Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Twin Cities, MN

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486 FXUS63 KMPX 211938 AFDMPX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 238 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2024 .KEY MESSAGES...
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- Isolated to scattered showers and storms in central to southeastern Minnesota into western Wisconsin this afternoon and evening. - Temperatures fall tonight into Monday before warming back up through the rest of the week.
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&& .DISCUSSION...
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Issued at 237 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2024 A band of isolated showers is currently developing over east-central MN early this afternoon ahead of cold front. Strong upper-level diffluence above a pool of elevated instability ahead of the front has allowed for rounds of convection throughout this morning. The current activity is expected to increase in coverage and move east, preceding the southeastward moving cold front, through this afternoon and into this evening. A few thunderstorms will develop and should become surface-based with time, especially in southeastern MN and portions of west-central WI, where daytime heating will uncap the boundary layer. For our southeastern CWA counties, an isolated severe wind gust or large hail stone cannot be ruled out within these storms given the 1000-1500 J/kg of CAPE and about 35 knots of shear before storms exit to our east this evening. Meanwhile, behind the cold front northwesterly winds are gusting to 20 to even 30 knots within the CAA. These winds will follow the southeastward moving front, weakening some this evening into tonight. Temperatures will also cool with lows falling into the mid 40s to lower 50s tonight. Sunday will be a pleasant Fall day with highs in the mid to upper 60s. Clouds and winds will be decreasing thanks to subsidence occurring amid strong upper-level confluence. By Sunday night, surface high pressure will move over the Upper Midwest, allowing for clear skies and light winds. Night-time lows will be cool due to the Canadian air mass and favorable radiational cooling conditions. Low to mid 40s are forecast with even a few upper 40s possible in eastern MN and northwest WI. More great, sunny Fall weather is expected Monday with highs in the upper 60s to lower 70s. Forecast models do show an amplified trough arriving from the west Tuesday. However, this trough passage is expected to be dry given the lack of moisture in the forecast model soundings. In fact, the entirety of the coming work week is looking dry owing to the lack of any moisture return and overall forecast stable conditions. Amplified ridging that is located over the northwest CONUS early next week will translate east into central North America by Friday. Low-level WAA will occur into the north-central CONUS causing highs to warm into at least the mid 70s Wednesday through next Saturday. Even a few 80s look possible in western MN, so it appears we are not done with summer yet. Our next good chance of precipitation isn`t hinted in the long-range guidance until towards the start of October. However, model spread and uncertainty are unsurprisingly large by this time.
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&& .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 111 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2024 First round of storms is winding down, but a field of accas that extends back into southeast SoDak indicates that the atmosphere isn`t done with thunderstorms yet. There is a cold front from STC down through MKT at 18z, with upwards of 2000 j/kg of muCAPE present out ahead of it, with it certainly possible that as that accas moves over the tongue of instability, it will pop off more storms, hence why we left prob30s in place at MSP/RNH/EAU for later this afternoon. Behind the front, we will see gusty northwest winds deep into the evening, with gusty winds coming back Sunday morning across western WI in particular, where the pressure gradient will be the strongest. KMSP...Given the accas field to the west, left the prob30 going for the potential for on more round of storms to develop before we completely loose the instability. Also, with the front moving through this afternoon. A wind shift requiring a shift over to north flow operations will be needed around 22z. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ MON-WED...VFR. Wind SE 5-10 kts. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...None. WI...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...CTG AVIATION...MPG