Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Charleston, WV

Home |  Current Version |  Previous Version |  Text Only |  Print | Product List |  Glossary Off
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
-- Highlight Changed Discussion --
-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --
565 FXUS61 KRLX 180733 AFDRLX AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Charleston WV 333 AM EDT Wed Sep 18 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
-- Changed Discussion --
A low pressure system originating from the Atlantic brings rain showers and unsettled weather across the area through midweek. Mainly dry, quiet weather comes back Friday through weekend.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 230 AM Wednesday... Remnants of the quasi-tropical low pressure system #8 will meander about just south of our area inching toward the Atlantic. The parent upper level closed low will drive further north than the surface low and station itself right overhead of the area. This feature will keep slightly unsettled weather across much of the area today but will wane by this early evening. Less cloud coverage by the afternoon will allow temperatures to exceed slightly higher than yesterday with most of the lowlands potentially surpassing the 80 degree mark with the higher elevations right around the mid 70`s and slightly cooler along the mountains. East-southeasterly flow will provide some potential activity along the mountains and east from there with the highest chances for a shower and possible storm this mid afternoon. The rest of the area will struggle to get any kind of rain amounts due to downsloping from boundary layer flow drying out the lowlands somewhat. Sufficient CAPE, especially during the afternoon when clouds start to break up a bit, will allow for the potential of thunderstorm activity but elected to have it only diurnal. This equated to cutting probability off right in the early evening and any activity should only be confined to the mountains and will likely be very isolated in nature. The upper low turns into an open wave and shifts off toward the northeast by the overnight hours into early morning quieting down shower activity going into the morning with upper level ridging moving in from the west during the next period. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...
-- Changed Discussion --
As of 330 AM Wednesday... A decaying low pressure system continues to lose its influence on the area as it drifts away. Showers should be confined to areas in and near the mountains Thursday, with the mid/upper- level component of the system nearby to the east. Breaks of sun should allow enough diurnal destabilization for an afternoon mountain thunderstorm as well. With precipitation having become diurnally driven, there is a quick shutoff of PoPs on sunset Thursday evening. A dearth of cloud and wind Thursday night will allow areas of fog to form, particularly in areas lucky enough to get rain. High pressure wedging in from the northeast beneath mid/upper- level northwest flow will provide dry weather Friday, with fog possible again Friday night. Less cloud and wind allow high temperatures to climb above normal, while lows settle to about normal.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
-- Changed Discussion --
As of 330 AM Wednesday... Surface high pressure continues to wedge down the east side of the Appalachians this weekend, while mid/upper-level ridging builds in from the southwest. This should provide dry weather. However, weak mid/upper-level disturbances riding over top of the ridge and down the east aside of it will bring patchy cloud, and models do output light, sporadic precipitation amounts. For the start of the new work week, mid/upper-level ridging flattens and drifts east, opening the door wider for short wave troughs to move in from the west. Models vary on trough amplification in the middle of the country next week, ahead of a west coast ridge. Nonetheless, with warm advection, and, eventually a cold front, depending upon the degree of pattern amplification, this brings the next chance for rain. Rainfall amounts should be light through the long term period, though. After very warm afternoons this weekend, highs settle back toward normal during the early portion of the new work week, while lows remain near or slightly above normal this period. Minimum afternoon RH percentages will drop into the 20s and 30s across a bulk of the territory Friday through Sunday. Winds look light enough to mitigate fire weather headlines though. Minimum afternoon RH values look to climb during the early portion of the new work week, with most locations getting back into the 40s and 50s by Tuesday.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .AVIATION /07Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
-- Changed Discussion --
As of 130 AM Wednesday... MVFR cloud decks are filtering in affecting EKN/BKW today. This will be the theme for today while through the afternoon most sites may see a MVFR deck at times or for most of the time for the mountain sites, but it should not last long as clouds will continue to lift by mid afternoon and scatter out by the late afternoon/early evening. VFR should be back in control by the late afternoon, very early evening at the latest. During the afternoon shower potential will exist for mainly the mountain sites and the western sites may not see much if any activity besides a lone isolated shower possibly. Any showers will be light in nature and should not take down VIS too much, if any. The chances for shower and thunderstorm activity are very low and kept out mention of thunderstorms since they would be very isolated and even lower in probability. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Medium. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Lower cloud decks could sneak into the mountain sites such as EKN/BKW that would lower their flight category to IFR or lower. EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. DATE WED 09/18/24 UTC 1HRLY 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 EDT 1HRLY 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 CRW CONSISTENCY H H H M L M M M M M H H HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H L H H H BKW CONSISTENCY M M M M M M M H H H H H EKN CONSISTENCY H M L L L L L M M M M H PKB CONSISTENCY H H M L L H H H H H H H CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H M M M M M AFTER 06Z THURSDAY... Areas of IFR ceilings will be possible across the mountains again overnight Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...None. OH...None. KY...None. VA...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...TRM/JZ NEAR TERM...JZ SHORT TERM...TRM LONG TERM...TRM AVIATION...JZ