Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Buffalo, NY

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842 FXUS61 KBUF 260247 AFDBUF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Buffalo NY 1047 PM EDT Tue Jun 25 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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Warm and humid conditions tonight will last into Wednesday, along with increasing chances of showers and some thunderstorms, especially in the Southern Tier by Wednesday afternoon. Cooler and less humid conditions expected Thursday and Friday. Active weather returns Saturday as a cold front crosses the region.
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&& .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM WEDNESDAY EVENING/...
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Remnant moisture and weak ascent associated with a decaying MCS continues to cross southern Ontario to Quebec late this evening. Regional radar showing an area of showers tied to this system slowly exiting the eastern Lake Ontario region in tandem. Meanwhile, additional shower development is being observed back over Lake Erie and in the western Southern Tier out ahead of an elevated warm front to the west. Some elevated instability present (200-500J/kg MUCAPE) along this feature could support an isolated rumble of thunder this evening before a weak cold front slide southeast into the region overnight. This will support additional chances for showers or an isolated thunderstorm, mainly through the first half of the night. The best chances should again be across the North Country closer to the support from the upper-level jet, though will need to monitor trends as latest hi-res guidance also indicates more showers developing back across WNY after midnight as a reinforcing wave of low pressure rides along the frontal boundary. Otherwise, overnight low temperatures will be warm, only falling back into the mid and upper 60s in most locations. Wednesday should start off relatively quiet as the frontal boundary working south overnight stalls out over the region. This boundary will waver back northward during the day as a frontal wave moves north along it from the Ohio Valley. The Southern Tier will have the best chance to emerge into the warm sector, with some potential that the warm sector lifts as far north as the I-90 corridor by afternoon. The coverage of thunderstorms and the potential for severe weather will depend greatly on the position of the frontal boundary with the degree of instability highly dependent upon where the warm sector is located. Latest HREF/NBM guidance only indicates 300-400J/kg CAPE building by the afternoon, possibly a result of patchy cloud cover expected to be over the area. While CAPE values remain in question, sufficient shear looks to be present especially along the Southern Tier, which lines up with the Marginal Risk for severe storms maintained by the latest SPC Day 2 Convective Outlook. PWATs surging to near 1.5 inches will also bring at least some threat for heavy rainfall. The greatest risk of this will be across the western Southern Tier which will lie closer to the track of the passing frontal wave. Outside of the shower and thunderstorm chances, expect another day of temps in the upper 70s to low 80s.
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&& .SHORT TERM /6 PM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... Steadier showers and storms will continue into Wednesday evening from the western Southern Tier into the Finger Lakes region as a wave of low pressure moves northeastward along the slow-moving wavy frontal boundary draped across this region. Scattered lighter showers will also be possible for areas north of the boundary before the frontal wave responsible for all of this activity exits east of the area by the early overnight hours, allowing this initial wavy cold front to finally press southward out of our area. Another shortwave trough will then dive southeastward out of the upper Great Lakes, crossing the eastern Great Lakes region late Wednesday night and Thursday. This feature will also help force a secondary cold front southeastward through western and northcentral NY late Wednesday night through the midday/early afternoon hours on Thursday. With deeper moisture associated with the initial wave having departed to our east, not expecting more than some scattered lighter showers/isolated rumble of thunder as the boundary passes through the area, mainly from the Genesee Valley eastward. Depending on the speed of the front, a few showers may linger across eastern areas through late morning/early afternoon Thursday, with areas toward the North Country/SL Valley continuing with at least the slight chance for a few diurnally driven light showers through late in the day as the southern periphery of the passing shortwave aloft grazes northern NY. Otherwise, a much more refreshing airmass will advect in across the region in the wake of the frontal passage as a dome of high pressure builds in from the west