms once air mass recovers by late morning/noon time range. Showers and thunderstorms will continue to increase through the afternoon with an approach of another short wave, along with interactions from numerous mesoscale boundaries. Once again, a very moist and unstable air mass will be in place, PWAT values will be in the 1.75 to 2 inch range, forecast CAPES between 3000 and 4000 j/kg with Downdraft CAPE between 1000 and 1500 j/kg, to go along with favorable mid level lapse rates. Therefore, storms that develop will have the potential to produce microburst damaging winds and large hail, and also high rainfall rates that may lead to flash flooding, especially with slow moving cell mergers and possible training along surface boundaries. As of now, a Marginal Risk for both severe storms and excessive rainfall has been outlined for the forecast area. On Monday, the upper level ridge is expected to start to build into the forecast area. However, still think there will be enough instability and high moisture around to get at least isolated diurnal activity going. There is also another disturbance seen in the west-northwest flow that may reach the forecast area by late afternoon, although guidance does not have a good handle on it. By Tuesday, indications are that the upper level ridge will build in allow for a decrease in shower activity. Rua && .LONG TERM... (Wednesday through Sunday) Issued at 444 AM CDT Sun Jun 2 2024 An upper level cutoff trough will center over Alabama by Wednesday morning. Locally, temperatures will still remain around climatological norms near 90F while southerly flow continues across SETX / SWLA. Broad ridging extending across the western Atlantic into the central Gulf of Mexico will advect moisture into the Mississippi Valley, however, signals for widespread precipitation aren`t showing up due to a lack of forcing working it`s way south to the coast. A very strong vertically stacked upper level low will briefly stall north of Michigan, however, much of the guidance keeps the precipitation north and east of the area. Additionally, forecast soundings indicate the presence of the low level ridge creating enough of stable layer to prevent organized convection. Thursday, there is some indication that stable layer will decrease, thus some isolated POPs return again. The remainder of the long range continues to contain elements of an unsettled behavior with respect to the unorganized upper air pattern. Friday, the boundary to the north will further sink south across the region, however, guidance does not populate much precipitation given the stronger divergence aloft remains NE of LA. While the onset of next weekend does not favor any significant precipitation, confidence in the weekend staying rain free is not high. Kowalski/30 && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 622 AM CDT Sun Jun 2 2024 Mainly VFR to MVFR from ceilings to start off the period. Expect thunderstorms to redevelop with daytime heating and therefore will have VCTS at all terminals starting between 02/16z and 02/18z. Convection is expected to increase in areal coverage and intensity during the afternoon hours and have tried to time out where convection will be its most likely at terminals through about 03/00z. Mainly VFR conditions in the evening as conditions become stable with the potential for low clouds to develop again during the overnight. Rua && .MARINE... Issued at 444 AM CDT Sun Jun 2 2024 Weak high pressure will ridge across the northern Gulf of Mexico and provide mainly light onshore flow for today with south to southeast winds around 10 to 15 knots. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected today into the evening as a very moist and unstable air mass remains in place. Winds and seas will be higher in and near the storms. An upper level ridge will begin to build in on Monday providing lower chances for showers that will decrease further next week. High pressure ridging across the northern Gulf and a series of low pressure systems over the Plains will allow for modest southerly winds during next week with wind speeds averaging around 15 knots possibly up to 20 knots, and small craft exercise caution may be headlined at various times when speeds near 20 knots. Rua && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AEX 88 70 90 72 / 50 20 20 0 LCH 88 75 88 76 / 50 20 20 0 LFT 88 75 90 76 / 60 20 20 0 BPT 89 75 90 76 / 60 10 20 0 && .LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...None. TX...None. GM...None. && $$ SHORT TERM...07 LONG TERM....30 AVIATION...07