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Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Lake Charles, LA
Issued by NWS Lake Charles, LA
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359 FXUS64 KLCH 172035 AFDLCH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lake Charles LA 335 PM CDT Wed Jul 17 2024 ...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, MARINE... .SHORT TERM... (Tonight through Friday night) Issued at 335 PM CDT Wed Jul 17 2024 Mid-afternoon sfc analysis shows the Bermuda high pressure ridge continuing to stretch wwd across the nrn Gulf, maintaining an onshore low-level flow across the region. Meanwhile, a weak cool front is noted to our north, extending from the Ohio Valley through the Ozarks to the Red River Valley. Water vapor imagery shows the wrn Gulf within troffing extending from the Great Lakes sswwd. With the area remaining quite moist (regional 12z soundings showed PWATs generally around 2 inches) and no real capping present thanks to the trof, convection was gradually developing across mainly the srn/ern portions of the forecast area earlier. Meanwhile a 2nd area of convection upstream associated with an advancing weak disturbance was noted over nern TX. The key messaging in the short term continues to be wet weather persisting. Today`s diurnal convection is expected to begin petering out as we approach sunset, with a few showers/storms possibly extending a short time after sundown. The late evening/early overnight looks dry before a combo of factors lead to more convection developing towards sunrise...the typical nocturnal maritime activity develop/moving ashore across the far srn zones, while additional activity developing with the disturbance dropping through the trof and ahead of the approaching sfc boundary begins impacting the far nrn zones. High POPs are on the books again for Thursday as the sfc boundary slips into the forecast area, adding additional lift to the already very moist airmass (mean RH values 70 to 80 percent and PWAT values up 2.2 inches) and nil capping. Given the potential for slow- moving convection and the high PWATs (around the 90th percentile per SPC raob climo), WPC has highlighted the entire forecast area in a marginal risk for excessive rainfall for tomorrow. With this activity not being entirely diurnally driven, high rain chances linger right through Thursday night into early Friday morning. Wash, rinse, repeat for Friday as the lingering boundary, progged to meander around the region, overhead trof axis/general mid-level weakness and copious moisture result in yet more widespread shower/thunderstorm activity...with the WPC maintaining the marginal risk. Some relief looks possible for Friday night as the trof axis finally slides ewd, with much smaller POPs in the forecast for the nwrn zones into w-cntl LA. With the widespread cloud cover/precip, heat index values are not expected to meet advisory criteria at any point during the short term. && .LONG TERM... (Saturday through next Tuesday) Issued at 335 PM CDT Wed Jul 17 2024 A very wet and rainy longterm period is in store as a series of shortwave trof pulses work around a low pressure center parked over the north Central US. Buoyant and deeply moist airmass in place ahead of these shortwave perturbations will allow widespread convection to develop each day in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. Forecast PWATs 2.00 to 2.30 inches and warm-column soundings indicate warm-rain processes will be in place, making for very efficient downpours. With more and more rainfall piling on through the short and then long term periods, the threat of urban and localized river flooding increases. The Weather Prediction Center has placed most of the area in a Marginal Risk (1 out of 4) of Excessive Rainfall on Saturday and the entire area in a Marginal on Sunday. This indicates there could be rainfall rates which could lead to aforementioned flooding concerns. With little break in the pattern seen for Monday and Tuesday, it is likely that more Excessive Rainfall Outlook areas will be drawn up for these days. Keep those rain boots handy! Widespread rain-cooled air and cloud cover will keep temperatures in check for the weekend and start of the work week. High temps should only top out in the upper 80s to around 90 F each day. Elevated dewpoints, however, will keep the overnight hours feeling very warm and muggy in the low to mid 70s. 11 && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 100 PM CDT Wed Jul 17 2024 Local 88Ds show diurnal convection gradually increasing in coverage while also spreading nwd...with this trend expected to continue through the afternoon, have tried timing each of the terminals accordingly. Otherwise, VFR conditions should prevail through the period per forecast soundings...any terminals which receive rainfall today could see the potential for some light fog towards sunrise, but will allow later issuances the chance to better define such chances. Winds will remain light and somewhat variable with high pressure prevailing. 25 && .MARINE... Issued at 335 PM CDT Wed Jul 17 2024 Not expecting the need for any headlines on the CWF over the next several days. 25 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AEX 73 91 71 85 / 30 80 70 80 LCH 76 90 74 87 / 30 80 80 90 LFT 78 92 76 89 / 30 80 70 90 BPT 76 92 74 88 / 30 80 70 90 && .LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...None. TX...None. GM...None. && $$ SHORT TERM...25 LONG TERM....11 AVIATION...25