bringing dry weather through Friday with comfortable temperatures and humidity levels. In fact, below normal temperatures are expected Thursday with highs ranging from the upper 60s to low 70s. Similar to the first part of the work week, high pressure then slides east of the area Friday with a warming southerly return flow boosting temperatures back near normal with highs mainly in the mid 70s to low 80s. A weak mid level ripple and associated low level warm frontal segment will cross the area Friday night, with increasing chances for showers and a few thunderstorms from west to east as the night wears on. Of note will be the very humid airmass that advects into the area behind the frontal passage. Dew points mainly in the comfortable low to mid 50s range late Friday will surge into the mid 60s to near 70 Saturday morning. This will keep lows Friday night on the warm side, especially across areas south of Lake Ontario with low temperatures only falling back into the mid and upper 60s, a tad cooler across the North Country. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... A well defined shortwave trough will cross the Great Lakes Saturday, deepening an area of surface low pressure that will advance from the northern Great Lakes through southern Quebec Saturday. A deep southerly flow ahead of this trough will advance moisture northward, increasing PWATs to nearly 2 inches across the eastern Great Lakes region. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to form Saturday and continue through the evening hours of Saturday before a cold front crosses the region from west to east late. The timing of the cold front, cloud cover holding instability back to around 750 J/KG or less and poor mid level lapse rates under 6 C/KM are not favorable for strong to severe storms. However, 0-6 km bulk wind shear values 35 to 45 kts could aid in strength to the storm if any taller storms can develop. Behind the cold front a much drier airmass will settle upon the eastern Great Lakes. We`ll still have to contend with a few showers Sunday with the passage of the upper level trough, but drier air and eventually cooler airmass (mid single digit Celsius 850 hPa temperatures) will bring a cool night Sunday night with lows in the mid 40s to mid 50s. Fair weather Monday, with comfortable dewpoints in the 40s and 50s with high pressure nearby. Tuesday a return southerly flow along with the approach of a shortwave from the west may trigger a few showers or thunderstorms. && .AVIATION /03Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
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A weak low pressure system over southern Ontario Province will slide east of the region this evening. While a broad area of light showers will move through the North Country (KART/KGTB) until about 03z, flight conditions in the region are expected to remain VFR. A mix of VFR and MVFR conditions expected overnight as an elevated warm lifts in from the west, before a weak cold front moves in and stalls over the region. This will maintain a chance for showers and an isolated thunderstorm at the terminals, though chances look to be greatest across the North Country and across WNY (KJHW/KBUF). Periods of MVFR cigs will be possible in these areas, with a lower chance of IFR between 08z-12z at KJHW. Elsewhere, VFR is expected to prevail. Wednesday, a wave of low pressure will ride along the stalled boundary and cause showers and thunderstorms to develop across the region. Chances will be greatest in the Southern Tier in the afternoon and impacts to flight conditions (MVFR to IFR) at KJHW are likely, though confidence remains lower in shower and thunderstorm coverage from KBUF northward. Outside of the areas of precipitation, VFR will prevail through the day. Outlook... Wednesday night...MVFR to VFR with decreasing shower chances. Thursday and Friday...Mainly VFR. Saturday...Localized restrictions with shower likely and a chance of thunderstorms. Sunday...Mainly VFR.
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&& .MARINE...
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Elevated south to southwest winds remain across Lake Erie and the western end of Lake Ontario through tonight, producing moderate chop on both lakes. Winds are expected to remain below SCA levels and the greatest wave action will remain offshore, precluding additional headlines on the waters. Lighter winds and wave action is expected Wednesday but there will be a better coverage of thunderstorms over Lake Erie in the afternoon. A period of light, variable winds across the lakes will precede increasing northwesterly winds behind a cold front Wednesday night, though winds and waves are expected to remain below SCA criteria.
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&& .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...None. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 11 PM EDT this evening for LEZ040- 041. && $$ SYNOPSIS...AR/PP/TMA NEAR TERM...PP/TMA SHORT TERM...JM LONG TERM...Thomas AVIATION...PP MARINE...AR/PP/TMA