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FXUS61 KOKX 200736
AFDOKX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service New York NY
336 AM EDT Wed Mar 20 2024

.SYNOPSIS...
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A cold front passes through the region today. High pressure then builds in its wake for Thursday and Friday and pushes offshore by late Friday. Low pressure impacts the area Saturday into Saturday night. High pressure then builds from southeast Canada Sunday into early next week as the low slowly moves away from the coast. Another frontal system may approach late Tuesday.
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&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
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Aloft, H5 closed low drops into eastern Canada this morning and into New England this afternoon into this evening. Attendant sfc low located in southern Quebec heads east into the afternoon. Warm front has pushed north of the area this morning with a cold front located in eastern OH/Western NY. Another day of gusty winds ahead, increasing into this afternoon. It will be warmer than Tuesday, under predominately WSW flow. Precip chances begin increase midday into the afternoon as a cold front works through the area and winds shift to the NW, remaining gusty into this evening. This cold front will quickly approach the CWA from west to east, late morning through the afternoon. Gusty southerly flow will strengthen in advance of this frontal system--though there may be a few hours late this morning into early afternoon where the gusts subside with a weakness in the pressure field. BUFKIT model soundings are depicting 35-45kts at the top of the mixed layer, while the HRRR max gust potential and HREF ensemble mean gusts show a widespread 30-35kts. Strongest winds look to be just ahead of, and behind, the passage of the frontal system from about 20Z (west) to 00Z (east). Gusty NW winds will remain into this evening post front, though will be in the 20-25kt range. Precipitation associated with the front will be mainly in the form of rain showers. Several 00Z HREF members depict a more organized band of precip pushing across LoHud and southern CT, so have slightly higher amounts here. Would also not be surprised given cold pool aloft that some graupel may mix in across elevated surfaces in CT and the LoHud Valley. Precip amounts overall are light, with less than 0.1" across the board. With CAA behind the front, some snow showers may briefly mix at the end across higher elevations NW of NYC, but do not expect any accumulation at this point. Finally, temperatures today will be warmer than on Tuesday, given increased WAA with the prefrontal SW flow.
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&& .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...
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The frontal system then heads east on Thursday and high pressure builds in from the OH Valley and moves overhead by Friday morning. The high slides offshore by Friday night. Thus, both days look dry. With ample CAA at the start of the period under continued gusty NW flow, high temperatures will be below normal both days. Friday may be a few degrees warmer, as return southerly flow takes hold by the afternoon and cloud cover increases in advance of the next system. Wind chills each night will be in the upper teens to low 20s given the elevated winds and cold air mass..
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&& .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
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There has not been too much change with the forecast thinking for the upcoming weekend into early next week. Another significant rainfall event is becoming more likely Saturday into Saturday night. This is due to a low pressure over the southeast and Middle Atlantic sending subtropical moisture northward and interacting with a frontal system slowly moving over the northeast. *Key Points* *Widespread rain is expected Saturday into the first half of Saturday night. *The rain may be moderate to locally heavy at times with potential of 1-2 inches. Current model consensus favors Long Island and Southern Connecticut with the highest rain totals, but this could change in subsequent forecasts. *The latest NBM probability for greater than 1 inch of rain in a 24 hour period ranges from 40 percent west of the city to around 60 percent across Long Island and SE CT. *The latest NBM probability for greater than 2 inches of rain in a 24 hour period is not insignificant, generally 15-25 percent along and west of the Hudson River and 30 to 40 percent east. *Minor flooding appears to be the greatest threat at this time, but it is too early to determine if there will be any impacts to rivers and streams. *The rain should begin tapering off from west to east late Saturday night. *Breezy conditions are likely Saturday, but strongest winds (gusts 25-35 mph) may occur Saturday night into Sunday, especially near the coast. The main southern stream shortwave is likely to remain near the southeast on Sunday as the progressive northern stream picks up the deep moisture and shifts it offshore. The guidance has become better aligned for Sunday into early next week, but there are still questions with the evolution of the southern stream becoming a cut-off low over the western Atlantic. There have been several models indicating the cut-off meandering nearby or even retrograding closer to the region. This could help send some rain back into eastern portions of the area. However, there are also many pieces of guidance signaling the cut-off will be far enough east with little impact to the region. While this is a occurring, a strong surface high will settle over southeast Canada and ridge down over the region. The high may serve to keep any precip offshore, especially if the stronger high solutions verify. Due to the large amount of uncertainty with this time period, have followed the NBM PoPs. The overall trend however is for lowering PoPs into Sunday and then mainly dry conditions Monday. Another shortwave may lift across the Great Lakes next Tuesday, which could send a frontal system towards the area. The system may have trough reaching the region, especially if the cut-off low is still close enough to the coast. Temperatures this weekend into early next week look to be near or slightly below normal.
