000
FXUS61 KOKX 121058
AFDOKX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service New York NY
558 AM EST Mon Feb 12 2024

.SYNOPSIS...
Weak high pressure across the area today will give way to a
storm system approaching from the southwest. Deepening low
pressure moves into the Tennessee Valley tonight with a
secondary forming near the Delmarva region Tuesday morning. The
coastal low will deepen while passing to the south and east of
Long Island during the day Tuesday. High pressure will return
from Wednesday into Thursday before an Alberta Clipper low
passes through Thursday night into Friday. Another low may
impact the region next weekend.

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.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/...
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Minor adjustments this update to account for latest obs, otherwise forecast remains on track. 06Z data supports latest winter storm forecast. Weak high pressure will remain across the area today as the forecast area resides on the northern edge of high clouds associated with a storm system over the southern states. The latter of which will become a big player in the forecast late tonight into Tuesday. Skies may vary between mostly cloudy across LI/NYC metro, to partly/mostly sunny inland. It will be another mild day with highs in the upper 40s. This is about 5 to 8 degrees below normal.
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&& .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... * Major winter storm to impact area late tonight into Tuesday. * Guidance has trended colder the last 24h with the potential for 6+ inches across coastal locations. The Connecticut coast, southern Westchester, and portions of interior NE NJ have been included in a Winter Storm Warming. For Long Island, NYC, and adjacent areas of NE NJ, there is a Winter Storm Watch. * Confidence is high across CT, the Lower Hudson Valley, and interior NE NJ for 6+ inches of snow. There is medium confidence for the watch area with high confidence of 3+ inches * The greatest uncertainty is across the NYC metro area and Long Island for the timing of rain changing over to snow. At this time, this looks to be around 7-8am Tuesday. Overall model guidance in recent says has been pretty good with respect to the track of low pressure that will impact the area late tonight into Tuesday, Where there has been uncertainty is with the rain/snow line across the area with only a marginally cold airmass in place. However, the last 24h specifically, from the 18Z cycle and beyond, there has been enough of a southward trend of the low to expand the potential for 6+ inches down to the coast. The southward trend has also placed the area in a favorable area of deformation/frontogenetic forcing with the 85h and 50h low to the south of the area. Thus, the potential for heavy banded snow to the north and west of the low track. There is good agreement with 1-1.25 inches of liquid equivalent with the possibility of locally higher amounts. Interior locations and even down to coastal CT may see some brief rain at the onset, but this is largely an all snow event for these locations. Even across LI and NYC, with the changeover occurring near daybreak, there could be 0.75 to 1" of liquid equivalent that is snow. SLRs at the coast will likely be low at the onset, but then increase as the snow becomes heavy and low-level winds become more northerly. For thermo profiles, used a blend between the colder NAM and warmer GFS. This should result in temperatures at the height of the heaviest snow in the lower 30s. For snowfall totals, expecting 8 to 12 inches in the warning area and the potential of 5 to 8 inches in the watch area. SPC HREF showing high probabilities of more than an inch an hour inland with even 50-60% probs some hours at the coast. There could be some hours, especially inland of 2 to 3 inches an hour. Much of the precipitation moves in during the early morning hours Tuesday, becoming heaviest toward daybreak into early afternoon. Snow ends from west to east in the afternoon. In addition, NE to N winds at the height of the storm will gusts 25 to 35 mph, strongest along the coast. There could even be a few higher gusts up to 40 mph. This will further restrict visibilities. However, with the wet nature of the snow any blizzard-like conditions are expected to be of short duration. NW winds on the backside of the low gradually subside Tuesday night with clearing skies. Lows will be close to normal and mainly in the 20s. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... There has not been too much change to the forecast thinking Tuesday night into next weekend. *Key Points* * Temperatures look to be below normal with mainly dry conditions this period. * A fast moving clipper system passes across the northeast Thursday night. * Forecast confidence lowers next weekend as there are some indications of another low pressure moving near the region. High pressure builds towards the eastern seaboard on Wednesday. The ridge axis will be over the area Wednesday night before shifting offshore on Thursday. The deterministic and ensemble means are in good agreement on this scenario. A fast moving Alberta Clipper low continues to be signaled on the guidance for Thursday night. A general consensus has the surface low passing over New England. Overall moisture is limited, but there should be a brief period of lift to continue with chances of precipitation. NBM precip probabilities support predominately snow showers inland, but a mix of rain and snow showers to the coast. The more northern track of the clipper low would introduce slightly milder air towards the coast. If the low were to trend further south, colder air and higher chances of a period of snow showers could occur across the entire area. It is important to note this is a fast moving system which limits the amount of precip that could fall. The modeling diverges Friday into the upcoming weekend. Another fast moving northern stream shortwave may approach next Saturday and could have some interaction with a southern stream system. Other guidance hints that the northern stream may be suppressive limiting any precip chances and low pressure development. It is still much too early for any details on p-types and impacts as each scenario seems plausible. For now NBM slight chance PoPs Saturday into Saturday night look reasonable. && .AVIATION /12Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... High pressure remains in control through this evening. Low pressure approaches the region from the southwest tonight passing south