Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Pittsburgh, PA

Home |  Current Version |  Previous Version |  Graphics & Text |  Print | Product List |  Glossary Off
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 48 49 50
-- Highlight Changed Discussion --
-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --
516 FXUS61 KPBZ 272319 AAA AFDPBZ Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 719 PM EDT Mon May 27 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Scattered showers and a few thunderstorms are possible again during the afternoon as a cold front crosses the region. An upper trough will bring rain chances and cooler temperatures both Tuesday and Wednesday. Dry weather returns by Thursday. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... KEY MESSAGES: - Scattered showers and thunderstorms will accompany a front this afternoon and into the evening. A few of the storms could be strong to potentially severe. - Gusty wind this afternoon will diminish somewhat tonight as skies partially clear. ------------------------------------------------------------------- A couple of spotty showers remain in the CWA at present, but showers and a few storms are starting to fire just to our northwest close to Lake Erie and southwest along an approaching cold front. Decent mixing and a fairly tight pressure gradient around a low near the Ontario/Quebec border is continuing wind gusts in the 25 to 35 MPH range. These will slowly diminish this evening as the boundary layer stabilizes and the gradient eases. The cold front, associated with the Canadian low, will swing through the region during the late afternoon and evening, with most CAMs indicating scattered cell coverage. CAPE may eventually climb into the 1000-1500 J/kg range at maximum, but shear will be fairly marginal, with effective values in the 25-30 knot range here. Better shear and support lie to our east, where a Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued. The marginal shear, plus downdraft CAPE in the 800-900 J/kg range, could support a few instances of hail and/or downburst wind in the strongest storms. In this environment, SPC has continued a marginal risk east of the PA/OH border. A marginal risk of excessive rainfall also remains, but the expected scattered coverage should help keep this concern minimized. The front will exit the region this evening, taking any remaining showers and storms with it. Some at least partial clearing can be expected as surface ridging pays a brief visit. Despite the wet ground, widespread fog development should largely be muted by the ongoing mixing and a non-negligible surface pressure gradient overnight. NBM visibility probabilities largely agree with this thinking. Overnight low temperatures will remain a few degrees above normal. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... KEY MESSAGES: - Rain chances are in the forecast both Tuesday and Wednesday, with the latter day featuring the most rainfall - Thunderstorms are possible, but expected to remain sub-severe. - Temperatures will drop below normal, as much as 10 degrees by Wednesday ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mid-level troughing then takes control over the northeast CONUS during the Tuesday/Wednesday period with fairly high confidence. Shortwaves rotating around the low will provide chances for showers and a few thunderstorms both Tuesday and Wednesday, with coverage increasing during diurnally-favored portions of each day. Rain chances still appear higher with the stronger wave timed for a Wednesday passage, when rain totals of 0.25 to 0.50 inch appear most likely. NBM probabilities of greater than a quarter inch are in the 50 to 70 percent range over a good portion of the region on that day. Tuesday`s activity will likely generate less rainfall. Thunderstorms both days are most likely to remain sub-severe given expected instability/shear. Behind tonight`s front, temperatures will trend below normal, potentially 10 degrees on the cooler side by Wednesday. .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... KEY MESSAGES: - Dry weather and cooler temperatures continue into Friday, with some warming starting on Saturday. - Low rain chances return for Sunday and Monday in a more uncertain pattern. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Surface high pressure builds into the area on Thursday, albeit under a still-present upper trough, with decent agreement on this scenario according to cluster analysis. Will continue with a dry forecast for now, but would not be surprised if a few isolated showers occur during the day along the ridges before the trough axis works east of the area. Below-normal temperatures are likely Thursday/Thursday night, with lows perhaps in the lower and mid 40s. Thereafter, an upper ridge axis builds into the region with fairly high confidence, leading to dry weather from Thursday night into Saturday at least. Temperatures will moderate back to seasonable levels by Saturday. Thereafter, spread in the models increases regarding how quickly the upper ridge moves off/breaks down and how quickly deeper moisture returns. Will keep the NBM suggestion of low PoPs for now, with temperature expectations of near to slightly above seasonal levels. && .AVIATION /23Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
-- Changed Discussion --
General VFR forecast overnight, except north of I-80 (FKL/DUJ), where MVFR clouds are expected later this evening and into Tuesday morning. Scattered showers and storms may redevelop Tuesday afternoon along with breezy southwesterly flow. .Outlook... Periodic restrictions and rain chances continue through mid- week as a series of disturbances move through the region within broad ern-CONUS low pressure aloft.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. OH...None. WV...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...CL NEAR TERM...CL SHORT TERM...CL LONG TERM...CL AVIATION...Cermak