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Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Dodge City, KS
Issued by NWS Dodge City, KS
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069 FXUS63 KDDC 191908 AFDDDC Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Dodge City KS 208 PM CDT Fri Jul 19 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - High confidence of a MCS moving through southwest Kansas with strong winds and brief heavy rain the main threats. - Cooler than normal temperatures for highs will be the case through early next week. - Off and on chances of storms will be in the forecast through next Tuesday. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 208 PM CDT Fri Jul 19 2024 19Z observations and upper air analysis show a developing MCS situated from far northeast Colorado through central Nebraska with our first severe report of wind northwest of Wray, Colorado. This line is in association with a 500 mb shortwave and we also have a shortwave in north central Colorado which will also be a focus for thunderstorm development this evening. At the surface a 1009 mb low in southeast Colorado has led to a stronger pressure gradient in southwest Kansas thus we`ve had stronger south to southwest winds. Tonight the advertised MCS will enter into our northwest zones (Syracuse to Hays) roughly around 00Z and quickly move south and east through the rest of our area through midnight. HREF ensembles have the greatest CAPE and theta e advection roughly along and west of highway 83 between 8-11 pm and CAM models have latched on to the stronger wind gusts in these areas where up to 70 mph is possible. What CAMs have been struggling with is timing as the RAP has sped up the prog of the line and the HRRR has slowed it down with the RRFS being in the middle. At this stage the RRFS is showing the best timing which would put the highest impacts between 7-11 pm. Hail looks less of a threat with the large amounts of water loading in the line plus the mode likely transitioned from supercell to squall line that quarters would be the largest hail expected. The exception could be areas along and north of I-70 (WaKeeney to Hays) where we still could have some supercelluar characteristics to the storms. After 10 pm the CAMs and HREF ensembles seem to agree the instability should quickly diminish and the line will become more general thunderstorms with pockets of heavy rain. Ability of reaching 0.25 inch or more of rain looks good as we have widespread 60-80% chances for almost all of southwest Kansas with the exception of our far southeast and isolated 1 inch or more amounts are at 20- 30% for areas west of a Hays to Dodge City line. Saturday the vort max should depart into central Oklahoma and DNVA will lead to breaks in the clouds by late morning. Post MCS environment should be worked over much of the morning and combining with northerly winds we should see storm chances low (>20%) through the early afternoon. Temperatures should be refreshing with highs in the low 80s. By late afternoon HREF ensembles and CAMs have a developing vort max and increasing 700-850 frontogenesis roughly for areas along and east of highway 83. 20-40% POPs are placed in these areas as the storm mode should widely scattered in nature. Currently there is no severe risk for Saturday but with CAPE values ~1000 J/kg, higher theta e values, and 0-6 km bulk shear values at ~30 kts by 7 pm near Pratt...we may see a marginal risk introduced for some isolated hail up to quarters and 60 mph gusts. Early next week ensemble clusters show the upper air pattern continuing to have a long wave trough over the central and eastern CONUS with the 594 dm anticyclone situated over Nevada. This will keep northwest flow in place for early next week and 850 mb temps in the 17-20 (C) range. Mean high temperatures will be in the lower 80s for Monday and Tuesday. With northwest flow in place we should expect periodic shortwaves to move through the afternoon and evening hours which will provide 20-30 POPs in southwest Kansas during this time. Ensembles are trending in the day 5-7 range with the 594 dm high moving eastward and spreading further into the Rockies. This will both start to increase our temperatures and actively shut off the rain chances. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 1152 AM CDT Fri Jul 19 2024 Winds during the afternoon will be breezy at times with 15-20 kt sustained and gusts to 25 kts. Later this evening a MCS will come out of northwest Kansas and sweep through southwest Kansas between 00-09Z. Main threat with the line of storms will be heavy rain and gusty winds which will briefly reduce surface visibilities to 3 SM or less. The storms should VCTS HYS by 01Z, GCK by 02Z, DDC by 03Z, and LBL between 03-04Z. Downburst winds could approach 50 kts especially for GCK and HYS and be in the 40-50 kt range for DDC and LBL. In general we should have VFR flight category through the time period with brief reduction in categories due to lower surface visibilities due to the thunderstorms. && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Tatro AVIATION...Tatro