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203
FXUS63 KJKL 060921
AFDJKL

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Jackson KY
521 AM EDT Mon May 6 2024

.KEY MESSAGES...

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- Our main shower and thunderstorm potential lasts through
  Thursday, with a smaller possibility at times through the
  weekend.

- Severe thunderstorms are possible Tuesday through Wednesday
  night. Large hail and damaging winds are the primary threats,
  but there is also a small risk of tornadoes. Locally heavy
  rainfall could also lead to flooding.

- Above normal temperatures are forecast through Thursday. A cold
  front should pass late in the week and turn temperatures below
  normal through the weekend.
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&&

.SHORT TERM...
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(Today through Tuesday)
Issued at 521 AM EDT MON MAY 6 2024

Active weather expected across eastern Kentucky to kick off the
new work week. Showers and storms will become quite numerous today
and tomorrow, especially during the afternoon and evening periods
during peak heating and when instability will be maximized. The
triggers for convection the next two days will be series of waves
of low pressure and a couple of surface fronts. Today`s showers
and storms, which were already ongoing when the 4 am forecast
package was sent out, will continue to increase in coverage
through out the day, as a wave of low pressure moves eastward
along a sluggish surface frontal boundary. The rain should taper
off a bit overnight, but conditions should still support scattered
shower and storm activity during the night into early Tuesday
morning. Another round of widespread showers and storms are
expected for Tuesday, as cold front moves in from the west.
Showers and storms should be most widespread Tuesday afternoon and
evening as the front begins moving across Kentucky. With strong
instability, ample low level moisture, and decent wind shear,
conditions late in the day Tuesday will support severe weather.
Large hail and damaging wind gusts will both be possible Tuesday,
with locally heavy rainfall, frequent cloud to ground lighting,
and isolated tornadoes being secondary threats.

The models have been a bit all over the place regarding areal
coverage and timing of shower and thunderstorm activity on Tuesday.
The higher resolution models such as the CAMS, HREF, and NAMNEST are
all producing isolated to scattered showers and storms at best on
Tuesday, with most activity only initiating during the mid to late
afternoon. The WPC forecasts have been consistently showing
widespread precipitation affecting the Ohio Valley, Great Lakes, and
upper Midwest regions the past couple of days. Considering how moist
and unstable the atmosphere is going to be today and tomorrow, it
shouldn`t take much to fire showers and storms across our area. That
being said, in spite of the issues the models are having, went with
high precipitation chances across eastern Kentucky today and
Tuesday, especially during the afternoon and evening hours each day.
Scattered showers and storms will likely continue overnight tonight,
as the low level jet remains active. Dewpoints will also likely be
surging into the mid and upper 60s on Tuesday across most of the
area, lending further support to widespread shower and storm
activity and severe weather potential.

With a steady flow of warm moist air surging in the area,
temperatures should remain well above normal to begin the week. We
will see highs today rising into the mid to upper 70s across most of
the area, and into the upper 70s and lower 80s on Tuesday, as
strengthening southerly flow brings even more warm air into the
area. The primary weather concerns today and tomorrow will be the
potential for severe weather on Tuesday and locally heavy rainfall
both days. Confidence is increasing that we will see some sort of
severe weather Tuesday afternoon or evening.

.LONG TERM...(Tuesday night through Sunday)
Issued at 521 AM EDT MON MAY 6 2024

A large, strong upper low is forecast to be centered over the
norther plains at the start of the period, with fast upper level
flow around it-- out of the west southwest for a broad portion of
the Midwest into the southeast CONUS. A surface frontal boundary
should extend from the OK to the Great Lakes. Low level flow south
of the boundary will be bringing warm and moist air north from
the gulf. The upper level pattern will evolve to a deepening
positively tilted trough over the Great Lakes by Thursday, with
this progression supporting the eventual southeast movement of the
surface front through our area on Thursday. Until the cold front
passes, the set up of warm, moist south southwesterly flow veering
to brisk flow aloft will present a set-up for potentially severe
thunderstorms. Specific timing and placement will depend partially
on mesoscale factors which are still problematic at that time
range. Repetitious thunderstorms could eventually pose a flooding
risk as well.

Behind the cold front, much colder air will arrive late Thursday
and Thursday night and carry into the weekend. The pattern
evolution during the weekend is uncertain. The aforementioned
Great Lakes trough will weaken and shift east while another trough
or upper low rotates south from Canada on its back side. The next
low/trough is where the uncertainty lies. The latest GFS is much
stronger and further southwest with it when compared to the ECMWF,
which results in very different surface features as well. That
being said, forecast confidence tanks by the time the weekend is
finished.
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&&

.AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Monday night)
ISSUED AT 127 AM EDT MON MAY 6 2024

A band of showers and isolated thunderstorms were moving into
south central and portions of southeastern Kentucky as of TAF
issuance tonight. This first batch of rain might affect SME
between 6 and 7Z, but will need to watch this activity closely to
make sure it holds together before mentioning it in the TAF. By
around 9Z, we should see rain showers increasing in coverage as
they move in from the south and southwest. Isolated storms will
also be possible between 9 and 13Z today. With these showers will
come MVFR conditions, both CIGs and VSBYs, as an are of low
pressure moves by along a nearly stationary frontal boundary. Once
the sun has come up, and surface heating and low level moisture
advection increase, we should see widespread rain showers and
numerous thunderstorms moving through the area. Some storms will
produce locally heavy rainfall this afternoon into early this
evening, along with gusty winds and IFR conditions. The activity
is expected to continue through the end of the TAF period, but
should taper off a bit once the sun has gone down this evening.
Winds should be light and variable the rest of tonight, but will
increase to 5 to 10 kts out of the south or southwest during the
day Monday outside of any storms.

&&

.JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

$$

SHORT TERM...AR
LONG TERM...HAL
AVIATION...AR