Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Hastings, NE
Issued by NWS Hastings, NE
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320 FXUS63 KGID 301737 AFDGID Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hastings NE 1237 PM CDT Tue Apr 30 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - There is a chance (20-50%) for showers and thunderstorms over northeastern parts of the area today. Most locations will stay dry, and the main severe threat is well to our southeast. - The potential for severe weather increases on Wednesday. A few storms could produce marginally severe hail during the morning and early afternoon, but the main severe threat is from late afternoon through the overnight over the southeastern half of the area. All severe threats (large hail, damaging wind, tornadoes, and localized flooding) are possible in this area. - Thursday will be breezy and mostly dry. But the pattern remains active through the weekend, with more chances for rain/t-storms. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 356 AM CDT Tue Apr 30 2024 Very isolated showers and weak thunderstorms have developed over northeastern portions of the forecast area this morning. Continued moisture advection ahead of the upper shortwave and surface cold front should allow this spotty activity to continue, mainly north and east of the tri-cities through the morning and into the early afternoon. This should be largely non-severe, but abundant shear and returning instability (albeit limited) could result in a few strong updrafts capable of producing marginally severe hail. The cold front pushes across the area late this morning through the mid afternoon. All indications from the CAMs are that convection will initiation along this front WELL to our southeast during the late afternoon and evening, with dry conditions continuing through the overnight hours. On Wednesday, warm air advection returns to the area. Exact details hinge on how far north the warm front returns into the area, but regardless, there will be multiple opportunities for strong to severe storms. We could already see drizzle/showers and a few elevated thunderstorms develop north of the warm front Wednesday morning, potentially producing marginally severe hail. By late afternoon, if the warm front indeed moves to near the KS/NE border (like the 06Z HRRR indicates), the environment to the in our north-central Kansas would be favorable for supercell development with all severe hazards possible (including tornadoes). On the other hand, the NAMnest keeps the front further south. In either case, additional thunderstorms are expected to develop into the overnight hours as a strong LLJ develops. This will initially be a hail threat, with an increasing threat for wind as one or more line segments moves west to east across the area during the late overnight. Breezy northwest winds will advect drier air into the area on Thursday, and temperatures could fall into the 30s for portions of the area Thursday night. Chances for showers and thunderstorms return to the area Friday into Friday night as another shortwave moves through the area. Details remain uncertain, but instability (and therefore the severe potential) appears to be limited. Most of the weekend will probably be dry (especially Saturday), but with the active pattern, we cannot completely "rule out" rain or thunderstorms at any point. Early next week, chances for thunderstorms increase again as global ensembles show the potential for a more organized upper low to move through the central CONUS. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 1230 PM CDT Tue Apr 30 2024 Brief MVFR or low VFR ceilings are expected early this afternoon then VFR conditions beginning around or before 20z. Winds will be gusty out of the northwest this afternoon then weaken and become more northerly this evening. Winds are expected to become southeasterly by 09z and may become more easterly by 12z to 15z. Showers and thunderstorms will be possible for both terminals beginning around 09z to 12z but confidence is low. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...None. KS...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Mangels AVIATION...Schuldt