Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Memphis, TN

Current Version |  Previous Version |  Text Only |  Print | Product List |  Glossary On
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
-- Highlight Changed Discussion --
-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --
549 FXUS64 KMEG 062334 AFDMEG Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Memphis TN 634 PM CDT Mon May 6 2024 ...New AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 252 PM CDT Mon May 6 2024 An active weather pattern is underway for the Mid-South. Showers and thunderstorms will start of as isolated today and continue to increase in coverage and intensity by Tuesday and into Wednesday. While there are severe weather chances each day, there is a growing concern for severe weather development on Wednesday night. Lingering showers and thunderstorms are possible on Thursday before a pleasant weekend. && .DISCUSSION... (This evening through next Sunday) Issued at 252 PM CDT Mon May 6 2024 A warm front lifting north has interacted with an outflow boundary resulting in a few isolated showers and thunderstorms mainly across West and Middle Tennessee as of 2 PM. Shortwave ridging is present over Arkansas and will slowly push east and center over the Mid- South. Shower chances will slowly decrease for most of the area as the ridge assumes its position. Ridging will be short lived as a low pressure system in the Central Plains extends a deep trough across the Midwest and into the Mississippi Valley. This trough will approach from the west/northwest late tonight into early tomorrow morning. Convection assoicated with this trough is likely to clip the northern portion of the Mid- South. A Marginal and Slight Risk for severe weather are in place across northeast Arkansas, the Missouri Bootheel and northwest Tennessee. Deterministic soundings show decent MLCAPE ~1500 J/kg, around 40kts of effective shear, and ample moisture with dew points in the upper 60s and low 70s. Despite these parameters supportive of severe weather, confidence remains low at this time due to diurnal stability trends. As the surface stabilizes nocturnally, the NAM 3km has been trending this line weakening as it approaches the region. However, as the sun comes out and surface based instability creeps up, a few storms could be severe with damaging winds and large hail. Due to a linear storm mode, a quick, spin-up tornado cannot be ruled out. Due to the timing of showers and thunderstorms, it is split into two SPC outlooks, hence the two risk categories. Confidence continues to increase severe weather potential on Wednesday. A negatively tilted trough will interact with a surface low under strong upper level divergence to allow convection to commence. CIPS analogs are indicative of organized convection (70- 90%) generally along and north of Interstate 40. Our biggest concern of this active pattern will be Wednesday night as deterministic soundings continue to trend favorable for severe storms. GFS soundings indicate MLCAPE values ~3500 J/kg, steep lapse rates, 40- 50 kts of effective shear, and a slight curvature to hodographs. Another concerning aspect is as trends continue to paint this as a nocturnal event, this means intensification of the LLJ. Nonetheless, this potential severe weather event will be closely monitored over the next couple of days. Stay tuned. Some lingering showers and thunderstorms are possible on Thursday, mainly along and south of Interstate 40. On the brighter side, the weekend looks beautiful with seasonable temperatures in the 70s. DNM && .AVIATION...
-- Changed Discussion --
(00Z TAFS) Issued at 630 PM CDT Mon May 6 2024 VFR conditions are expected to remain through around sunrise tomorrow before lowering to MVFR ahead of an approaching cold front. South/southwest winds look to gust up to 25 kts tomorrow afternoon at JBR/MEM/MKL as the pressure gradient tightens ahead of the aforementioned front. A line of probable -SHRA/-TSRA is expected to move across each terminal along several shortwaves ahead of this front tomorrow morning into early afternoon. Ceilings then look to lift to VFR conditions behind this line, spreading west to east, beginning tomorrow afternoon. AEH
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...None. MO...None. MS...None. TN...None. && $$ PUBLIC FORECAST...DNM AVIATION...AEH