Area forecast discussion
National Weather Service Grand Rapids Michigan
750 am EDT Sat may 18 2013
Latest update...
aviation
Synopsis...
issued at 330 am EDT Sat may 18 2013
Fair and mild weather is anticipated this weekend. A low pressure
system over the upper Midwest will bring a period of unsettled
weather with occasional rounds of rain and thunderstorms from Monday
through Wednesday. Fair and cooler weather is expected late in the
week.
&&
Short term...(today through Monday afternoon)
issued at 330 am EDT Sat may 18 2013
Our primary short term forecast challenge is to determine probabilities
for showers and storms mainly for Monday.
Fair and mild weather is anticipated through the weekend with maximum temperatures
well into the 70s to near 80 degrees today and a few degrees warmer
than that for Sunday.
There is just slight chance of a shower this afternoon SW of kgrr where some
instability will develop. An overall consensus of 00z short range
guidance suggests probabilities for a shower there would be really
low.
The weather pattern will become more unsettled and active beginning
Monday... particularly in the afternoon. We boosted maximum temperatures up by
several degrees for Monday with the expectation of a fair amount of
sun and southerly flow warm air advection by then.
This will lead to increasing instability with potential for sb convective available potential energy
to reach 2000-3000 j/kg Monday afternoon and as the upper ridge axis
shifts east and some positive vorticity advection begins to move in from the SW late in the
day. Moisture will also be on the increase in the southerly flow warm air advection
regime allowing dew point values to climb into the 60s. So the
threat for showers and storms will begin to ramp up beginning Monday
afternoon.
Long term...(monday night through friday)
issued at 330 am EDT Sat may 18 2013
Long term period looks to be a wet time frame...as an upper low in
the northern plains slowly works into and through the region during
this time frame. In fact...yesterday evening/S 7 day experimental
precipitation product from wpc was indicating 1 to around 2 inches
of rainfall across the southwest quarter of lower Michigan.
A warm frontal boundary will be nearby or draped across the forecast
area for much of the Monday night through Wednesday time frame.
During this time we have likely chances (60/70 pct) for
showers/storms for most of the forecast area.
A deep southerly flow will be in place emanating from the Gulf
Coast...which is something we have lacked this month. Precipitable
water values will be on the order of an inch to an inch and a half
into middle week.
Difficult to nail down any specific severe threat time frames...but
Monday afternoon and evening and again on Wednesday may be times to
watch. Heating to aid in instability will be the difficult variable
to pinpoint given the amount of clouds and precipitation around. If we can
heat during the daylight hours though instability should build
readily.
Late in the week the low will slide east finally and high pressure
will begin to build in from the north. Have a dry forecast toward
weeks end.
&&
Aviation...(for the 12z tafs through 12z Sunday morning)
issued at 749 am EDT Sat may 18 2013
VFR conditions are expected to prevail the next 24 hours...or
through 12z Sunday. Middle clouds dominate the sky at 12z this
morning...and these should gradually thin through the course of
the day. Bases of these clouds are between 8000ft and 12000ft.
Cumulus clouds will fill in through the afternoon with bases around
5000-6000ft. These clouds will likely remain in the area through
the night.
Small chances for isolated rain showers exist this afternoon...
possibly affecting the kmkg...kazo and kgrr taf sites. Chances are
too small to include in the tafs at this point. Winds will be
light easterly both today at tonight between 5 and 10 knots.
&&
Marine...
issued at 330 am EDT Sat may 18 2013
Offshore easterly winds will result in minimal wave heights this
weekend. Thunderstorms will pose a hazard to mariners Monday through
Wednesday.
&&
Fire weather...
issued at 330 am EDT Sat may 18 2013
Fire weather concerns are fairly minimal due to increasing dew point
values and relative humidity values this weekend and fairly low wind
speeds mainly under 15 miles per hour. Several rounds of rain and storms are
expected Monday through Wednesday.
&&
Hydrology...
issued at 330 am EDT Sat may 18 2013
Several rounds of showers and storms are expected Monday through
Wednesday with total rainfall amounts on average in that time frame
of around an inch to inch and a half possible with locally higher
amounts with heavier storms.
&&
GRR watches/warnings/advisories...
Michigan...none.
Lm...none.
&&
$$
Synopsis...Laurens
short term...Laurens
long term...Duke
aviation...Duke
fire weather...Laurens
hydrology...Laurens
marine...Laurens
