


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Albany, NY
Issued by NWS Albany, NY
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088 FXUS61 KALY 132330 AFDALY AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Albany NY 730 PM EDT Sun Jul 13 2025 .SYNOPSIS... A cold front continues to slowly advance eastward through the day tomorrow supporting additional areas of rain and thunderstorms, especially for areas south and east of the Capital District. Heavy rain leading to localized flooding is the primary concern before confidence increases for another period of dangerous heat for the middle to end of this week. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... Key Messages: - Isolated to scattered flash flooding and severe thunderstorms are once again a concern tomorrow for areas mainly near and south and east of the Capital District. Areas where heavy rain or storms can repeatedly impact will have the highest risk for flooding. - There is a 50 to 75% chance of high temperatures exceeding 90 degrees on Tuesday in valley areas. Such warm temperatures combined with moderate humidity may result in heat index values nearing the 95F heat advisory criteria. Discussion: As of 730 PM EDT...A band of showers and embedded thunderstorms continue to impact the Adirondacks and Mohawk Valley. The heaviest rainfall rates have been around 1 inch per hour within the heaviest downpours over the central Adirondacks. This activity will continue to spread eastward, but should start to weaken somewhat with the loss of daytime heating. Heading into tonight, convection will gradually weaken as we approach Midnight and areas of rain/storms push down the Mohawk Valley. While periods of rain and storms continue along the boundary overnight, severe weather and flooding should diminish. We are start Monday with the boundary around the Capital District with clouds and stratus widespread once again. The very warm and moist buoyant sector will now be positioned from the Capital District south and east into western New England, the mid-Hudson Valley and the eastern Catskills. As clouds give way to break of sun eroding the low-level inversion and PWATs remain high around 2" (nearly 2 standard deviations above normal per the NAEFS), ML CAPE will once again quickly increase to 1-2k J/kg. As instability increases by midday into the early afternoon so will the coverage of convection and heavy rain. Similar kinematics to Sunday, the very weak flow oriented parallel to the boundary and high FZ heights supportive of efficient warm rain processes will easily result in heavy downpours with rain potentially training/backbuilding or repeatedly impacting a given area. This raises concerns for isolated to scattered flash flooding and we collaborated with WPC to increase the ERO to a slight risk (level 2 of 4) from the Capital District south and east. No flood watch issued on this shift given we already have a flood watch out for Herkimer County for tonight but we will re-evaluate the need with our next forecast package. Flash flood guidance values are once again rather high at 2-3" in 3 hours and soil moisture is low but the 12 UTC HREF shows 40-50% chance of exceeding 2" of rain in 3 hours tomorrow P.M into early evening with the probability match mean even showing 10% chance of exceeding 3" in 3 hours. As the main trough axis arrives by late afternoon enhancing forcing for ascent with guidance even suggesting a secondary low develops along the boundary, coverage and intensity of heavy rain will likely further raising flooding concerns. Deep layer shear is again weak ranging 20-25kts with mediocre lapse rates 5-5.5C/km but given potential for wet microbursts resulting damaging winds, we collaborated with SPC to introduce a marginal risk in this area. Heavy rain and storm coverage shifts in our far southern zones including Dutchess/Litchfield County by early evening but activity should wane shortly after Midnight. Tuesday finally turns drier as weak high pressure and shortwave ridging from the Ohio Valley builds eastward. Our boundary stalls just to our south and some lingering showers/clouds could graze our southern zones so 20-30% were introduced in these areas. Otherwise, we will need to monitor the heat on Tuesday and potential need for heat advisories. While northwest winds in the wake of the front will usher in slightly lower PWATs/humidity, dew points remain in the upper 60s. Given much more sunshine for areas from the I-90 corridor northward, daytime highs will likely rise into the upper 80s to low 90s in valley areas resulting in peak heat index values flirting with the 95F criteria. The higher insolation will support deeper boundary layer mixing helping to reduce dew points during peak heating and overall coverage of 95F+ heat index values but it certainly will be close and bares monitoring. More clouds in the mid-Hudson Valley and NW CT may limit the potential to hit the 95F criteria so less confidence there. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... Key Message: - Heat Index values or "feels-Like" temperatures may reach the mid 90s to low 100s in the valley areas for the middle to end of this week. - Watching Thursday - Friday for increased chances for thunderstorms and potential severe weather. Discussion: Wednesday will likely be the hottest day of the week. With weak ridging building overhead resulting in southwest flow aloft, 850 hPa isotherms build back to +18 to +20C. Therefore, there is a 50 - 80% probability of high temperatures exceeding 90F for elevations mainly below 1000 ft. Dew points will also be back on the rise given the flow regime and current peak heat index values range from the upper 90s to low 100s. HeatRisk values continue to be in the "major" range for Wednesday. While most of the day will be dry, clouds increase through the day as our ridge slides to our east