Area forecast discussion National Weather Service Jackson MS 305 PM CDT Monday may 20 2013 Short term...tonight through Wednesday night... the primary concerns will be potential for strong to severe storms for Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday afternoon across the region. The concern for locally heavy rainfall as well as probability of precipitation and temperatures. Latest satellite imagery showed the region to be on the influence of an upper ridge...centered over North Carolina. A broad upper trough with an associated upper low was observed from the central and northern plains with the axis extending to The Four Corners region. Regionally...stratocu streaks was across the region which showed the low level southerly flow across the arklamiss. On the surface high pressure centered over Georgia and a cold front with the associated storm system was noted from Kansas through West Texas...where it was associated with a dry line. This combination was bringing in surface southerly flow over the region. Readings across the region were pushing into the upper 80s to around 90 as we get back to our Summer like regime. Tonight...regional cross sections and soundings shows another round of stratus coming into the region. There will once again be enough low level flow to hinder significant fog development...despite some model forecasts. Some of the National WRF models shows some isolated convection coming into the extreme northwest Delta Region after midnight. So adjusted mav probability of precipitation slightly upward to account for it. Lows overnight were generally from the 68-71 range. So will go with the generally the same numbers as was noted with the milder raw GFS guidance. Tuesday through Wednesday night...the plain upper trough axis moves through the Southern Plains into the lower Mississippi Valley through the period. The local and National WRF models shows some decent strong to severe thunderstorm development for Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday afternoon. The National WRF models shows a cold pooling large complex bowing into the region from late Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night. By the looks of the reflectivity there could be some gusty winds with this complex as it blows through the region. Precipitable waters will be around 1.8 inches which also spells the risk of locally heavy rainfall. Instability will be pretty good with vertical totals around 30, MLCAPES >3000, lapse rates around 7-8c. In the northwest Delta Region bulk shear 30-40 knots at 0-6 km with near 200 helicity. So the best forcing looks to be in the northwest Delta for a risk of a few tornadoes. Otherwise the primary risk will be damaging winds and quarter sized hail. Our chances of severe weather will continue through Wednesday afternoon across the entire area. The best bulk shear and helicity will continue across the northwest Delta Region. The risk of severe weather should decrease for Wednesday night. The associated cold front will remain northwest of the region through the period. As far as temperatures are concern went close to the milder GFS guidance for Tuesday night with lows from the upper 60s to lower 70s. Highs on Tuesday will be from the upper 80s to around 90. Went close to mav guidance. Highs for Wednesday will be from the lower to middle 80s. Went close to mav guidance. Lows for Wednesday night will be slightly cooler with lows from the middle 60s to around 70. Went close to mav guidance. For probability of precipitation went close to mav guidance./17/ Long term...Thursday through Monday...a weak frontal boundary will continue to move across the arklamiss on Thursday. Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue to be possible...especially Thursday afternoon. As the upper trough continues to shift east of the area a stronger backdoor cold front will drop south across the area early on Friday and this may kick off some isolated thunderstorm activity once again Friday afternoon before much drier air builds in from the northeast Friday night into Saturday. The weekend looks mainly dry on Saturday and Sunday as high pressure ridging builds in from a surface high over the Ohio Valley and precipitable waters fall well be low an inch. The drier air will result in lower rh's on Saturday...but will still be very warm with highs up into the middle 80s. The surface high will shift east and this will allow the winds to become more easterly than southeasterly...but high pressure ridging and mainly dry conditions looks like it will continue through Monday./15/17 && Aviation...VFR scattered-broken decks will continue this afternoon...giving way to scattered VFR this evening at most locations. Conditions will deteriorate after 08z with MVFR/IFR cigs/vsbys...locally LIFR... redeveloping in low stratus and patchy fog...the better chance for IFR/lift fog expected south of I-20 tonight. Conditions will gradually improve after sunrise with areas of MVFR broken-overcast decks in place by 16z improving to 3-5k feet broken-overcast by 18z. Isolated showers/thunderstorms will be possible over northwestern zones during the afternoon Tuesday with a slight chance of severe storms with large hail and 60 miles per hour wind gusts. && Preliminary point temps/pops... Jackson 68 89 69 83 / 10 19 29 40 Meridian 68 91 64 85 / 9 12 15 30 Vicksburg 71 89 69 85 / 10 24 42 37 Hattiesburg 68 91 67 85 / 7 10 13 28 Natchez 71 88 70 84 / 7 16 25 41 Greenville 71 89 70 87 / 15 39 61 35 Greenwood 69 90 69 85 / 13 32 49 37 && Jan watches/warnings/advisories... MS...none. La...none. Arkansas...none. && $$ 17/22/15