Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Huntsville, AL

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419 FXUS64 KHUN 201123 AFDHUN Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Huntsville AL 623 AM CDT Thu Jun 20 2024 ...New AVIATION... .NEAR TERM... (Today) Issued at 357 AM CDT Thu Jun 20 2024 An area of high altitude moisture and mostly cloudy skies that have been over this region the past few days have faded, as drier air works in aloft. Strong upper level ridging was in place over the coastal Mid Atlantic with upper 590s decameter heights at 500mb. An easterly flow prevailed, rounding the SW periphery of a surface high centered off of the East Coast. Quiet weather continues over this region with area temperatures thus far cooling into the upper 60s and lower 70s. Lows by daybreak Thursday should cool into the upper 60s to around 70. Drier conditions aloft should yield mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies today. And with a strong summer sun (today also the first day of summer that starts around 351 PM CDT), high temperatures should respond appropriately, warming into the lower 90s. Heat indexes should range in the mid/upper 90s. Daytime heating produced cumulus are expected this afternoon thanks to the very warm to hot surface conditions. && .SHORT TERM... (Tonight through Saturday night) Issued at 357 AM CDT Thu Jun 20 2024 Seasonably mild conditions are forecast tonight, with lows in the upper 60s and lower 70s. The above noted upper ridge by then should be weakening somewhat, but moving to the SW and across the Tennessee Valley Friday into early Saturday. High temperatures should warm into the low/mid 90s on Fri, and mid/upper 90s Sat. Apparent temperatures on Fri should rise into the mid 90s to 101, and mid 90s to 103 Sat. Dry weather should continue as we close out the week. && .LONG TERM... (Sunday through Wednesday) Issued at 357 AM CDT Thu Jun 20 2024 Latest extended range models indicate that a strong subtropical ridge in the mid/upper-levels will be centered across AZ/NM at the beginning of the forecast period. Although a gradual increase in NW flow aloft is anticipated across the TN Valley through Sunday night (as a northern stream trough riding along the edge of the ridge dives southeastward across the Great Lakes), highs will manage to reach the m-u 90s for most valley locations on Sunday, with corresponding heat indices in the 98-102F range. It is becoming increasingly apparent that diurnal shower and thunderstorm activity on Sunday afternoon will be confined to an axis of greater low-level moisture and instability positioned to our S/E but we have retained a very low POP in our southeastern zones during the afternoon hours. Overall probabilities for showers and thunderstorms may increase across our region during the early morning hours on Monday as a weak surface cold front (related to the northern stream trough) spreads southeastward from the OH Valley. We have indicated a low (15-20%) POP on Monday morning to account for this, and increased these values during the afternoon, which is when the frontal wind shift should cross the local area. However, with precipitation coverage still expected to be rather sparse, highs will reach the m-u 90s once again, with a slight increase in dewpoints providing max apparent temps in the 100-105F range. Any lingering convection will dissipate south of the TN River Monday evening as the front advances further southward. During the period from Tuesday-Wednesday, guidance suggests that the frontal boundary will begin to lift northeastward in response to another northern stream trough and related surface low moving eastward across Ontario/Quebec. The introduction of light SW flow/richer low-level moisture, coupled with less influence from the subtropical ridge aloft, should allow for a greater coverage of afternoon/evening showers and storms both days, along with slightly cooler afternoon high temperatures. && .AVIATION...
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(12Z TAFS) Issued at 623 AM CDT Thu Jun 20 2024 VFR conditions should continue into Fri, as strong upper level high pressure controls the weather. A light easterly flow this morning, should become ESE in the 5-10kt range later this morning and in the afternoon. Light winds from the east are forecast tonight.
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&& .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...None. TN...None. && $$ NEAR TERM...RSB SHORT TERM....RSB LONG TERM....70 AVIATION...RSB