Area forecast discussion
National Weather Service Kansas City/Pleasant Hill MO
1212 am CDT Mon may 20 2013
Short term...(this evening through Monday night)
issued at 243 PM CDT sun may 19 2013
Convection is already beginning to fire ahead of a north-south-
oriented wave over central Kansas. This wave will be the main player this
evening, and we still expect a line of supercells to develop just
ahead of it through late afternoon. This line should be near a top-
stj line around 5 PM, into the kc Metro between 6 PM and 9 PM and
toward Kirksville and Boonville between 9 PM and midnight.
Airmass has become moderately to strongly unstable, evident by 2600
j/kg of cape on the 18z top sounding. This combined with a 50-60 kt
mid-level jet streak directly overhead will be more than supportive
of organized severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening.
Still expect storms capable of very large hail and a few tornadoes to
develop over eastern Kansas which will transition into a line of storms
over far eastern Kansas or western MO and race into central MO overnight.
Latest models suggest this transition into linear or quasi-linear Mode
may occur a bit earlier than previously thought, possibly as far west
as eastern Kansas. This line will be capable of producing widespread wind
damage and some embedded tornadoes. Better chances for strong
tornadoes now appear to be southwest of the forecast area, closer to
Wichita, where low-level wind fields will be a bit more supportive.
However, low-level shear will increase after 00z across far western
MO, and this could support tornadoes embedded within a developing
qlcs as it tracks into Kansas City and points east. Any storms that
maintain supercell structure after 00z will also have an enhanced
tornado threat.
Another potentially active day is in store for Monday as wind fields
remain supportive of severe storms. Much of the severe threat for
Monday depends on how far south and east the cold front pushes
overnight, and any lingering cloud debris that could cut back on
instability during the day. Models have trended slightly further east
with the location of the front, and thus the severe threat, which now
appears to be focused from near Clinton and Sedalia toward Macon and
points east. If strong instability can redevelop, shear profiles
support a severe line of storms capable of large hail and widespread
wind damage developing across these areas and spreading into eastern
MO and the Ozarks Monday evening. Heavy rain will also be a threat
with this line.
Long term...(tuesday through sunday)
issued at 243 PM CDT sun may 19 2013
Have lowered thunderstorm chances on Tuesday as latest guidances
indicates convection Monday night may shove effective boundary far
enough to the southeast to push highest chances of redevelopment
into the southeastern portions of the state.
Through Friday, temperatures will return to seasonal normal in the
70s, as high pressure remains in control. Precipitation chances
begin to increase by next weekend as mid-level heights rise and
moisture returns to the plains. Temperatures by next weekend will
again climb back into the 80s.
&&
Aviation...(for the 06z tafs through 06z Monday night)
issued at 1211 am CDT Monday may 20 2013
VFR conditions are expected in the wake of tonight's thunderstorms.
But we will see high level clouds continuing to spread across the
area from thunderstorms over southern Missouri. Winds should remain
mostly from the south to the southwest tonight and become more
persistently from the southwest by late Monday morning. Additional
thunderstorms are possible during the afternoon but there is
considerable uncertainty at this time regarding the timing and
location. So for now will just carry a thunderstorms in the vicinity group from 21z Onward.
&&
Eax watches/warnings/advisories...
Kansas...none.
MO...none.
&&
$$
Short term...hawblitzel
long term...dux
aviation...cdb
