Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Little Rock, AR
Issued by NWS Little Rock, AR
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265 FXUS64 KLZK 161735 AFDLZK Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Little Rock AR 1235 PM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024 ...New AVIATION... .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1229 PM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024 VFR conditions at all sites presently. CU field developing early this afternoon across the central and southern TAF sites, so including sct layer at 035-040 at those locations. Based on latest HRRR/RAP trends, looks like convection building over northern AR and drifting down from MO late this afternoon into the overnight hours will be a bit more prominent than previously anticipated. I have updated POPs in the grids and altered TAFs to include this change. Still quite a bit of uncertainty how far south convection will reach by morning, so for HOT, ADF, and LIT I included some PROB30 convection in the 12-18Z time frame. && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Wednesday Night) Issued at 434 AM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024 Much of the Mid-South rmns under the influence of a west to east mid level ridge axis. This scenario wl set the stage for another day of dangerous heat and humidity acrs the Natural State. High temps today wl top out in the mid to upper 90s in many areas, with assocd max aftn heat indices ranging from 105 to 114. No changes were made to the existing heat headlines. Also, convective chcs today look few and far between. Models rmn in good agreement this mrng showing a shift in the upper lvl flow pattern, as the aforementioned upper rdg retrogrades and amplifies ovr the western states. This wl allow for a large scale upper trof to set up from the Great Lakes region back into the Southern Plains and Mid-South. The resulting northwest mid lvl steering flow wl eventually bring a CDFNT into AR later in the period. Increasing chcs for rain and thunderstorms wl also occur along and ahead of the front. Some of the CAM solutions cont to struggle with these trends in the near term, so fcst confidence regarding PoPs and QPF rmn low. Ongoing upstream convection acrs part of KS and northern OK may eventually send a lingering outflow bndry to the southeast later today. This feature could provide a focus for scattered convection to form durg the peak heating hrs, with most of the activity staying north of the FA. Eventually, coverage wl incrs over north AR tngt as the CDFNT apchs fm the NW. The CDFNT wl cont to drop sloly southward into the state Wed and Wed night. Showers and thunderstorms wl rmn likely along and ahead of the bndry. While organized severe wx is not anticipated, heavy rainfall could become a concern, leading to localized flash flooding. Abundant cloud cover wl keep the north half of the FA in the 80s for highs Wed, with 90s common further south. Parts of southern AR may need another Heat Advisory for Wed aftn. && .LONG TERM... (Thursday through Monday) Issued at 434 AM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024 An upper lvl trof will be in position over Arkansas during the majority of the long-term forecast period. In response, this upper lvl feature in cohesion with sfc features will be instrumental in providing the state with above normal chances for precipitation and a high probability of below normal temperatures over the long-term forecast with respect to both low and high temperatures. At the beginning of the long-term forecast period, on Thursday, a sfc cold front will be tracking across Arkansas from north to south. Expect shower and isolated thunderstorm chances across the state during the day on Thursday with higher confidence in activity to increase southward across the state throughout the day. On Friday, as the frontal boundary pushes into Louisiana, the opportunity for shower and thunderstorm activity will be reserved to southern Arkansas. Expect overall clearing into the day on Friday with a drier and cooler airmass in place across the CWA with the exception of southern Arkansas where the FROPA will provide POP chances to persist into Friday midday before becoming predominately absent from the forecast on Friday. Into Saturday, the front will quickly stall across Louisiana for a brief period before retreating back north and eventually stalling completely across Arkansas and increasing chances of POPs overall on Sunday and Monday with the possibility of showers and thunderstorms returning to the forecast. Expect dry conditions to remain for most of Saturday before the retreating boundary moves back toward the CWA moving from south to north before becoming parked across the I-40 corridor as a stationary front during the day on Sunday. The remainder of the forecast period on Sunday and Monday can expect increased POP chances with a high probability of showers and thunderstorms across the entire CWA with the decent tradeoff being temperatures that will be below normal. The long-term forecast period will be an active one with increased chances for POPs overall, but with a nice tradeoff of temperatures that will be below normal with respect to low and high temperatures due to the initial FROPA passage with a drier and cooler airmass behind the boundary, then as the boundary retreats back into the state, rain-cooled air along with adequate cloud cover will keep temperatures in check and a few degrees below normal for this time of the year. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Batesville AR 75 89 69 82 / 60 70 60 30 Camden AR 76 97 71 84 / 0 30 60 70 Harrison AR 72 85 65 81 / 80 70 40 20 Hot Springs AR 77 95 71 84 / 10 40 70 60 Little Rock AR 79 94 74 84 / 20 40 70 60 Monticello AR 78 97 73 84 / 0 30 60 80 Mount Ida AR 75 94 69 83 / 20 40 70 60 Mountain Home AR 73 84 66 81 / 80 80 40 20 Newport AR 75 89 70 81 / 40 60 60 30 Pine Bluff AR 78 95 72 82 / 10 30 70 60 Russellville AR 77 92 71 84 / 70 60 60 40 Searcy AR 75 92 71 83 / 40 50 60 50 Stuttgart AR 78 92 73 81 / 10 40 70 60 && .LZK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for ARZ004-052-053-056- 057-062>069-103-112-113-123-137-140-141-203-212-213-221>223-237- 240-241-313-340-341. Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM CDT this evening for ARZ005>008-014>017-024-025-031>034-039-042>047-054-055-121-122- 130-138-230-238. && $$ SHORT TERM...44 LONG TERM....74 AVIATION...53