Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Charleston, WV

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037 FXUS61 KRLX 060546 AFDRLX AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Charleston WV 146 AM EDT Mon May 6 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Weak cold front stalls across the area tonight. An upper level way bring showers and storms Monday. Active weather through the work week, with daily chances for showers and storms. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TODAY/... As of 745 PM Sunday... Cleaned up near-term POPs a bit for current conditions, but overall stuck with the idea of POPs winding down overall, and the current activity shifting east into the evening. Did introduce some patchy fog for the valleys, but it will be most likely in any areas that got rain this afternoon/evening. As of 120 PM Sunday... A weak cold front will move into the region this afternoon and evening, before stalling over the area later tonight. This will provide some afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. Drier air aloft is evident on the soundings, with precipitable water values considerably less than Saturday. This lessens the chance of flash flooding, although it can not completely be ruled out due to some areas receiving significant rainfall in the last two days. The drier air aloft does provide a bit of a downburst wind threat for any stronger storms, mainly over central Ohio and northern West Virginia. An upper level short wave will then provide showers and thunderstorms for Monday. Precipitable water values recover into the 1.5 to 1.75 range over eastern Kentucky, western West Virginia, and southeast Ohio. Clouds however should limit daytime heating, leading to limited CAPE values. With a frontal boundary nearly stationary across the area however, am concerned that it could serve as a focusing mechanism and lead to some training storms and localized flash flooding. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... As of 1217 PM Sunday... Severe weather will be possible across parts of the area Tuesday. SPC currently has portions of southeast Ohio, northeast Kentucky and western West Virginia outlooked in a slight risk of severe weather. Models suggest that all severe hazards will be possible, but the greatest threat may be damaging wind gusts. DCAPE values may exceed 1,000 J/kg, MUCAPE values look to exceed 2,000 J/kg, 0-6 km mean wind looks to be around 25 kts, and the effective bulk wind difference should be 25-30 kts. All of these parameters point toward a possible damaging wind threat with thunderstorms on Tuesday. PWATs are expected to be from 1.50-1.75", so flooding downpours will also be possible in thunderstorms. Another severe weather threat will exist Wednesday. The main severe risks on Wednesday appear to be damaging wind gusts and large hail. Forecast soundings show a large layer of mid-level dry air Wednesday afternoon, which would be conducive to hail development and damaging wind potential. SPC currently has portions of northeast Kentucky, southeast Ohio and extreme western West Virginia outlooked in a 15% risk for severe weather Wednesday (day 4). The intensity of any thunderstorms Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons will depend on how well the atmosphere destabilizes after prior morning convection. In addition, the ground is becoming more saturated due to recent convective activity over the past couple of days. Any thunderstorms that move over saturated ground may lead to flooding. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... As of 1218 PM Sunday... A cold front will pass through the region Friday morning, and the severe weather threat should diminish heading into next weekend as cooler, more stable air funnels in behind the front. However, showers will remain possible through the weekend with lingering energy aloft. With the ground becoming increasingly saturated due to recent convective activity, we may still have to keep an eye on the threat of flooding heading into the end of the week. Confidence is low at this time, so stay tuned for more details over the coming days as the picture becomes clearer. Temperatures will be much cooler Friday through next weekend, with highs only expected to be in the 50s (mountains) and 60s to lower 70s (lowlands). && .AVIATION /06Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
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As of 145 AM Monday... An assortment of patchy fog, low stratus, and a passing mid- level cloud deck will impose a challenging aviation forecast this morning. Some clearing is taking shape down in the southern coalfields, where vsbys have tumbled down to IFR thresholds, while northern half of the territory still resides under anvil blow off from convection upstream that has prevented development of fog. However, further clearing is in the realm of possibility over the next few hours, that could give way to fog before sunrise. Tempo groups were included to attempt bouncing flight rules during the overnight period. After daybreak, a warm front lifts up into the Tennessee Valley, with showers attached to the boundary. This will drape itself through our forecast area for the majority of the day, allowing for showers and afternoon thunderstorms to sprout. The front may also promote MVFR ceilings during its northern progression through the Central Appalachians. Activity gradually wanes this evening, however low ceilings will prevail overnight tonight as the front remains parked nearby. Light and variable winds overnight will aid in fog production amid peaks of clear skies. Low level flow will shift out of the southwest through the day as the warm front migrates over the area. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Medium to low for fog tonight. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Timing and location of fog tonight will likely vary from the forecast. EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. DATE MON 05/06/24 UTC 1HRLY 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 EDT 1HRLY 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 CRW CONSISTENCY L L L L L L L H H H H H HTS CONSISTENCY L L L L L L H H M M M M BKW CONSISTENCY H H H M M H H H H H H H EKN CONSISTENCY H L L L L L L M H H H H PKB CONSISTENCY H L L L L L L H H H H L CKB CONSISTENCY H H M L M M L H H H H H AFTER 06Z TUESDAY... IFR conditions possible at times in showers and thunderstorms into mid next week. Fog and/or low stratus are possible Monday night.
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&& .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...None. OH...None. KY...None. VA...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...FK/RPY/JMC NEAR TERM...FK/RPY SHORT TERM...JMC LONG TERM...JMC AVIATION...MEK