Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Atlanta, GA

Current Version |  Previous Version |  Graphics & Text |  Print | Product List |  Glossary On
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47
-- Highlight Changed Discussion --
-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --
162 FXUS62 KFFC 221724 AFDFFC Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 124 PM EDT Sat Jun 22 2024 ...New 18Z Aviation Discussion... .SHORT TERM... (Today through Sunday) Issued at 345 AM EDT Sat Jun 22 2024 At a glance: - Unseasonable warmth continues - Isolated to scattered afternoon thunderstorms return Sensible weather for the remainder of the weekend will continue to be governed by a strong (~2.5 sigma above average, per ensemble guidance) -- albeit retrograding -- mid-level ridge. At the surface, weakening high pressure will give way to relatively ambiguous low- level flow. Previously deemed Invest 92L has since moved inland over southeast Georgia, bringing with it increased cloud cover and a slug of tropical moisture to break up our otherwise dry airmass. Associated impacts will be relatively benign, with 30-50% chances for showers and thunderstorms for areas south and east of Macon, and highs just a tick lower in the aforementioned areas this afternoon (1-2 degrees; still in the lower-90s). On Sunday, expect summertime, diurnally-driven convection, primarily across the southern and eastern portions of the forecast area, given forecast PWATs north of 1.7" (~90th percentile for late June per SPC`s sounding climatology) and highs reaching well above convective temperatures. After several days of moderation under subsidence and clear to mostly clear skies, highs through Sunday will be sufficiently warm. Today, expect temperatures to surge into the lower-to-mid 90s for all but the terrain of northeast Georgia, which will remain in the 80s. Tomorrow, highs will be a few degrees warmer, in the mid-to- upper 90s areawide. Improved moisture will allow for trends toward "air you can wear" for Sunday, and heat index values will likely breach the triple digits (as high as 102F) east of a line extending from Macon to Athens. Be cautious if spending long periods of time outside on Sunday, and take frequent hydration breaks in the shade. 96 && .LONG TERM... (Sunday night through Friday) Issued at 345 AM EDT Sat Jun 22 2024 As the extended period begins on Sunday evening, upper level troughing will be setting up over the northeast CONUS. Meanwhile, a surface low associated with this trough will extend a cold front southwestward into the Tennessee Valley region by Sunday night. A shortwave dropping through the Great Lakes region will serve to amplify the trough, which will also give the front an additional southward push towards north Georgia. As this occurs, scattered showers and thunderstorms will spread into far north Georgia on Sunday night, advancing southward through the overnight hours and into Monday. The front is likely to stall in during the afternoon on Monday without providing much change in the weather conditions. High temperatures are forecast to rise into the low to mid 90s in north Georgia and upper 90s in central Georgia. Diurnally-driven thunderstorms on Monday afternoon will be highest in coverage to the south of the front where the most atmospheric moisture will remain. Relatively lower dewpoints (in the mid 60s) are anticipated behind the front on Monday night into Tuesday. A 500 mb ridge will move advance towards the eastern CONUS on Tuesday, with surface high pressure setting up over the Appalachians. Drier air underneath this pattern will be short-lived, as diurnally-driven convection will return on Tuesday afternoon and occur once again on Wednesday. It will be important to keep an eye on temperatures throughout much of the week. NBM guidance continues to show temperatures in the mid to upper 90s across the majority of the forecast area, and some locations in east-central Georgia reaching above 100 in portions of east Georgia Monday through Wednesday. For this forecast package, I elected to blend in NBM10percent guidance into the high temperature guidance. As convective temperatures are reached and storms subsequently develop, the rain and increased cloud cover can often prevent us from reaching such high temperatures. Regardless, even with trending high temperatures down, they are still forecast to range from between 6-12 degrees above average for late June and still rise into the mid to upper 90s each afternoon. With more moisture than the previous spell of heat, so heat indices are forecast to creep up into the triple digits, and heat products may be warranted. Overnight lows are also not anticipated to provide much relief falling into the low to mid 70s. By late Wednesday, the ridge will shift eastward off the Atlantic coast as a longwave trough extends from the eastern Great Lakes towards the Lower Mississippi River Valley. Model guidance continues to indicate an associated frontal system approaching Georgia on Thursday, but uncertainty remains with respect to timing and strength. Maintained high-end chance to low-end likely PoPs late Wednesday into Thursday to account for increased precip chances ahead of a potential front, but also reflect lingering uncertainty. King && .AVIATION...
-- Changed Discussion --
(18Z TAFS) Issued at 114 PM EDT Sat Jun 22 2024 VFR conditions will prevail through the TAF period. SCT cu in 5-7 kft range will diminish after sunset before forming again by 15-16Z Sunday. E to SE winds at 4-7 kts will diminish to light and vrb to near calm after 00Z. Wind direction will shift W after 12Z Sunday with speeds 3-6 kts. //ATL Confidence...18Z Update... High confidence. RW
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
-- Changed Discussion --
Athens 71 96 74 96 / 10 10 20 20 Atlanta 74 97 77 95 / 0 10 20 30 Blairsville 67 89 69 89 / 10 10 40 30 Cartersville 71 96 73 95 / 0 0 30 30 Columbus 74 100 76 97 / 0 10 10 30 Gainesville 72 94 75 93 / 10 10 20 20 Macon 73 99 76 97 / 10 10 10 30 Rome 72 98 74 95 / 0 10 40 30 Peachtree City 72 98 74 95 / 0 10 20 30 Vidalia 74 97 77 98 / 20 40 30 40
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SHORT TERM...96 LONG TERM....King AVIATION...RW