Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Amarillo, TX

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128 FXUS64 KAMA 260550 AFDAMA Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Amarillo TX 1250 AM CDT Wed Jun 26 2024 ...New AVIATION... .SHORT TERM ... (This evening through Wednesday night) Issued at 236 PM CDT Tue Jun 25 2024 Scattered showers and storms should initiate later this afternoon and evening along a sfc boundary currently observed around the northern Panhandles. As we continue to heat up in the 90s to low 100s, we`re holding onto sfc dew points surprisingly well (widespread upper 50s to mid 60s). 1000-2000 J/kg of CAPE have built up along and south of the boundary as a result, but remains capped as of 2 PM. Increased convergence along the boundary along with a little help from a weak disturbance is starting to get attempts at convective development over the northeast Panhandles. This trend should continue to spread south and westward toward the central TX Panhandle in the coming hours as inhibition gets eroded. Shear is marginal but sufficient for an organized severe storm or two, about 30 kts sfc-6km, and DCAPE values are in the 1200-1500 J/kg range. These parameters will lend mostly a damaging wind threat, but also a low chance for some severe hail as well, especially for the east-northeast Panhandles where better upper level support exists. Activity should wane and exit to our south through the evening hours, likely ending by midnight. It`s also worth mentioning that rainfall could be heavy at times, since PWAT values are over 1.25" for most of the area. Hot temperatures and rain chances return tomorrow, with widespread highs in the upper 90s and 100s forecast once again. Don`t currently anticipate heat advisory criteria to be in play for most of the area, as temperature and heat index values should remain below 105 degrees (with the exception of Palo Duro Canyon). Confidence in precip potential goes up markedly tomorrow, especially for our western stacks of counties. The question is just how far east will activity survive? Upper level ridging seated to our southwest will continue to support northwest flow to the area, allowing areas of convection to initiate off the Rockies of New Mexico, potentially expanding as far as the western to northwest half of the CWA. This activity could be more widespread compared to recent days if dry air is less prevalent, with heavy rain certainly on the table again. But, there are indications that dry air mixing may impeded eastward progress of rain through the day, keeping higher POPs of 40-60% limited to the far west- northwest Panhandles where another boundary is forecast to stall. Confidence in severe weather is low right now, but damaging wind gusts are never fully out of the question this time of year. Harrel && .LONG TERM ... (Thursday through next Monday) Issued at 236 PM CDT Tue Jun 25 2024 An upper level ridge will get suppressed to the south and east Thursday through next Monday. This will put the Panhandles on the southern edge of the faster westerly flow. Several short wave troughs will move through this flow to bring a daily chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly to the northern areas. However, a cold front is expected to move through the Panhandles Friday night and it is expected to pull up stationary across the southern Texas Panhandle on Saturday. This stationary front would then be a potential focus for additional showers and thunderstorms for the southern Texas Panhandle. But the devil will be in the details as the better chance of rain will be in association with where this boundary sets up. Rain chances are then expected to wane Sunday into Monday as the upper level ridge builds back closer to the Panhandles. This set up will take the subtropical moisture on a more western track instead of more over the Panhandles. High temperatures will be a handful of degrees either side of 100 both Thursday and Friday and then they will "cool" back down generally the 90`s for Saturday and Sunday. && .AVIATION...
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(06Z TAFS) Issued at 1240 AM CDT Wed Jun 26 2024 Higher confidence is placed for DHT to receive thunderstorm activity later on this evening, so PROB30 groups have been issued to address these higher probabilities. For the other two sites, probabilities are not high enough at this time to anticipate impacts on flight rules. For the 06Z TAF period, VCSH will suffice at AMA and GUY since shower and possibly thunderstorm activity may occur in the vicinity of these sites during the evening hours of the day. Otherwise, VFR conditions prevail for the rest of the hours within the 06Z TAF period. Rangel
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&& .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
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Amarillo TX 101 72 99 76 / 10 30 0 10 Beaver OK 98 72 99 76 / 0 30 10 20 Boise City OK 98 67 95 70 / 40 40 20 10 Borger TX 106 74 104 80 / 10 30 0 20 Boys Ranch TX 103 71 100 75 / 20 40 0 20 Canyon TX 100 70 97 74 / 10 30 0 10 Clarendon TX 100 72 99 76 / 10 20 0 10 Dalhart TX 100 68 98 71 / 30 50 10 10 Guymon OK 99 69 99 72 / 10 40 10 20 Hereford TX 102 71 99 75 / 10 30 0 10 Lipscomb TX 101 73 100 78 / 10 30 10 10 Pampa TX 101 72 99 77 / 10 30 0 10 Shamrock TX 104 73 101 78 / 10 10 0 10 Wellington TX 104 74 102 78 / 10 10 0 0
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&& .AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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TX...Heat Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 8 PM CDT this evening for TXZ317. OK...None.
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&& $$ SHORT TERM...38 LONG TERM....15 AVIATION...55