Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Huntsville, AL
Issued by NWS Huntsville, AL
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259 FXUS64 KHUN 171736 AFDHUN Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Huntsville AL 1236 PM CDT Sat Aug 17 2024 ...New AVIATION... .NEAR TERM... (Rest of Today) Issued at 930 AM CDT Sat Aug 17 2024 A sfc low continuing eastward through the Great Lakes has brought a very slow moving cold front through the OH River Valley into the lower Plains. Ahead of this, several clusters of storms are forecast to form with the assistance of diurnal heating this afternoon. Any storms that form will be capable of becoming strong to severe, with threats of gusty to damaging winds, small hail, and frequent lightning being the main threats. `Inverted V` sounding profiles with sufficient dry air aloft hint at the potential for downbursts this afternoon with DCAPE values over 1000 J/kg and low level lapse rates around 8-9 C/km. Shear should remain relatively limited, peaking around 25 kts and limiting organized convection as well as the tornado threat. Our flooding threat will be low as well, with PWATS around 1.4-1.6" which is the median value within sounding climatology per BMX. However, with any downbursts, ponding of water in areas of poor drainage (such as roadways) is likely. Current timing of these storms are between 1 PM CDT and 8 PM CDT, however, there is a low chance these linger past 8 PM CDT as they move southeast through the area. Our other large concern today is the heat as high temperatures reach the mid to upper 90s with heat indices in the upper 90s to low 100s. A Heat Advisory is in effect for northwest AL (Marshall, Cullman, and Madison counties westward) beginning at 1 PM CDT and continuing through 7 PM CDT. In areas that do not see rain, heat will be a higher threat due to lack for relief from cloud cover. We encourage everyone to remain hydrated and take frequent breaks if outdoors. && .SHORT TERM... (Tonight through Monday night) Issued at 427 AM CDT Sat Aug 17 2024 Though this boundary will move southeast into southern/central Alabama early this evening, pushing the higher shower/thunderstorm chances into those locations, an approaching secondary cold front will likely keep isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms in the forecast Saturday night into Sunday. Some of these could be strong to marginally severe. Main threats with these storms would likely be damaging winds. Despite a good deal of sunshine expected, cold air advection should keep highs from climbing much above the mid 80s to lower 90s on Tuesday. Somewhat drier air will be in place though near and behind this final cold front as well allowing dewpoints to drop into the mid 60s to lower 70s Sunday afternoon. Really nice weather is on tap Monday and Tuesday with highs in the mid to upper 80s both days and lows in the 60s (lower 60s when you wake up on Tuesday). && .LONG TERM... (Tuesday through Friday) Issued at 427 AM CDT Sat Aug 17 2024 Latest extended range guidance suggests that an amplified longwave trough will encompass much of eastern North America on Tuesday/Wednesday, maintaining moderately strong NNW flow aloft across the TN Valley. In the low-levels, light-moderate northerly winds will persist to the south of a surface high across southern Ontario and to the north of a weak frontal wave that is predicted to retrograde west-southwestward from the southeastern Atlantic Coast into the western FL Panhandle/south AL vicinity by Thursday morning. Dewpoints will generally remain in the m-u 50s, with highs on both Tuesday/Wednesday in the m-u 80s (u70s-l80s in elevated terrain). Overnight lows will be in the m-u 50s Wednesday morning, and in the u50s-m60s Thursday morning, as a surface trough extending northward from the frontal wave will cross the region during this timeframe resulting in a gradual increase in easterly flow. During the period from Thursday-Friday, the northern portion of the longwave trough will advance northeastward off the coast of New England, as a weak cutoff upper low becomes established over the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. A SE low-level flow regime will result in slightly warmer afternoon temps in the u80s-l90s, but will also continue to advect dry air into the region from the remnant surface high to our northeast, keeping heat indices near ambient air temperatures. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1236 PM CDT Sat Aug 17 2024 VFR conditions are forecast through the TAF period at both KMSL and KHSV. This afternoon into this evening, VCTS are possible at both sites. If thunderstorms move directly over KMSL or KHSV, amendments will be needed to account for lowered visibilities/ceilings and subsequent IFR to MVFR conditions. However, confidence is too low in coverage at this point to officially include thunderstorms as a prevailing group. Overnight into Sunday morning, there is a low chance of fog formation in areas that receive rainfall. If this occurs, IFR to MVFR conditions will be possible due to lowered visibilities. Confidence is too low to officially include fog in the TAF at this time. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...Heat Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for ALZ001>008-016. TN...None. && $$ NEAR TERM...HC SHORT TERM....KTW LONG TERM....70 AVIATION...HC