Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

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223 FXUS64 KHGX 182105 AFDHGX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX 405 PM CDT Tue Jun 18 2024 ...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, MARINE... .SHORT TERM...
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(This evening through Wednesday Night) Issued at 300 PM CDT Tue Jun 18 2024 The immediate forecast concern continues to surround the approach of PTC One and its potential to bring periods of heavy rain, gusty winds, and coastal flooding to SE TX. Latest guidance continues to show the center of the aforementioned system maintaining its slow westward motion towards the Eastern Mexico coast, with recent analysis indicating the potential tropical storm force wind field extending over 300 nm from the center. As such, a Tropical Storm Warning has been for portions of the SE TX coast between Port O`Connor and San Luis Pass in addition to the warning that was already in effect over the coastal waters. The primary threats associated with this system, and their associated timing, are as follows: * HEAVY RAIN: While models continue to show a trend of the highest rainfall amounts concentrating to our southwest, we continue to anticipate an expansion of shower/thunderstorm coverage between tonight and tomorrow afternoon, with the heaviest of rain still expected to fall closer to the immediate coast. With growing confidence in the shift of highest rainfall amounts to the south, we have cancelled the Flood Watch for locations north of the I-10 corridor. The greatest concern is for the areas in and around Matagorda Bay, where 4-6" of rain could fall (with locally higher amounts). For other locations along and south of the I-10 corridor, can now expect 2-4" of rain. Rainfall will taper off tomorrow night. * WIND GUSTS: Sustained winds to tropical storm force will be possible tomorrow along the immediate coast between Port O`Connor and San Luis Pass, as well as for all offshore zones except Galveston Bay. For other coastal locations, winds could approach 30 knots with occasional gusts as high as 35 knots. Further inland, sustained winds may reach up to 20 knots with some higher gusts at times. * COASTAL FLOODING: Sustained strong onshore winds will produce coastal flooding, with the greatest inundation (2-4 ft) in and around Galveston Bay. Flood prone roadways like Hwy 87 along the Bolivar Peninsula may be impacted in addition to other low lying areas. The impacts will be greatest during tomorrow morning`s high tide. Elsewhere, 1-3 ft of inundation are possible which may also impact low-lying and flood prone areas. In general, the greatest impacts from this system will be felt overnight through tomorrow afternoon...with conditions beginning to improve roughly after sunset on Wednesday as the system pushes further inland. While PTC One may be designated as a Tropical Storm before it makes landfall and thus acquire a name, it`s important to note that this will not change the expected impacts to our area. This is a time to be weather aware and prepared- have multiple ways to receive warnings and exercise caution if traveling. Remember the phrase, "Turn Around, Don`t Drown". Never attempt to drive through a flooded roadway! Just to note...overnight lows will remain in the upper 70s to 80 for tonight and tomorrow night, while tomorrow`s highs will sit in the mid to upper 80s (with lower temperatures west of I-45, where rainfall coverage will be greater). Cady
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&& .LONG TERM...