and the boundary stalled to our south gradually lifts back northward as a warm front. Chances for rain and storms return late Wed P.M into Wed night as a shortwave tracks through the Saint Lawrence River Valley with forcing for ascent spreading into the hot and humid air mass. By Thursday, we remain in the very warm and moist air mass but increased cloud coverage could reduce high temperatures a few degrees so not as confident as Wednesday in needing heat advisories. Given additional shortwaves tracking within the westerly flow regime, POPs trend from chance to likely on Thursday for showers and thunderstorms. Timing of shortwaves remain uncertain so not expecting a complete washout but periods of rain/storms are possible. Similar to Wed night, Thursday night will not provide much relief from the very warm and muggy air mass with overnight lows only dropping into the low to mid 70s (60s higher terrain). As discussed in the previous discussion, we will need to closely monitor the Thursday evening - Friday time for our next potential severe weather event. A potent cold front and shortwave trough looks to track through the region and with it entering into such a warm and moist environment, instability will be more than sufficient to support strong updrafts while the forcing will provide strong lift and shear to support organized convection. Timing will be key as a later day or overnight arrival of the sfc boundary and shortwave will limit the overlap with peak heating/instability and thereby limit severe potential. Zonal flow then ensues for the weekend as sfc high pressure ushers in drier air and a relief from the heat/humidity. && .AVIATION /00Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... Flying conditions are currently VFR for all TAF sites ahead of an approaching cold front. A large broken line of showers and thunderstorms are currently over the Adirondacks and these may impact KGFL over the next few hours. Although it should weaken somewhat, a period of rain and thunder is expected at KGFL through 03z with occasional MVFR conditions for visibility. Further south, some showers may impact KALB/KPSF into the overnight, but the heaviest activity should remain north and west. Brief MVFR visibility cannot be ruled out through 08z or so from showers. This activity look to stay north of KPOU. Southerly winds around 10 kts will gradually decrease through the overnight to 5 kts or less. For the late night hours, some MVFR stratus may develop for all TAF sites, especially if rainfall occurs. Ceilings will be around 1000-1500 ft. Some IFR cannot be totally ruled out, but it looks to mainly be MVFR at this time. This stratus may linger until the mid to late morning hours before dissipating for all sites. Once any stratus burns off, it should be VFR with bkn cigs around 4-5 kft for the day on Monday. As the front crosses, some scattered showers or t-storms are expected during the afternoon hours, especially for KPSF and KPOU. IFR conditions for visibility within brief bursts of heavier rainfall can`t be ruled out. Some gusty winds could accompany the strongest storms as well. Otherwise, it will stay VFR with bkn cigs around 4-5 and southerly winds around 5 to 10 kts through the early evening hours. Outlook... Monday Night: Low Operational Impact. Slight Chance of SHRA. Tuesday: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Tuesday Night: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Wednesday: Low Operational Impact. Slight Chance of SHRA...TSRA. Wednesday Night: Low Operational Impact. Slight Chance of SHRA...TSRA. Thursday: Moderate Operational Impact. Likely SHRA...TSRA. Thursday Night: Low Operational Impact. Slight Chance of SHRA...TSRA. Friday: Moderate Operational Impact. Chance of SHRA...TSRA. && .HYDROLOGY... CIRA ALPW satellite imagery continues to show increasing low- level moisture pooling ahead of the incoming slow moving boundary with PWATs nearing 2.0" and warm cloud depths >12 kft. Mid- level flow remains weak and fairly parallel to the approaching cold front supporting the potential for backbuilding and training storms late this afternoon into tonight for areas north/west of the Capital District. Our flash flood watch remains in effect through 5 AM for southern Herkimer County as there are pockets of lower flash flood guidance values near 1-2" in 1 hour. With such efficient warm rain processes at play, rainfall rates could reach up to 1-2" per hour and locally up to 3" if rain persist over a long enough time. The flood threat is greatest for the more urban areas, as well as low-lying and poor drainage areas in southern Herkimer County. WPC has maintained their marginal to slight risk for excessive rainfall to the northwest of the Capital District through tonight. Coverage of rain and thunderstorms with locally heavy downpours increases tomorrow afternoon, mainly from the Capital District south and east in western New England, the mid-Hudson Valley and the eastern Catskills which will remain in the highly moist and warm/buoyant sector ahead of the boundary. We and neighboring WFOs collaborated with WPC to have the excessive rainfall outlook upgraded in this area to a slight risk (level 2 of 4) for Monday. We continue to monitor the potential for isolated to scattered flash flooding, given increased potential for storms to train or persist over a given area resulting in higher rainfall rates reaching 1-2" per hour (locally higher even up to 3" not ruled out). The greatest flooding risk once again will be for the more urban, poor-drainage, and low-lying areas through Monday evening. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...None. NY...Flood Watch until 5 AM EDT Monday for NYZ038. MA...None. VT...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Speciale SHORT TERM...Speciale/Frugis LONG TERM...Speciale AVIATION...Frugis HYDROLOGY...Main/Speciale