Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Buffalo, NY

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707 FXUS61 KBUF 121330 AFDBUF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Buffalo NY 930 AM EDT Sun May 12 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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A weakening area of low pressure will slowly cross our region today, resulting in some showers. The precipitation will taper off tonight as weak high pressure noses into the area. While noticeably warmer weather will move in for Monday, it will also once again become unsettled with increasingly widespread showers and thunderstorms that will persist into Tuesday.
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&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
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A weak stacked low over western NY this morning will become less organized as it slides east. There will be some lingering showers with this trough, but for this afternoon showers will mainly depend on how much instability is able to develop. Model guidance shows the best chances for showers in the afternoon in the Genesee Valley/Finger Lakes regions. The weak instability may allow for a few thunderstorms. Elsewhere, a shortwave ridge will build into the area and clouds should thin out enough to see some sunshine especially across the lake plains. Temperatures will reach the upper 50s to low 60s today. Mid-level heights and a southerly flow will increase across the region tonight. Dry weather is expected most of the night with increasing chances for rain showers across the Niagara Frontier by Monday morning. Lows will fall into the mid to upper 40s tonight.
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&& .SHORT TERM /MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... Two waves will impact the region during this time period. The first wave near James Bay is expected to drop a cold front into western and north central New York Monday, where it will eventually stall and become stationary. Though it is hard to pinpoint duration of shower and thunderstorm activity, there is high confidence in an unsettled period. The highest chances for showers and thunderstorms look to be on Tuesday as a second wave moves east along the stalled frontal boundary. Will need to monitor model trends as very weak flow will bring the potential for slow moving convection and heavy rain. Potential for severe weather looks to be very limited with unfavorable shear profiles and only marginal instability. This looks to be warmer period, although degree of warmth will be dependent on boundary location and rainfall, but high temperatures should nudge above seasonal normals in the upper 60s to mid 70s. Tuesday night...the speed and track of the low will determine weather we continue to see wet weather areawide or a slow but gradual drying trend. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... A weakening mid-level low centered over the northern Quebec Wednesday morning will continue to pull northeast into the Canadian Maritimes by Thursday morning. Meanwhile, ridging to the west across the Upper Midwest and western Great Lakes Wednesday will build across the remainder of the Great Lakes into Thursday night before the next trough dives southeast across the Central Plains Thursday night into the start of the weekend. With weakened low and associated mid-level trough overhead overhead of the area Wednesday, rain showers associated with the cold front the crossed the area Tuesday, will gradually end from northwest to southeast Wednesday. As the aforementioned mid-level ridging pushes east across the Great Lakes, associated surface high pressure will also move into the eastern Great Lakes. This will result in a period of dry weather Wednesday night thorugh much of Thursday. The next chance for showers will return Friday and last into the start of the weekend as warm front pushes across the area. Model guidance this far out remains differed with the placement and track of the upper level features and low level features. Therefore, kept rain shower chances on the lower end due to the lack in confidence. Expect a gradual warming trend throughout much of next week, with subtle warming each day. By the end of the week the temperatures will have rebounded to slightly above normal. && .AVIATION /14Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
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Flight conditions will improve late this morning as an upper level low across the region becomes less organized and slides to the east. A surface trough will be left behind across the Finger Lakes region and showers will linger south of KROC through the afternoon. There is a non- zero chance of a thunderstorm from KDSV to KELZ this afternoon. VFR conditions with dry conditions are likely tonight. Outlook... Monday and Tuesday...VFR/MVFR with the likelihood for showers and thunderstorms. Wednesday...Improving conditions with precipitation exiting. Thursday...VFR weather.
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&& .MARINE...
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Mainly light, variable winds (less than 10 knots) will be the rule through tonight, although southwest winds becoming northwest later tonight may approach 15 knots between Dunkirk and Ripley producing some moderate chop in this area. A more pronounced southwesterly flow (10-15 knots) will develop on eastern Lake Erie this afternoon ahead of a warm front approaching from the west that will bring some light to moderate chop, but waves should mainly be less than two feet. Southwesterly winds on Lake Erie/western Lake Ontario and southerly winds across eastern Lake Ontario will freshen on Monday with near Small Craft Advisory conditions possible across these aforementioned areas. Otherwise, winds and waves are expected to remain well below Small Craft conditions with just some light chop at times through at least Tuesday.
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&& .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...HSK/JM/RSH NEAR TERM...Apffel/HSK SHORT TERM...TMA LONG TERM...EAJ AVIATION...Apffel/HSK MARINE...JM