000
FXUS61 KOKX 272355
AFDOKX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service New York NY
655 PM EST Wed Dec 27 2023

.SYNOPSIS...
Low pressure develops over the Mid Atlantic this evening, tracking
north along the Northeast coast Thursday. A series of weak lows
or surface troughs will linger over the region Thursday night
through Friday night. High pressure will then start to build this
weekend and into the first few days of the new year.

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.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/...
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A developing 1006 mb surface low situated near the Outer Banks at 23Z moves northward tonight, tracking toward the region into Thursday. This will allow for a period of steady moderate to locally heavy rain tonight into early Thu AM. Key Messages... *Rain will become widespread this evening and continue into early Thursday morning. The bulk of the rain should be pushing east of the NYC metro near daybreak Thursday with rain ongoing across Long Island and southeast Connecticut. Coverage of rain diminishes further into the afternoon. *The rain will become moderate to locally heavy at times. Max rainfall rates between 0.50 and 1 in/hr are possible. Highest probabilities for heavier rain exist across NE NJ, NYC metro, and Long Island. *Total rainfall amounts through Thursday morning range between 1 and 2 inches, with isolated amounts up to 3 inches. *Minor urban and poor drainage flooding is the primary threat. Isolated areas of flash flooding can`t be ruled out. A few flashier rivers and streams in NE NJ could approach minor flooding benchmarks. An axis of the enhanced lift thanks to a coupled jet structure and mid level frontogenesis develops from NYC on west the first half of the night, shifting to the east across Long Island and southern Connecticut towards the early morning hours. There will also likely be enhanced moisture convergence along and north of the track of the low pressure. 12Z HREF continues to paint a widespread 1 to 2 inches across the region, which seems reasonable and in line with WPC, with the bulk of this falling in the late evening and overnight hours. The steadiest should begin to enter the region from the west between 9 and 11 pm, pushing east of NYC by daybreak or soon thereafter. Recent heavy rainfall brings a concern for flooding along rivers and streams. Based on the latest headwater guidance though, generally more than 2 inches is needed in 6 hours for minor flood stages to be reached on the main stem rivers. This appears to be a reasonable worst case with this system. WPC has upgraded NE NJ, NYC, and portions of western LI and the lower Hudson Valley to a slight risk for excessive rainfall through 12Z Thu. While isolated flash flooding is a possibility in areas that experience locally heavy rainfall, this appears to be a limited threat given the duration and rates. After collaboration with RFC, opted to hold off any any Flood Watches for the CWA.
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&& .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/...
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Conditions remain unsettled on Thursday as low pressure along the Mid Atlantic coast tracks near Long Island in the morning, then north toward Cape Cod by the evening. This will allow the axis of moisture and lift to shift east. A sprawling parent upper low remains well off to the west across the Ohio Valley. The steadiest rain pushes east through the morning, though the region doesn`t dry out entirely. Conditions remain gloomy, with low stratus, mist, and occasional light rain with the closed low off to west, and several spokes of energy rotating around it. Maintained chance PoPs (35%) Thursday afternoon and into the overnight. QPF will be light after the morning hours, with minimal additional hydro concerns. Mostly cloudy to overcast skies persist. Temperatures remain above normal Thursday with highs in the low to mid 50s, or about 10 degrees above normal for late December. Overnight lows only manage to fall into the 40s for most.
