Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wilmington, OH

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272 FXUS61 KILN 161354 AFDILN AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Wilmington OH 954 AM EDT Thu May 16 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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A return to southerly flow will occur today ahead of a cold front in the Midwest. An upper level ridge of high pressure will break down and move east this afternoon, setting the stage for the next system and rainfall moving in tonight. Surface low pressure with this system will remain west of the CWA as it tracks northeast into MI on Friday, with more shower activity noted during the day.
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&& .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/...
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Have decreased cloud cover for today though kept high temperatures unchanged in the upper 70s to near 80. Temperature trace in the hourly forecasts have bumped up a bit is more cosmetic and will largely be unnoticed. Cu rule over the CWA does not support development today, and what slight bit of increased moisture 5-6kft will be late this afternoon. Some cirrus blowoff from upstream system will generally be thin, and any noticeable opaque cloud cover is not expected to enter the CWA until this evening and primarily be along and west of the IN/OH border.
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&& .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY/... A S/W embedded within the midlevel zonal flow draped across the OH Vly will serve as a focus for a few SHRA/TSRA to move into the ILN FA around/after sunset this evening. This being said, the environment should be slightly less favorable for maintenance of storm activity with eastward extent, so would expect that any clusters that make it into the local area this evening should be on a weakening trend and pose little to no severe threat. But, a few rumbles can`t be ruled out from time to time, with a gradual /increase/ in coverage of SHRA expected past midnight as the S/W progresses E and a subtle LLJ impinges to the NE into the ILN FA, providing a bit of speed/convergence and lift amidst a saturating LL profile. The activity tonight should be largely non-impactful, with questions even on whether it will contain any lightning/TS. Additionally, although the steering-layer flow is still somewhat weak, the activity should be moving and is not likely to be stationary, meaning that the potential for prolonged heavy rain in one location is also rather low through Friday morning. But conditions should be increasingly wet/soggy toward daybreak Friday as temps dip into the lower 60s area-wide. Periods of SHRA/TSRA should continue about the area during the day Friday, with the best instby focusing around any larger area of SHRA activity (where instby should be more convectively- contaminated/limited). So we will probably end up with a larger area of steady SHRA (likely near/S of the OH Rvr) surrounded (especially on the nrn periphery in the local area) by a slightly better instby profile and ISO/SCT cellular/disorganized TSRA activity. The steering-layer flow will become increasingly weaker late into the day/evening and beyond, suggesting that storm motions should slow and could become a bit more erratic by late day, especially along a weakly-convergent axis stretching across nrn parts of the area. This could lead to some very isolated localized heavy rain/flooding, but confidence on a favored location at this juncture is very low. Highs on Friday will be tempered quite substantially by prevalence of clouds/pcpn, with temps only reaching into the lower/mid 70s. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... On Friday evening, the Ohio Valley will be just upstream of a broad mid-level trough, which will extend from Illinois through the southern plains. As this trough slowly moves east, displacing ridging over the east coast, a continued feed of moisture will bring showers and storms into the region. With the forcing and moisture transport involved, it does appear that some nocturnal convection may occur on Friday night, with additional diurnal development on Saturday afternoon. Still seeing some timing differences in how quickly this slow-moving trough makes it out of the area, but this forecast will have to keep some PoPs in on Sunday, especially in the eastern and southeastern sections of the CWA. In terms of hazards through this part of the forecast period, narrow CAPE profiles and a lack of shear will preclude a threat for severe weather. However, the moist profile and slow motions could lead to a threat for some flooding, especially on Saturday. A narrow ridge will move into the area late Sunday into Monday, providing a brief period of dry weather. However, this respite will not last long, as the flow pattern over the region will turn to something a bit more progressive. As it looks now, some precipitation chances may return on Tuesday, with no significant forcing but a gradual increase in instability. By the middle of the week -- although timing is far from certain at this distance in the forecast cycle -- a stronger trough and a cold front will likely move into the region. Whenever this occurs, it may provide the next chance for strong storms. A gradual warming trend is expected from Saturday through the middle of next week, as the upper trough moves away, and warmer air moves into the region behind it. Highs are likely to reach the 80s by Sunday for most of the ILN CWA, and for the whole area by Tuesday and Wednesday. && .AVIATION /14Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... Some BR/FG has developed about the area this morning, especially in area river valleys, leading to VLIFR VSBYs at KLUK and predominantly MVFR VSBYs elsewhere. For the most part, BR/FG should dissipate toward/beyond 13z, with FEW/SCT IFR clouds possible as the shallow LL moisture gradually mixes out through 15z. VFR Cu will sprout once again toward/beyond 18z, but the daytime should remain mainly dry. Suppose that a very ISO/stray SHRA cannot be completely ruled out near KDAY/KILN/KCMH/KLCK past 21z, but coverage should be minimal. Weakening/disorganized ISO/SCT SHRA/TSRA will approach from the W after 00z, with one or more clusters expected to progress to the E between 03z-09z. This will likely lead to TEMPO SHRA in a few spots, but the most widespread SHRA/TSRA activity will likely to hold off until around/after daybreak Friday. Light northerly winds will go more light/VRB early afternoon before going out of the SW at around 5kts or less toward/beyond 00z. OUTLOOK...MVFR CIGs/VSBYs are possible with showers and possible thunderstorms on Friday into Friday night. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...None. KY...None. IN...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Franks NEAR TERM...Franks SHORT TERM...KC LONG TERM...Hatzos AVIATION...KC