


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Charleston, WV
Issued by NWS Charleston, WV
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314 FXUS61 KRLX 150205 AFDRLX AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Charleston WV 1005 PM EDT Sat Jun 14 2025 .SYNOPSIS... Weak flow and weak mid-level lapse rates coupled with weak mid- level lapse rates will promote slow moving, heavy showers and storms through early next week. Localized flooding is possible. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/... As of 1005 PM Saturday... Updated PoPs with slightly earlier emphasis in the uptick in showers and thunderstorms tonight, currently being realized from Vinton County, Ohio, southward through the Tug Fork and into southwest Virginia. This is associated with forcing ahead of the mid/upper-level short wave trough, and will need monitored, especially as it moves into the northern and central mountains, with terrain-enhanced lift, heading into the overnight hours. North of Vinton County, this line intersects a west-southwest to east-northeast line of showers and thunderstorms associated the deformation zone north and northeast the short wave/spot low, and extending into a mid/upper-level confluence zone in western Pennsylvania. This line will need monitored for possible filling in over the next several hours. As of 815 PM Saturday... Forecast on track, with a gradual and partial diurnal wane in showers and thunderstorms this evening possibly reversing, with an uptick tonight as a mid/upper-level short wave trough approaches from the west-southwest. As of 200 PM Saturday... Key Points: * Warm, moist airmass with limited mid-level lapse rates sets the stage for efficient rainfall production * Extremely localized water issues are possible tonight, a few instances of significant localized flooding are possible * Better chances for more widespread water issues, some locally significant are possible on Sunday into Sunday night * Limited risk for severe weather outside of flooding, although some locally gusty winds could cause tree damage with any convection Surface based parcels have become uncapped with isolated to scattered convection blossoming over much of the region this afternoon. Steering flow this afternoon is around 20-25 mph from the southwest, so not expecting heavy precipitation cores to linger over any given spot and with matching southwesterly flow at the surface cooling the surface and overturning already weak mid-level lapse rates should help reduce the risk of substantial training through mid-afternoon. While the threat will be limited, deep warm cloud depths, precipitable water values near 1.8 inches and deep skinny CAPE profiles will be conducive for efficient and heavy rainfall production. While threat for severe storms with this activity is low, some localized tree damage would be possible with any erratic and gusty sub-severe winds near convection. Better coverage is expected to come late afternoon into this evening courtesy of more focused forcing associated with a weak shortwave embedded in the southern stream - similar to yesterday`s activity but with a little less coverage. Storms associated with this forcing should be fairly progressive and despite fairly high rainfall rates associated with efficient deep warm cloud depth warm rain process - not expecting too many water concerns. Any storms that fire away from the stronger forcing will have a higher potential to sit over a given spot and backbuild as steering flow weakens to around 10-15 mph which could lead to isolated water problems, some potentially locally significant through tonight before dissipating. At this point, confidence in any given county experiencing locally significant issues is not high enough to hoist a flash flood watch for activity through tonight. Had considered lumping this potential in with the expected activity on Sunday, but after collaboration with neighboring offices will forgo this and defer the decision for Sunday`s watch to the midnight shift. The aforementioned parameters favorable for efficient and heavy rainfall production will remain in place on Sunday as the upper low approaches and eventually moves overhead, although instability will be a little weaker due to substantial cloud cover through peak heating. With weakening flow associated with the circulation we will see potential for more persistent heavy rain over any given spot with any given updraft. We will also see the light winds shifting around during the day as the upper low crosses, increasing potential for more pristine sections of the column to shift over locations that already experienced a bout of heavy rain. While this will be possible over the entire forecast area, the most substantial risk appears to be across the northeast mountains where the nose of a modest belt of enhanced H850 flow is expected to reside. HREF probability matched mean 6hr values suggest some localized bullets of 3-5" of rain across this area within a 12 hour period where 6hr flash flood guidance ranges from 2.2 to 3 inches. A flash flood watch will likely become necessary for these areas, perhaps extending a bit farther out into the lowlands. As mentioned above this threat will include our bordering forecast areas who are dealing with potential flooding today and would prefer avoid mixing messages. To present a unified front as well as to hone in on the threat with additional guidance, we will defer this issuance to the midnight shift. