Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Buffalo, NY

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115 FXUS61 KBUF 230553 AFDBUF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Buffalo NY 153 AM EDT Mon Sep 23 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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A mid level disturbance will cross the Lower Great Lakes today, bringing widespread showers to Western New York, with activity more scattered east of Lake Ontario. Cloudy skies today will promote temperatures much closer to early autumn normal. As a warm front pushes across our region Tuesday night and Wednesday more widespread rainfall will occur across the entire region.
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&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TODAY/... An approaching wavy frontal boundary will spread some showers across the western counties after midnight. It will remain mild tonight with mins ranging from the lower 60s in most areas...to near 50 in the vcnty of the Tug Hill. Monday, a mid level shortwave and associated surface trough will move east across the eastern Great Lakes, weakening with time and eastern extent. Showers will have spread into much of Western NY from the Genesee Valley westward by daybreak Monday with the arrival of deeper moisture and forcing. The showers will then spread east through the day, reaching Central NY and the eastern Lake Ontario region by afternoon. The coverage and intensity of showers will likely diminish with eastern extent as forcing weakens. Meanwhile across Western NY, expect some dry time to develop Monday afternoon in the wake of this first trough as a mid level dry slot moves into the area. Monday night, the initial mid level and surface trough will continue to weaken and wash out over Central NY and the eastern Lake Ontario region as it moves into a persistent ridge and subsidence over the northeast US. An area of mid level dry air will move into the eastern Great Lakes, supporting a temporary lull in rain. Low level moisture will persist, so a few isolated light showers cannot be ruled out, but expect it to be rain free much of the time Monday night. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... Tuesday, a northern stream trough will gradually dig into the Upper Midwest, eventually carving out a deep longwave trough over the Quebec by Wednesday night. Chances for showers will increase during the day Tuesday as the trough gets closer and as a diffluent flow aloft and favorable jet dynamics push eastward into Western NY. This combined with a modest 30kt LLJ at 850mb will advect deeper moisture which will support widespread showers by Tuesday night. The axis of best synoptic support will shift to the Genesee River valley eastward Wednesday, and then into western New England Wednesday night and Thursday. By Thursday models are coming into better agreement with only small chances for some lingering scattered showers. Instability will be limited, but ample to support a few thunderstorms at times, especially during the afternoon and evening hours Tuesday and Wednesday. Despite the high confidence in measurable showers, there will be periods of rain-free time. Rainfall amounts will vary, but the system will bring needed rainfall to many locations with event totals averaging in the half inch to inch range from Tuesday through Thursday. Locally heavier rains cannot be ruled out, with WPC placing Western NY in a marginal risk for excessive rainfall Tuesday and Tuesday night. This is mainly due to slow storm motion and precipitable water values around 1.5 inches. The system will also bring cooler temperatures, especially during the daytime when highs will range from the lower 60s to mid 70s. Cloud cover and a southerly flow will keep temperatures from cooling much overnight, with the overall cooler pattern still only resulting in near normal temperatures for late September. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... Models are in good agreement that ridging at the surface and aloft will develop across our region during the period. This will suppress whatever tropical disturbance develops in the Gulf of Mexico next week, keeping any associated precipitation to our south. Rain-free and warm weather will prevail through next weekend, with high temperatures in the 70s. && .AVIATION /06Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
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For the 06Z TAFS light rain showers are pushing their way into far WNY, with VFR ceiling heights. This activity will slowly push eastward the next 12 hours before weakening and fading over CNY this late afternoon and early evening. There is a much lower probability of these showers reaching KART. Southeast flow ahead of a cold front this forecast period...with this cold front remaining just to our west. Ceiling heights will lower as moisture in the lower levels increases...with MVFR (and higher terrain IFR) ceiling heights by roughly 12Z for WNY...with these widespread MVFR ceiling heights expected through the remainder of the TAF period for WNY. IF this southeast flow becomes a little stronger, downslope flow will lift these ceilings for KBUF/KIAG and KROC to low end VFR. VFR, or high end MVFR may linger east of Lake Ontario where moisture will not be as deep. Tonight will be mainly dry, though a few isolated rain showers cannot be ruled out. Outlook... Tuesday...IFR to MVFR cigs over the western counties in scattered showers and thunderstorms, but mainly VFR and dry east of Lake Ontario. Wednesday...IFR to lower end MVFR regionwide with the likelihood of more showers and thunderstorms. Thursday...MVFR with scattered showers...mainly east of Lake Ontario. Friday...VFR.
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&& .MARINE...
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Winds will be from the southeast today and tonight. These southeast winds will approach 20 knots over the offshore waters of eastern Lake Ontario...with waves around four to five feet rolling into the Canadian waters today. This cold front will stall just to the west of the Lower Great Lakes, with a south to southeast flow maintained over the Lake waters through Wednesday. Eventually this cold front will push eastward, with winds veering to a westerly flow Wednesday night and Thursday.
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&& .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Thomas NEAR TERM...Hitchcock/RSH/TMA SHORT TERM...Apffel LONG TERM...Apffel AVIATION...Thomas MARINE...Thomas