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(Thursday through next Monday) Issued at 300 PM CDT Tue Jun 18 2024 Potential Tropical Cyclone One is expected to track into Mexico and dissipates during the second half of the work week. Impacts will begin to decrease as this system distances itself from the SE Texas coast. There is still a Marginal (level 1/4) Risk of Excessive Rainfall on Thursday, but overall storms will be more scattered/isolated in with lighter rainfall totals expected. Rivers, streams, creeks and bayous may still be elevated at this time as well. Strong winds will also linger across the Gulf waters, bringing minor to moderate coastal flooding through Thursday evening. Additional Coastal Flood Advisories/Warnings may be necessary during this time period to allow inundation to recede. We`ll have to carefully watch how conditions evolve to see if these additional hazards may be warranted. Conditions will improve further on Friday as a +590 dam mid level ridge settles in over portions of the Southern CONUS. Deep moisture will still be available across the Texas Gulf Coast, and with little capping aloft any passing impulses should be able to fire up scattered showers and storms into the beginning of next week. Notably, NAEFS climatological 200mb heights with the upper level ridge are rather high for this time of year. WPC`s 500mb mean cluster analysis indicates heights of 594 dam spanning portions of the Southeast/South-Central CONUS into the weekend. High temperatures are progged to climb into the upper 80s to upper 90s during this period. Deep gulf moisture and high dewpoints will create humid afternoon conditions, resulting in increasing heat stress. Global models indicate the development of another area of low pressure over the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico over the weekend/into next week. It is hard to give specifics on this unrealized system given the uncertainty created by the ongoing Potential Tropical Cyclone One. The lack of a deepening surface low over the Rockies and the presence of surface high pressure across Texas would suggest a weaker pressure gradient across the SE Texas coastline. While the ridge overhead looks to weaken into next week, it`s presence over the Desert Southwest/Southern Plains may keep this system restricted to the Southern Gulf. The different atmospheric setup would suggest that this upcoming system won`t have a broad, anomalous wind swath like Potential Tropical Cyclone One. In other words, it appears that impacts to SE Texas with this upcoming system would be more limited. Still, it is far too early to "lock in" this forecast. Stay tuned these next several days as we monitor how this next disturbance evolves. 03
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&& .AVIATION... (18Z TAF Issuance) Issued at 1244 PM CDT Tue Jun 18 2024 VFR conditions will remain in place across the area over the next several hours. However, deteriorating conditions are expected by late afternoon and overnight as widespread rain associated with an advancing tropical disturbance to our southwest moves onshore. This will result in periods of steady showers with occasional thunderstorms, MVFR to IFR cigs, and reduced visibility. Additionally, sustained winds for IAH and southward will reach around 20 knots, with gusts up to 30 knots (25 knots gusting to 35+ knots at GLS). Expect sustained showers and thunderstorms into tomorrow afternoon before coverage becomes more scattered as the system continues to advance inland. CLL/UTS will see relatively sparse rainfall compared to other sites. Cady && .MARINE...
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Issued at 300 PM CDT Tue Jun 18 2024 A potential Tropical Cyclone will bring numerous thunderstorms, strong winds and high seas across the southwestern Gulf of Mexico through early Thursday. Tropical Storm Warnings and Small Craft Advisories are in effect, with winds of 25-35 knots and gusts up to 40-50 knots expected through early Thursday. Seas are expected to reach 15 to 20 feet at times over the Gulf Waters. These strong onshore winds over a long fetch will also bring a high risk of rip currents. Tide levels rising to 3.5-5 feet above MLLW will bring minor to moderate coastal flooding with 3-4 feet on inundation across the Texas coastline. Conditions will begin to improve on Thursday as the aforementioned tropical disturbance dissipates over Mexico, though Small Craft Advisories will likely be needed into Friday as high winds and seas linger in the system`s wake. Caution Flags may still be warranted over the weekend. 03
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&& .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
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College Station (CLL) 75 85 74 92 / 30 60 30 30 Houston (IAH) 76 87 75 91 / 60 70 40 50 Galveston (GLS) 79 87 82 88 / 80 80 70 70
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&& .HGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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TX...Flood Watch from 7 PM CDT this evening through late Wednesday night for TXZ210-214-226-227-235>238-313-335>338-436>439. Coastal Flood Warning until 7 AM CDT Thursday for TXZ214-313- 335>338-436>439. Wind Advisory until 7 AM CDT Thursday for TXZ214-238-313-335>338- 436>439. High Rip Current Risk through late Wednesday night for TXZ436>439. GM...Tropical Storm Warning for GMZ330-350-355-370-375. Small Craft Advisory until 7 AM CDT Thursday for GMZ335.
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&& $$ SHORT TERM...Cady LONG TERM....03 AVIATION...Cady MARINE...03