Area forecast discussion
National Weather Service Wichita Kansas
634 PM CDT Thursday may 23 2013
Short term...(this evening through monday)
issued at 324 PM CDT Thursday may 23 2013
Tonight - friday:
showers and thunderstorms continue to persist in south central
Kansas along the Kansas/Oklahoma state line late this afternoon.
This activity is near/ahead of a weak pv anomaly with yet another
weak anomaly moving in under the building ridge. This activity is
expected to continue into the late afternoon and evening hours.
Beyond this evening...expecting activity to develop to our south and
west and tract north and east over the area. Much of the guidance
indicates this precipitation developing over southwest Kansas and
moving northeast over south central and central Kansas. Have
expanded probability of precipitation in this manner for tonight and tomorrow. The activity
may continue into the morning and early afternoon hours Friday over
central and eastern areas. Have kept temperatures a little cooler
for Friday with clouds and activity...but think where
precipitation ends...and in the warm/moist air
advection...temperatures will be near to below seasonal norms.
Saturday - Memorial day:
there are precipitation chances throughout the Holiday
weekend...however...not expecting there to be long periods of
rain...or for it to rain all weekend. The warm front will surge
northward for the weekend and moisture will stream northward.
Dewpoints are expected to be in the 60s allowing for plentiful
instability through the weekend. We cannot rule out the chances for
severe weather...throughout the periods...but organized severe
weather is difficult with the lacking shear. But with cooler
middle-level temperatures thunderstorms will be able to develop...especially
along the High Plains. This activity could track eastward across
Kansas and impact the area. Difficult to pin one day down over
another for strong/severe thunderstorm chances with multiple ripples
moving in beneath the ridge...so stay tuned...especially for any
outdoor activities. Some small hail and strong straight line winds
are possible with activity...and lightning is always a threat.
Temperatures will slowly warm through the weekend into the 80s as
the ridge builds in overhead.
Billings
Long term...(tuesday through thursday)
issued at 324 PM CDT Thursday may 23 2013
Tuesday - thursday:
discrepancies among the various guidance magnify during this
period. The latest 12z/23rd GFS is more bullish in bringing the
trough that is sitting out west...eastward. This could bring a
chance for severe thunderstorms into the area...but as much as the
GFS gives this solution...the latest 12z/23rd European model (ecmwf) is different.
It digs the trough south over Baja California and is much slower and further
south with the disturbance. This pushes any strong/severe
thunderstorm chances further into the week. Regardless this is a
period to watch for strong to severe thunderstorm development.
Confidence in any one model over another is low...so stay tuned.
Billings
&&
Aviation...(for the 00z tafs through 00z Friday evening)
issued at 634 PM CDT Thursday may 23 2013
Main aviation concern will be lowering ceilings generally west of I-135
late tonight.
Warm front extends through OK and looks to have been reinforced by
daytime convection. Rich moisture is expected to continue funneling
into the High Plains tonight. This moisture advection...combined
with deep upslope flow...should result in widespread low clouds over
the western half of Kansas. Some of this may creep into areas west of
I-135 a couple hours before sunrise.
Elevated storms are expected to develop over eastern Colorado/far western
Kansas tonight. This activity will attempt to work east into Friday
morning. At this time it appears the best moisture transport and
isentropic lift to keep storms going will be generally over northern
Kansas. So will leave some thunderstorms in the vicinity in at krsl and ksln generally after 12z.
Lawson
&&
Preliminary point temps/pops...
Wichita-kict 57 74 64 85 / 30 40 30 20
Hutchinson 56 75 65 85 / 30 40 30 20
Newton 55 72 63 84 / 30 40 30 20
Eldorado 55 74 62 83 / 20 40 30 20
Winfield-kwld 57 75 63 83 / 50 30 30 20
Russell 54 75 64 89 / 40 40 30 20
Great Bend 56 76 65 87 / 50 40 30 20
Salina 52 73 64 88 / 30 40 30 30
McPherson 54 74 64 86 / 30 40 30 20
Coffeyville 56 75 60 83 / 20 20 20 20
Chanute 53 73 59 82 / 20 20 20 20
Iola 53 72 59 82 / 20 20 20 30
Parsons-kppf 55 74 60 82 / 20 20 20 20
&&
Ict watches/warnings/advisories...
none.
&&
$$
