409
FXUS61 KCTP 241652
AFDCTP

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service State College PA
1252 PM EDT Mon Jun 24 2024

.SYNOPSIS...
An upper level trough will swing over Pennsylvania today, then
high pressure will build over the state tonight. A relatively
zonal flow will remain in place through the rest of the week,
with cold front passages likely late Wednesday and either late
Saturday or early Sunday next weekend.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
Wonderfully refreshing air mass across central PA this morning
with low dewpoints in the 40s and 50s and a fresh west breeze
blowing at 15 to 25 mph. Visible imagery shows stratus has
dissipated over the Alleghenies with shallow north to south
stratocumulus cloud streets evident from the Fingerlakes
southward throughout western and central PA. Stratus is still
most prevalent over the Endless Mountain region through the
Pocono Plateau and sprinkles will still be possible there into
this afternoon. Latest Bukfit soundings support afternoon wind
gusts of 20-25kts over the western part of the forecast area
and 25-30kts in the east, which is several knots higher than NBM
guidance.

800-850mb temps support highs from just the lower 70s over the
mountains north of KIPT, to the mid 80s across the Lower Susq
Valley. The arrival of very dry air aloft above a weak inversion a signal
that reliably results in afternoon dewpoints dropping below NBM
guidance, so have leaned toward the drier MAV guidance.

Fair and seasonable weather with diminishing winds are
anticipated tonight, as high pressure builds into the state.
Latest NAMNest and SREF prob charts target the Alleghenies for
late night valley fog.

&&

.SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
The surface high is progged to pass off of the Mid Atlantic
coast Tuesday, resulting in a warmer return southwest flow.
Ensemble mean 850mb temps rising to near 17C supports highs
mostly in the 80s, to near 90F in the Lower Susq Valley.
However, dewpoints remain moderate in the 50s.

A warm front lifting through the Eastern Grt Lks may result in
a shower or tsra Tuesday night, mainly over the NW Mtns. Surging
PWATs and falling heights ahead of an upstream cold front will
bring a much better chance of widespread showers/tsra Wednesday
afternoon. A ribbon of relatively strong mid level winds,
combined moderate instability, suggests organized convection and
locally severe weather is possible Wed PM. Latest ensemble
plumes indicates most likely aerial average rainfall Wed will be
around a half inch.

&&

.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...
Showers and storms will gradually exit to the the southeast on
Wednesday night as high pressure builds in. The midweek cold
front will reset the cycle similar to what today`s cold front
will do and usher in a similar stretch as Monday & Tuesday.
Thursday and Friday will consist of about 48 hours of lower
dewpoints, temperatures closer to average for this time of year,
and plenty of sunshine. Afternoon highs in the 70s and 80s,
overnight lows in the 50s and 60s (perhaps even upper 40s in the
northern mountains Friday morning), and dewpoints below 60F
will feel especially good with the persistent stretch of heat.

As high pressure shifts to the east on Friday, southerly flow
will support increasing temperatures and moisture into the
weekend. The chance for showers and storms will also ramp up
Saturday as a warm front lifts across the region. By Sunday, a
trailing cold front will bring additional showers and
thunderstorms and usher in another cooler stretch for the start
of July.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
Mainly VFR conds with winds out of the northwest at 10 to 20
knots with gust of 20 to 30 knots expected most of the day. The
gusts will quickly drop off after 00Z and winds will decrease to
less than 5 knots for all sites. VFR conditions are expected
overnight with mainly clear skies.

Outlook...

Tue...VFR, no sig wx expected.

Wed...Restrictions possible in TSRA.

Thu...AM SHRA/TSRA with restrictions possible, drying out late.

Fri...Mainly VFR.

&&

.CLIMATE...
No temperature records were set on Sunday. The following
records have been set during this stretch of heat:

MDT:
* A record high temperature of 99 degrees was set at
  Harrisburg, PA on Saturday, Jun 22, breaking the old record of
  97 degrees set in 1988.

IPT:
* A record high temperature of 98 degrees was set at
  Williamsport on Friday June 21st, breaking the old record of
  97 degrees set in 1923 and tied in 1933.

BFD:
* A record high temperature of 89 degrees was tied at Bradford
  on Friday June 21st, tying the record set in 2022.
* A record high temperature of 90 degrees was set at Bradford on
  Thursday June 20th breaking the old record of 88 degrees set
  in 2012.
* A record high temperature of 88 degrees was set at Bradford on
  Wednesday June 19, breaking the old record of 87 degrees set
  in 1987.

AOO:
* A record high temperature of 96 degrees was set on Saturday,
  Jun 22, breaking the old record of 91 degrees set in 1988.

Highest Max Temperatures for Central Pennsylvania Observing
sites for June (date of occurrence is in parentheses:

State College 96 in 1952 (26th) and 1933 (29th)
Harrisburg 100 in 1966 (27th), 1952 (26th), and 1934 (29th)
Williamsport 104 in 1925 (5th)
Altoona 97 in 1971 (28th) and 1953 (21st)
Bradford 93 in 2022 (22nd)

Longest run of consecutive days with max temp >=90 in June:

State College 6 (24-29th 1966)   /current streak=2/
Harrisburg 10* (19-28th 1943) /current streak=7/
Williamsport 9 (18-26th 1923)   /current streak=7/
Altoona         8 (13-20th 1994)   /2024 streak=6 (ended Sat)/
Bradford        1 (23rd 2024)      /2024 streak=1 (Sat)/

*Harrisburg had a run of 11 days with temperatures greater than
 90 degrees that started on 26th and ended on July 6th in 1901.

&&

.CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

$$

SYNOPSIS...Fitzgerald
NEAR TERM...DeVoir/Fitzgerald
SHORT TERM...DeVoir/Fitzgerald
LONG TERM...Banghoff
AVIATION...Bauco
CLIMATE...Evans/Steinbugl/Colbert