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&& .AVIATION /08Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
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A cold front passes across the terminals this afternoon and evening. Mainly VFR through the TAF period. Scattered showers this afternoon may bring brief MVFR conditions. There may also be some ice pellets or wet snow mixed in well NW of the NYC terminals with a few of these showers. The showers will taper off from west to east early in the evening. Light S flow to start the TAF period should become SSW-SW towards day break around 10 kt or less. Wind speeds increase through the morning, becoming 10-15 kt with gusts around 20 kt possible. The wind direction becomes less certain this afternoon, especially near the coast. Winds may shift to the S and weaken briefly. This will be short-lived as winds will quickly become W-WNW behind the cold front passage 20-23z. Wind speeds and gusts then increase, becoming 15-20 kt with gusts around 30 kt this evening. A few gusts could reach 35 kt. There may be some slight weakening late tonight, but gusts still average around 25 kt. NY Metro (KEWR/KLGA/KJFK/KTEB) TAF Uncertainty... Gusts this morning and early afternoon may be occasional. Winds could become S at KLGA 18-21z. A peak gust 35-40 kt possible this evening. OUTLOOK FOR 06Z THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... Late tonight: VFR with WNW-NW winds around 15 kt, gusts around 25 kt. Thursday: VFR. NW winds 15 kt with gusts around 25 kt. Friday: VFR through early evening. MVFR or lower possible overnight with chances for rain near coast and rain/snow inland. Saturday: IFR and rain. SE wind gusts 20-25 kt during the day city east, becoming N all areas with gusts 25-30 kt at night. Sunday: Mainly VFR. Chance of rain. N wind gusts 20-25 kt. 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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After collaboration with neighboring offices, a Gale warning has been issued for the ocean waters, NY Harbor and south shore back bays from this afternoon through early Thursday given the trend up in >34kt wind gusts being realized. As a strong cold front passes through, there will be a period of westerly gusts that may approach 40 kts for a brief period near 00Z tonight. Winds should begin to subside overnight into early Thursday. Elsewhere on the LI Sound, SCA has been extended into Thursday afternoon based in the higher likelihood of >25kt gusts occurring along with the elevated seas near 5ft. Small craft conditions subside Thursday night as the pressure gradient relaxes. Lighter winds will result in sub small craft conditions Friday. SCA conditions are possible Saturday, especially on the ocean. A strong N-NE flow develops Saturday night behind a departing low pressure system leading to widespread wind gusts 25-30 kt. There is even potential for gale gusts on the ocean. These conditions will likely persist into Sunday.
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&& .HYDROLOGY...
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No hydrologic impacts are expected through Friday. 1-2 inches of rain is possible late Friday night into Saturday night. Minor flooding appears to be the main threat at this time. Flash flood guidance has recovered some over the past week and soil moisture has decreased a bit. There remains uncertainty with the placement of the heaviest rainfall axis, but current model consensus hints at Long Island and southern Connecticut seeing the highest rainfall amounts. It is too early to determine if any impacts to rivers/streams will occur with this rainfall.
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&& .OKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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CT...None. NY...None. NJ...None. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 6 PM this evening to 5 PM EDT Thursday for ANZ331-332-335-340. Gale Warning from 6 PM this evening to 6 AM EDT Thursday for ANZ338-345-350-353-355. Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM EDT this evening for ANZ350- 353-355.
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&& $$ SYNOPSIS...DBR/DS NEAR TERM...DBR SHORT TERM...DBR LONG TERM...DS AVIATION...DS MARINE...DBR/DS HYDROLOGY...DBR/DS