


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Dodge City, KS
Issued by NWS Dodge City, KS
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632 FXUS63 KDDC 062010 AFDDDC Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Dodge City KS 310 PM CDT Fri Jun 6 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Heavy rainfall tonight may result in areas of flash flooding. A Flood Watch is in effect tonight along and south of a Syracuse to Garden City to Dodge City to Pratt line. - Thunderstorms capable of producing large hail (>2"), strong damaging winds and even a few isolated tornadoes will be possible early this evening (30-44%). - A dry start to the weekend will give way to a chance for thunderstorms on Sunday (20-40%). - Dry and warmer temperatures return to southwest Kansas on early next week. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 249 PM CDT Fri Jun 6 2025 At 12Z Friday morning a -18C 500mb trough was located over Wyoming. Ahead of this upper trough, a moist baroclinic zone at 700mb extended from northeast Colorado into western Nebraska. Precipitable water values, based on the DDC sounding, was 1.1 inches, which is near the 90th percentile for this time of year. Short term models are in agreement on progressing this upper trough into northwest Kansas by evening, with enhanced moisture and large scale lift spreading into southwest Kansas early tonight. As the upper level trough approaches and encountersthe abundant moisture in place across southwest Kansas...widespread rainfall, heavy at times, will develop. Given the moisture and lift overnight, there is little reason to disagree with the HREFs high 6hourly probabilities for 1 and 2 inch rainfall totals.Furthermore the ECMWF Extreme Forecast Index of 0.7 to 0.8 between 00Z Saturday and 00Z Sunday aligns well with the HREF forecast track for the heaviest rainfall. All this has enhanced confidence for keeping ongoing Flood Watch given the potential for numerous flash flooding events, especially in areas that received 2 to 5 inches of rain during last nights event. In addition to heavy rainfall we will also be monitoring the potential for severe thunderstorms across extreme southwest Kansas. A surface boundary that previously pushed south into Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle is expected to lift northward as the upper level trough approaches. As it does a moist southeast flow will develop north of this boundary. This combined with the mean shear and instability forecast by the SREF will create an environment favorable for discrete supercells late today through early this evening.Similar to last night...any storms that develop near the boundary early this evening could produce hail larger than 2 inches, isolated damaging winds, and possibly a few tornadoes. As latest short term models filter in and considering the location of the low level theta-e axis north of the boundary, there is concern that the SPC may have placed the enhanced hail risk a little too far northeast. Currently it appears that the main severe threat may be closer to the Oklahoma border. However, a slight northward shift in the surface boundary would place locations such as Syracuse, Garden City, and Dodge City within the zone of enhanced hail potential. After midnight the upper level trough will cross western Kansas. Rainfall will gradually taper off from west to east. A surface high will then build into southwest Kansas which will bring a break from the wet weather pattern on Saturday. On Sunday another surface boundary will move through western Kansas as a northern branch upper level trough/low crosses the Northern Plains moves into the Great Lakes region. As this surface boundary passes during the afternoon, thunderstorms may develop. At this time howeverthe ensemble clusters currently suggest that the best chances for CAPE values >1000 and shear of+30knots will be late in the day and near the Oklahoma border so anyrisk for thunderstorms should be focused south of the ArkansasRiver. Looking into the first half of next week...ensemble clusters indicated good agreement on an upper level ridge moving eastward across the Rockies and into the Plains. This pattern will favor warmer, drier conditions across western Kansas. Thunderstorm chances however are expected to return later in the workweek as an upper level low slides south along the coast of British Columbia toward the Pacific Northwest and a upper level trough begins to develop over the western United States. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 1233 PM CDT Fri Jun 6 2025 Light northeasterly winds will become east at 10 to 15 knots by 00z Saturday as an area of high pressure at the surface exits western Kansas and surface pressures fall along the lee of the Rockies in response to an approaching upper level trough. Low clouds and patchy fog at 17z will give way to VFR ceilings (3500-7000) after 21z. The chance for thunderstorms will increase this evening as the upper level trough moves into the West Central High Plains. A few of these storms will be capable of producing heavy rain, large hail and gusty winds as they cross southwest Kansas early tonight. The best chance for large hail will stay west of a Garden City to Liberal line tonight. Heavy rainfall which will reduce visibility to 1 mile or less will be the main hazards as these storms cross the Garden City and Liberal areas between 03z and 07z and then the Dodge City area between 04z and 09z. Hays will also have thunderstorms between 04z and 09z also but the risk of heavy rain is not expected. Once these storms pass there will be a +70% chance for ceilings to fall below 1000ft AGL between 12z and 18z Saturday. && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch through Saturday morning for KSZ061>063-074>078- 080-081-084>090. && $$ DISCUSSION...Burgert AVIATION...Burgert