Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Key West, FL

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639 FXUS62 KKEY 240820 AFDKEY Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Key West FL 420 AM EDT Mon Jun 24 2024 ...New DISCUSSION, MARINE, AVIATION... .DISCUSSION...
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Issued at 420 AM EDT Mon Jun 24 2024 Convective coverage has remained fairly muted across the Keys region during the late night hours, with radar currently detecting just widely scattered showers. Temperatures along the island chain are mostly in the upper 70s to lower 80s, with dewpoints in the mid 70s, and winds on land generally from the east to southeast at 5 mph or less. Surface analysis depicts high pressure over the western Atlantic, with a weak trough over the Florida peninsula, and weak low pressure in the Bay of Campeche. Aloft, a weak mid/upper trough remains in place across Florida and the SW Atlantic. The 00Z Key West sounding sampled a very moist and conditionally unstable airmass, with PW of 2.20 inches (well over the 90th percentile for the date). More recent MIMIC-TPW satellite imagery shows the Keys remaining embedded within a large area of 2+ inch PWs extending from the Caribbean and Greater Antilles WNW through much of the Gulf of Mexico. Although shower activity has been limited across the area since Sunday afternoon, the synoptic pattern (copious moisture and general weakness aloft) would appear to favor another rather wet day across the Keys. The potential fly in the ointment may be lack of low-level forcing, as we don`t expect the ESE wind surge which pushed into our area early Sunday morning and was likely the trigger for widespread shower development during that time. However, most of the CAM guidance does indicate considerable convective development at some point during the day. Am not as confident in rainfall as on Sunday, but will maintain 60 percent PoPs for today, which is in general agreement with the MOS guidance as well. Otherwise, expect another partly to mostly cloudy day, with limited sunshine and rainfall holding high temps to the upper 80s. Guidance has trended a bit drier from tonight through midweek, with the mid level trough now washing out more quickly than previously depicted, while the upper trough shifts well east of Florida. That said, our low-level flow will be shifting to the WSW, as the subtropical ridge drops southward in response to a couple of mid-latitude troughs moving off the East Coast. With ample moisture remaining in place, we may be primed for reverse island cloud line development each day from Tuesday through Thursday. Have maintained mid-range chance PoPs (30 to 40 percent). Max temps will edge up to around 90F by midweek as we should see more sunshine. Late this week and into the weekend, the subtropical ridge should shift back northward, allowing for more typical midsummer gentle ESE flow to resume. See no reason to deviate from near-climo 30 percent PoPs at this time.
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&& .MARINE...
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Issued at 420 AM EDT Mon Jun 24 2024 Late night observations show mostly light to gentle E/SE breezes across the Keys coastal waters. While no marine headlines are in effect, numerous showers and scattered thunderstorms are expected to impact the waters today with locally strong wind gusts and rough seas. From the synopsis, high pressure over the western Atlantic and low pressure over the Bay of Campeche will maintain light to gentle east to southeast breezes today. The western Atlantic ridge will settle southward into the Florida Straits from Tuesday through Thursday, with light southwest to west breezes prevailing over the Keys waters. The ridge will shift back northward late this week, allowing light to gentle southeast breezes to resume.
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&& .AVIATION...
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(06Z TAFS) Issued at 420 AM EDT Mon Jun 24 2024 A lull in convection has settled across the Keys early this morning, but shower coverage is expected to increase over the next several hours. Have included VCSH at both terminals with a rough estimate of when more showers will be present near the island chain. Short term amendments will be issued as needed for possible impacts as uncertainty in exact timing and location is high. Outside of convection, near surface winds will be from the east to southeast at 6 to 10 knots.
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&& .CLIMATE...
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On this day in 2009, a record rainfall of 1.67" was measured in Marathon. Rainfall records for Marathon date back to 1950.
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