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... As of 150 PM Saturday... Unsettled weather pattern continues in the short term period. Frontal boundary will remain draped across the CWA at the start of the period/early Monday, with a warm and humid air mass in place. Boundary should slowly lift north during the day Monday, with periods of showers and storms continuing, particularly during peak heating hours, and from weak passing disturbances in the flow. Plenty of instability on Monday could support an isolated severe storm, but overall threat is low owing to a lack of decent shear. However, PWATs on the order of 1.7 to upwards of 2 inches, along with a relatively light steering flow of around 15 kts or less, will continue to result in a threat for flash flooding, and headlines may be needed for this time period particularly depending on how much coverage/rainfall we receive on Sunday. On Tuesday, a more potent shortwave will lift northeast through the area. An increase in southerly flow out ahead of the wave will result in a renewed surge of moisture to the area, with PWATs possibly topping 2 inches. Storms should overall move a little better on Tuesday with a slight uptick in steering flow, however, will continue to need to monitor the situation, especially if Sunday and Monday result in widespread areas of rainfall. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... As of 150 PM Saturday... Aforementioned shortwave will lift to the northeast Tuesday night into Wednesday. However, additional showers and storms can be expected on Wednesday during peak heating hours in the warm, humid, unstable conditions. On Thursday, an upper trough, will push east through the area, with the frontal boundary that has been located to our north, finally sweeping through the area. A little early to say for sure, but severe weather may be possible during this period. Showery weather continues on Friday behind the departing trough. && .AVIATION /02Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 815 PM Saturday... Showers and thunderstorms were gradually becoming more widely scattered this evening, but there may still be an uptick in showers and thunderstorms southwest to northeast ranging 092-06Z tonight HTS to 06-08Z overnight EKN, as a weak shortwave arrives from the west-southwest. Thunderstorms tonight will be capable of producing locally heavy rain which could reduce visibility briefly to IFR. Storm motion is out of the southwest around 15-20KTs, so any individual cell will not dwell too long over any given terminal, although a little back-building is possible. Have largely addressed with PROB30 TSRA, but these will likely need to be modified as convection develops/nears. Fog may form overnight, especially where it rains late. This is most likely at EKN where IFR is coded 08-13Z, have MVFR mist elsewhere overnight into early Sunday morning. MVFR stratocumulus is likely to form overnight or early Sunday morning, and then persist much of Sunday morning. Showers and thunderstorms will become more numerous Sunday afternoon, with all sites likely to have some impacts with restrictions, thunder and heavy rainfall. These storms will be slower moving, with IFR possible, and have addressed with PROB30 TSRA, except PROB30 +TSRA at CRW and BKW. Surface flow will be calm to light and variable through the period with low pressure parked over north-central WV on Sunday, except light southwest at BKW. Flow aloft will be light and variable to light south to southwest through the overnight, becoming light cyclonic as low pressure aloft moves overhead on Sunday. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Medium. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Timing and magnitude of impacts from convection may vary from the forecast. Locally dense fog possible overnight where any heavy rain falls. EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. DATE SUN 06/15/25 UTC 1HRLY 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 EDT 1HRLY 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 CRW CONSISTENCY H H H H H L H H H H H H HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H M M M L H L H H BKW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H M H H M EKN CONSISTENCY H H H H L L L M M L M H PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H M L L H H H H H CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H L H H H H H H H AFTER 00Z MONDAY... Brief IFR possible in rounds of showers and thunderstorms into next week. Locally heavy rain during the afternoons and evenings could yield patchy dense overnight fog each night. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...None. OH...None. KY...None. VA...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...TRM/JP/SL NEAR TERM...TRM/JP SHORT TERM...SL LONG TERM...SL AVIATION...TRM