Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Duluth, MN

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980 FXUS63 KDLH 052332 AFDDLH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Duluth MN 632 PM CDT Wed Jun 5 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Marginal Risk for severe storms this afternoon and continuing into the evening. The main threats include hail up to 1 and wind gusts up to 60 mph. - Drier conditions heading into the weekend with scattered precipitation on Saturday. - Pleasant start to the week with a more active pattern arriving mid- week. && .DISCUSSION...
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Issued at 245 PM CDT Wed Jun 5 2024 Following our frontal passage late last night, dewpoints in the area are mostly in the upper 40s and lower 50s as opposed to the mid to upper 60s we saw yesterday. That being said, on the heels of that cold front, another quick moving shortwave trough will drop out of Canada bringing us our active weather today. The shortwave in question is tied to a progressive flow regime straddling the US/Canadian border with a 200mb jet exceeding 125 kts pointed directly at central Minnesota. The shortwave trough will allow for enough ascent for scattered thunderstorms to fire starting around 1pm and continuing until 9pm. With clouds clearing across northern Minnesota, we are already seeing some bubbling CU fields evident of 500-1000 joules of CAPE per SPC Mesoanalysis. With the jet aloft, bulk shear will be in the 20-40 kt range with higher values as you go south into MPXs CWA. As storms begin to coalesce and grow over the next few hours they should be quite widespread across our entire CWA. However, due to the stronger shear being located further south, the best chance of seeing a stronger storm lies south of a line stretching from Grand Rapids to Duluth to Ashland where the placement of >1000 joules of CAPE and bulk shear nearing 35 kts is collocated. The main hazards we expect to see today are hail up to 1 inch and wind gusts pushing 60 mph in the strongest cores. It should be noted that with substantial 3CAPE (>150 joules) in tandem with low-level vorticity per the 15z RAP, an isolated funnel or brief tornado cannot be ruled out where we have better moisture pooling further southeast in our CWA. Storms should begin to wind down as the sun begins to set this evening and drier conditions will take hold. Extended Range: Following our storms today, a trough will build in over much of the Great Lakes inducing subsidence across much of the Northland. This will dry us out within NW flow keeping our dewpoints on the lower side as well. Temperatures on Thursday will be a bit on the chillier side with highs struggling to get out of the 50s and lower 60s. However heading into the weekend, we should rebound into the upper 60s and lower 70s. Saturday afternoon will present us with our next chance of rain as another shortwave drops out of Canada. With limited moisture and a southerly track, we are not expecting much from this system. In the wake of this system, a ridge will build in behind this allowing for warmer conditions to return with highs likely to touch into the upper 70s/lower 80s by early next week. Precipitation chances will remain on the lower side until later in the week when a more active pattern looks to begin across the Northern Plains.
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&& .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/...
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Issued at 629 PM CDT Wed Jun 5 2024 A cluster of showers and storms is advancing across the Northland once again this evening. These storms should bring a brief period of heavy rain with MVFR visibilities and ceilings and gusty winds to 40kts to KHYR and/or KDLH. Otherwise, VFR conditions are expected. Storms should gradually lose intensity through 01z, diminishing to no more than showers by 04z. Stratus over southern Manitoba to slide into the area after 04z, continuing to move southeast overnight, bringing MVFR ceilings to all the terminals. Several terminals should also get -SHRA, but have not put any other restriction in for now. Ceilings should lift during the day, but only a few sites should get above VFR.
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&& .MARINE /FOR NEAR SHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR/... Issued at 245 PM CDT Wed Jun 5 2024 Showers and thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon and evening with showers lingering overnight, primarily along the North Shore. Any storms may contain small hail, wind gusts to 40 knots and heavy downpours. Winds will remain westerly tonight at 10 to 20 knots and into Thursday with gusts to 25 to 30 knots at the head of the lake and along the North Shore Thursday. Small Craft Advisories will most likely be needed for this. The westerlies remain breezy again on Friday and may lead to another period of conditions hazardous to small craft. For the open water discussion, refer to the NWS Marquette Area Forecast Discussion at weather.gov/mqt. && .DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...None. WI...None. MARINE...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...KP AVIATION...LE MARINE...BJH