Area forecast discussion
National Weather Service Pueblo Colorado
308 PM MDT Tuesday may 21 2013
Short term...(this evening through wednesday)
issued at 245 PM MDT Tuesday may 21 2013
..isolated storms over and near the mountains and ridges...Temperatures
edging above average again on Wednesday...
Strong upper ridge will build eastward over Colorado through
Wednesday. Enough moisture and instability under the ridge for
isolated showers and thunderstorms over and near the mountains
and ridges this evening...and again tomorrow afternoon and evening.
With surface dewpoints generally in the 20s and 30s through tomorrow
afternoon...primary storm threats will be lightning and wind gusts
to around 45 miles per hour.
After a day of temperatures 5 to 10 degrees below average across the area
today...strengthening high pressure will bring temperatures back to a few
degrees above average for Wednesday. A pretty nice day on tap for
southern Colorado. Lw
Long term...(wednesday night through tuesday)
issued at 245 PM MDT Tuesday may 21 2013
Models in good agreement through the extended with a stagnant
pattern featuring an area of low pressure over the Pacific
northwest and high pressure over the Central Plains. This will put
the region under broad southwesterly flow with fire weather
concerns and chances for convection.
Wednesday night through Thursday evening...high pressure will move
across the region Wednesday night with easterly low level flow
developing through the overnight period. This should help keep
afternoon highs on Thursday cool upper 60s to lower 70s across the
plains. The upslope low level flow will help keep low clouds
across the region. Models printing out light precipitation
beginning late Wednesday night through Thursday evening. How much
if any precipitation falls is still in question...instability is
weak and much depends on how much moisture works into the region
as well. Southwesterly flow aloft will begin to work into the
Continental Divide by Thursday afternoon. This will set up mixing
across the San Luis valley and the potential for dangerous fire
weather concerns Thursday afternoon into the evening. This will
need to be monitored.
Friday through Sunday...the upper level ridge will shift east into
the Continental U.S. As southwesterly flow aloft encompasses The Rockies. The
main issues will be fire weather concerns and the potential for
convection across the far eastern plains. Each afternoon...models
are developing a dryline out near the Kansas border. Both the GFS
and European model (ecmwf) vary with dryline position which will determine where
convection is expected. For now have low probability of precipitation to account for
daily afternoon dryline activity out near the Kansas border.
Mixing is expected to increase through the weekend which will lead
to widespread fire weather concerns for the western two thirds of
the County Warning Area. Gusty afternoon winds and very low humidity values are
expected...especially over the San Luis valley and I-25 corridor.
Afternoon high temperatures are expected rapidly warm into the
upper 80s to lower 90s for the weekend.
Monday and Tuesday...the pattern begins to shift east with broad
southwesterly flow across the region. Expect dry conditions across
the area with widespread fire weather concerns each afternoon for
all of southern Colorado. Those with outdoor grilling activities
planned for Memorial Day should use extreme caution. Afternoon
high temperatures will continue to be warm with upper 80s to middle
90s across the plains. Mozley
&&
Aviation...(for the 00z tafs through 00z Wednesday evening)
issued at 245 PM MDT Tuesday may 21 2013
Generally VFR across flight area next 24 hours...including all
3 taf sites. However...isolated thunderstorms through 03z today and
again 17z-03z Wednesday...primarily over and near the mountains and
ridges...will result in the possibility of very localized MVFR to
LIFR conditions associated with that activity. Also...with the
convective activity will be the chance for erratic outflow wind
bursts to around 45 miles per hour. Lw
&&
Pub watches/warnings/advisories...
Fire Weather Watch from Thursday afternoon through Thursday
evening for coz224.
&&
$$
Short term...lw
long term...mozley
aviation...lw
