Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Atlanta, GA
Issued by NWS Atlanta, GA
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413 FXUS62 KFFC 180557 AFDFFC Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 157 AM EDT Sat May 18 2024 ...New 06Z Aviation Discussion... .SHORT TERM... (This afternoon through Saturday) Issued at 255 PM EDT Fri May 17 2024 So far today, dense cloud cover and the stabilizing effect of showers have precluded deep convection across the majority of the CWA. The exception has been the southwest portion of the CWA, where a west-to- east oriented line of convection has shifted eastward out of south- central AL. WPC has introduced a Moderate Risk for excessive rainfall and flash flooding across our far southwestern counties, where moderate to heavy rainfall and elevated/embedded thunderstorms have been occurring since mid- morning. While instability is not particularly exceptional, PWAT has surged to 1.7+ inches and 925-850 mb frontal convergence is strong, so the expectation is that this messy area of convection will persist into the evening, and possibly become better organized. Thinking that the potential for severe storms is marginal at best across our southern couple rows of counties, as instability has not been able to nose northward from the Gulf Coast much due to the cold pool produced by the area of convection. In the event of a strong or marginally severe storm across our southern tier this afternoon or evening, damaging wind gusts would be the primary threat. Will likely have scattered showers and possibly isolated thunderstorms persist overnight as the moist, southwesterly flow persists. On Saturday, a shortwave trough coupled with progged MUCAPE of 1500- 3000 J/kg will be more than enough lift/instability to fire off scattered to widespread convection across much of the CWA during the afternoon and evening. SPC has a Slight Risk along and south of a line generally from Eatonton to Macon to Columbus, where 0-6 km bulk shear around 40-80 kts coupled with mid-level lapse rates of 6.5-7.0 deg.C/km support the potential for damaging wind gusts and hail. A Marginal Risk encompasses much of the remainder of the CWA as the environment farther north is also supportive of scattered thunderstorms with some strong convection likely. A possible caveat to coverage and/or intensity of storms will be how quickly/how much cloud cover clears out. Another possible caveat... Some of the CAMs indicate a morning MCS tracking along the Gulf Coast with showers and embedded storms across portions of central GA, which could impact airmass recovery in the afternoon. Given the dynamic, unstable environment, isolated to scattered showers and storms could persist well after sunset into the overnight hours. Martin && .LONG TERM... (Sunday morning through next Thursday) Issued at 255 PM EDT Fri May 17 2024 Starting off the forecast period with Sunday morning the troughing associated with this weekends system will begin to move eastward into the Atlantic. For Sunday, the vorticity couplet will still be over eastern Georgia as well as a weak moisture axis which will result in showers still lingering over eastern GA. With this last piece of energy in our area, this will give way to just enough energy to produce the chance for thunderstorms over eastern Georgia through Sunday night. After Sunday, a long wave ridge sets up over almost the entire eastern third of the CONUS. This along with the lack of moisture over the area will lead to a drier time for most of Georgia beginning Monday and lasting until Wednesday. The unfortunate piece to this is that temperature will quickly rise with many area reaching close to 90 which goes in line with the CLimate Prediction Center`s 6-10 day outlook showing above normal temperatures. While this ridging is dominating our area, the low pressure system to the west will track into the Great Lakes region, not particularly affecting the ridging. This will give way for the potential for a small burst of vorticity and moisture to move into Tennessee and northern GA by Thursday which could ultimately result in some shower activity for northern GA. Should this system have enough energy it will pave the way for more of a distinctive troughing feature to move eastward into Georgia and the southeast to push the riding to the east. Models are remaining split on whether this will happen or not a week from now, so will see what the models indicate in subsequent runs. With any showers, the risk for thunderstorms remains over the area simply due to day time heating. Temps will stay in the upper 80s over much of the area unless the troughing is able to make it down to this area but this actually is only 4-6 degrees above normal for this time of year. Definitely trending towards the warmer summer time conditions (bummer for this cool weather fan). Hernandez && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 144 AM EDT Sat May 18 2024 Ceilings are primarily MVFR across north and central Georgia, and gradually lowering. Ceilings are forecast to lower to mainly IFR in the next couple of hours, although a drop to LIFR is looking less likely than the previous forecast. Scattered -SHRA is spreading into west and central Georgia, and is expected to increase in coverage and spread north during the early morning hours. As a cold front advances towards north Georgia, it will send a broken line of organized SHRA/TSRA into north Georgia, which will work its way southward in the late afternoon and evening. A PROB30 for TSRA has been maintained for the northern TAF sites as a result. Winds will be S to SW at 5 kts through the early morning hours, becoming SW at 5-8 kts by 13Z and through the remainder of the day. //ATL Confidence...06Z Update... Medium confidence on all elements. King && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Athens 62 79 59 82 / 50 50 10 10 Atlanta 64 81 63 83 / 50 40 10 10 Blairsville 59 77 57 78 / 50 60 10 20 Cartersville 61 82 61 83 / 50 40 10 10 Columbus 65 84 65 85 / 40 40 10 10 Gainesville 63 79 61 81 / 50 60 10 10 Macon 65 82 62 83 / 40 50 10 10 Rome 62 83 61 85 / 50 30 0 10 Peachtree City 63 82 61 83 / 40 40 10 10 Vidalia 67 83 64 82 / 50 70 20 10 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SHORT TERM...Martin LONG TERM....Hernandez AVIATION...King