of the area on Tuesday. VFR conditions expected today and into the first half of tonight. MVFR or lower conditions expected around or just after 06Z Tuesday as precipitation begins to move in for the metro terminals. Precipitation likely starts as all rain, changing to a rain/snow mix beginning between 10-12z Tuesday morning and into early Tuesday morning as colder air moves into the area for the NYC terminals. There is a low end chance that some ice pellets mix in during the transition from rain to snow, but this should be brief and confidence is not high enough to include in the TAF. Further north, (KSWF) it will be cold enough for this to be an all snow event. Light winds are expected through mid morning. Winds turn more towards the south remaining under 10 kt late this morning into the afternoon. Winds become more easterly tonight, and increase through the night. Towards the end of the TAF period, winds will be from the NW. ...NY Metro (KEWR/KLGA/KJFK/KTEB) TAF Uncertainty... No unscheduled amendments expected through 00z Tuesday. OUTLOOK FOR 06Z TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... Tonight...IFR or lower conditions likely. At KSWF/KHPN, precipitation is expected to start and remain all snow. At KBDR and KGON, precipitation may start off as a rain/snow mix, then changing to all snow late Monday night. Elsewhere, rain possibly mixing with snow or sleet towards daybreak. NE winds 10-15 G20-25 kt late, highest NYC metro/coast. Tuesday...IFR or lower cond likely. Any rain changes to all snow through the morning. Some sleet may mix in early in the morning. Snow tapering off from W-E during the afternoon, with cond possibly becoming VFR late. NE-N winds 15-20 G25-30kt, becoming NW in the afternoon. Tuesday night through Wednesday night...VFR. NW winds 10-15G20kt daytime, and 10-15G20kt at night. Thursday: VFR. Thursday night: Chance of MVFR and snow showers. NW winds 10-15G20- 25kt late. Friday: VFR. NW winds 10-15G20-25kt. Detailed information, including hourly TAF wind component forecasts, can be found at: https:/www.weather.gov/zny/n90 && .MARINE... Quiet conditions today with weak high pressure across the waters. NE winds increase tonight ahead of an approaching deepening low pressure system from the southwest. The low then passes just south and east of the ocean waters on Tuesday. This will allow winds to reach gale force on the ocean on Tuesday, with a gale warning now in effect. A few gusts to 35 kt may also be possible on the eastern Sound and the bays of Long Island, with SCA cond elsewhere. Winds on the waters will weaken somewhat Tuesday night as the storm system departs. This will be short-lived as high pressure builds in from the west Wednesday increasing the pressure gradient. SCA winds are likely on all waters and there is even a chance for gale force gusts on the ocean. Winds begin to weaken on the non-ocean waters Wednesday night could remain near SCA levels on the eastern Bays and easter LI Sound with ocean still 25-30 kt. Winds should fall below SCA levels Thursday before potentially reach SCA levels Friday behind a departing Clipper low pressure. Ocean seas will be elevated Tuesday night through Wednesday night before briefly subsiding below 5 ft Thursday. Elevated seas are possible to end the week. && .HYDROLOGY... There are no hydrologic issues expected at this time. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... * Minor coastal flooding is likely during times of high tide through tonight. * Widespread minor and some moderate coastal flooding becoming more likely with the Tuesday morning/midday high tides. Forecast continues to be heavily based on Stevens NYHOPS guidance, which has been performing reasonably well over the past 24 hours. Have decided to leave the coastal flood statement for coastal Fairfield/Westchester running through early this afternoon with the expectation of minor thresholds just being reached at the Stamford and Bridgeport gauges. A better chance of more widespread coastal flooding will be possible tonight, so have gone ahead and issued a coastal flood advisory for tonight`s high tide cycle. A coastal flood advisory remains in effect for the south shore of Nassau County for the high tide cycles today and tonight. Further west, most of the guidance has the high tides falling just short of reaching minor thresholds. Depending on how some of the tides behave with todays high tide cycles, a statement or advisory may be needed tonight. Areas that might eventually need an advisory include southwestern Suffolk, southern Queens, southern Brooklyn, Lower NY Harbor and parts of western Long Island Sound. Nassau County already has an advisory up. Have not change any headlines for Tuesday, there`s enough confidence in moderate flooding to put up a coastal flood watch for Southern Nassau County. Localized moderate coastal flooding is possible for Southwestern Suffolk County. Otherwise, widespread minor coastal flooding is looking more probable for all but along the eastern Sound and along Peconic/Gardiners Bays. Just like Monday night, there`s still time to gain more confidence in the extent of minor flooding before issuing headlines. Timing of a wind shift from NE to N on Tuesday brings some uncertainty on how quickly some drainage help could occur as well as the amount of time the north shore of Long Island is exposed to a more direct onshore flow. && .OKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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CT...Winter Storm Warning from 1 AM to 6 PM EST Tuesday for CTZ005>012. Coastal Flood Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 2 AM EST Tuesday for CTZ009. NY...Winter Storm Warning from 1 AM to 6 PM EST Tuesday for NYZ067>071. Coastal Flood Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 2 AM EST Tuesday for NYZ071. Winter Storm Watch from late tonight through Tuesday afternoon for NYZ072>075-078>081-176>179. Coastal Flood Advisory until 10 AM EST Tuesday for NYZ179. Coastal Flood Watch from Tuesday morning through Tuesday afternoon for NYZ179. NJ...Winter Storm Warning from 1 AM to 6 PM EST Tuesday for NJZ002- 004-103>105. Winter Storm Watch from late tonight through Tuesday afternoon for NJZ006-106>108. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 5 AM to 6 PM EST Tuesday for ANZ331- 332-335-338-340-345. Gale Warning from 6 AM to 6 PM EST Tuesday for ANZ350-353-355.
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&& $$ SYNOPSIS...DS/DW NEAR TERM...DW SHORT TERM...DW LONG TERM...DS AVIATION...BC MARINE...DS/DW HYDROLOGY...DW TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...