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&& .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... No significant changes made to the long term and stuck close to the NBM for this update. *Key Points* * Rain chances continue Friday and into early Saturday, before drying out on Sunday and into New Year`s Day. * A cooldown to more seasonable temperatures Saturday through Wednesday. Large-scale upper level troughing remains in places through much of the end of the week and into the weekend. This is paired with surface waves of low pressure and troughs that will likely make for a continued unsettled end of the week and beginning of the weekend. A mid-level vorticity max rounds the base of a trough over the Ohio Valley into the Southeast US. This forces a more recognizable low pressure south of the area off of the East Coast Friday night and into Saturday. The surface low pressure likely quickly merges with the departing low to the northeast resulting in mainly a chance for showers through Saturday morning. As the low departs, slight subsidence in its wake will dry out the mid-levels and likely shut off precipitation into Sunday. Though an upper level trough remains in place with mid-level energy sheared throughout it, some surface ridging to the south may nose into the area on Sunday and into Monday with mainly dry conditions. Global models diverge on how they handle another round of mid-level energy approaching from the west, embedded in the trough. It may develop a quickly developing low pressure to the south of it but with little blocking downstream, the low may quickly move offshore with minimal if any impact to the area. As of now, kept it dry through much of the beginning of next week, but subsequent updates will need to be watched for any changes. && .AVIATION /00Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
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Low pressure approaches tonight and eventually moves east of Long Island late in the TAF period. A vast range of conditions within the forecast region early this evening, ranging from VLIFR to VFR. Expecting mainly LIFR tonight with steadier rainfall moving in from the west mid to late this evening. The rain will be heavy at times towards and after 4-6z Thursday. There is uncertainty as to whether the heavier rain can improve ceilings / cats slightly to IFR from LIFR, and avoid VLIFR at some terminals overnight. The steady rain tapers off Thursday morning, but IFR or lower conditions will remain in place. Also, more rain showers are forecast to develop during the day, especially in the afternoon. Pockets of VLIFR are possible as the rain tapers early Thu morning, before some slight improvement back to IFR late Thu morning and closer to midday. Winds will be ENE and light, under 10 kts through tonight. Winds should be more northeast Thu morning, then more out of the north around 10 kt Thursday afternoon. Occasional gusts to near 15 kt will be possible Thursday afternoon. ...NY Metro (KEWR/KLGA/KJFK/KTEB) TAF Uncertainty... There remains uncertainty in the coverage and timing of LIFR and possible VLIFR tonight into Thu AM. OUTLOOK FOR 18Z THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... Thursday afternoon / night: MVFR possible with chance of showers. N winds. Friday: MVFR possible with chance of showers. Light WSW to W winds. Saturday: Mainly VFR. W winds 10-15kt G20kt. Gusts subside at night. Sunday: VFR. W winds. Monday: Mainly VFR. W / NW winds G20kt. Detailed information, including hourly TAF wind component forecasts, can be found at: https:/www.weather.gov/zny/n90
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&& .MARINE...
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Low pressure passes near the waters Thursday morning, then east Thursday afternoon leaving behind a weak pressure gradient into Friday night. Ocean seas will build tonight into Thursday with potential to see 5 ft seas late Thursday into Friday, before subsiding Friday afternoon into Friday night. Elsewhere, sub SCA conditions are expected through Friday. Marginal SCA conditions are expected on the ocean waters Saturday morning. SCA conds become likely over the eastern ocean zones with developing low pressure to the south late Saturday into Sunday, with 5-7ft seas. Sub SCA conditions return by late Sunday.
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&& .HYDROLOGY... Storm total rainfall 1 to 2 inches is likely through Thursday morning, with localized amounts up to 3 inches. Due to recent heavy rainfall, minor flooding along a few quick responding rivers in NE NJ is possible. Otherwise, minor urban and poor drainage flooding should be the main hydrologic impact, though isolated flash flooding cannot be ruled out. There are no hydrologic impacts expected Thursday night through early next week. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... Minor coastal flooding now looks more likely on Thursday morning with possible impacts for vulnerable coastal communities. This is associated with a passing low pressure system with onshore flow and an astronomically high tide. A coastal flood advisory is now in effect for the the south shore of Nassau and Queens, with tidal departures of between 1.3 and 1.8ft. High tide peaks from about 7-10am Thursday morning. Statements are in effect for parts of Queens and southwestern Suffolk, where minor benchmarks are not expected to be reached, but some inundation (less than 0.5ft) is possible during high tide. Elsewhere, coastal flood statements have been issued for the SW CT coastline on the Western Sound. Tidal departures of 1.25-1.50 ft are needed for minor flooding, which are expected to be reached during Thursday afternoon`s high tide between about noon and 4pm. Localized minor flooding is possible in these areas. The threat for dune erosion appears to be low and isolated with this event. && .OKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...None. NY...Coastal Flood Advisory from 6 AM to 11 AM EST Thursday for NYZ178-179. NJ...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...DR NEAR TERM...DR SHORT TERM...DR LONG TERM...MW AVIATION...JE/JM MARINE...DR/MW HYDROLOGY...DR/MW TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...