Monday, October 2, 2017

SPC Oct 2, 2017 1300 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook

SPC 1300Z Day 1 Outlook
Day 1 Outlook Image
Day 1 Convective Outlook  
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0759 AM CDT Mon Oct 02 2017

Valid 021300Z - 031200Z

...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF
WESTERN KANSAS AND SOUTH-CENTRAL NEBRASKA...

...THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ELSEWHERE FROM
THE NORTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE TO PARTS OF NORTHEASTERN COLORADO AND
THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY...

...SUMMARY...
Several episodes of strong to severe thunderstorms are expected from
afternoon at least into late evening, in a corridor from the central
Great Plains to the upper Mississippi Valley.  At this time, the
greatest potential for organized severe weather appears to be over
parts of western Kansas into south-central Nebraska.

...Synopsis...
A high-amplitude large-scale pattern, characterized by eastern
ridging and western troughing, will dominate the continental U.S.
this period.  Associated cyclonic flow will continue to cover much
of the West; however, the trough will reorient toward a positive
tilt, in response to the behavior of several shortwaves embedded in
that flow field.  A leading/closed 500-mb low will meander over
eastern MT the whole period.  A trailing shortwave trough -- now
evident in moisture-channel imagery from southwestern UT to near the
southern tip of NV, will eject northeastward.  By 00Z, this
perturbation should reach the UT/CO border region.  The shortwave
trough and its vorticity field then should accelerate northeastward,
weaken and become deformed amidst confluent flow rimming the MT
cyclone.  Meanwhile, another shortwave trough -- now extending from
the inland Northwest across Vancouver Island, should pivot southward
and strengthen into a closed cyclone over northern CA by 12Z.  

At the surface, 11Z analysis showed an occluded front from southern
MB southward across western MN.  The occlusion triple point over the
Siouxland region was ill-defined amidst stabilized air from precip,
but the associated quasistationary front became better-defined
southwestward across eastern NE, northern/western KS and northern
NM.  The High Plains portion of the front may retreat northward for
several hours this afternoon into this evening, beneath neutral to
weakly positive height-change fields aloft.  A dryline, drawn
initially from northeastern NM southwestward between ELP-LRU, should
mix northeastward across the western Panhandles and into
southwestern KS today south of the front. 

...Central Plains to Upper Mississippi Valley...
Multiple episodes or loci of strong to severe convective development
are possi ble within this corridor.  Some spatial overlap and/or
mergers between them comprise the outlook areas as a whole.  The
most probable initial regimes are:

*  Dryline to vicinity of cold-frontal intersection:
Isolated to widely scattered, surface-based thunderstorm development
now appears increasingly probable mid/late afternoon, near the
dryline, along and south of its intersection with the cold front.  A
growing consensus of convection-allowing guidance support this
scenario, which appears reasonable given the heating expected just
south of the front along the dryline, along with related removal of
MLCINH in forecast soundings, in conjunction with convergence along
the front itself.  Planar progs and forecast soundings suggest the
parameter space into which this activity would move will favor
supercell structures with large hail and isolated damaging gusts
possible.  Surface dew points low-mid 60s F and diabatic heating
along and just ahead of the dryline should yield MLCAPE exceeding
2000 J/kg in a narrow corridor, juxtaposed with 45-55 kt
effective-shear magnitudes and 200-300 J/kg effective SRH.  

Hail-model application to forecast soundings suggests that at least
isolated hail near 2 inches in diameter may occur, especially with
any sustained/discrete supercell.  A sig-hail probability line may
be introduced in a later outlook if confidence increases in
coverage/duration of supportive storm mode.  A tornado cannot be
ruled out, especially with any discrete or semi-discrete storm that
remains surface based while interacting with the baroclinic zone. 
Northern members of this convective plume eventually may merge with
the southern part of the post-frontal band described below. 

*  Post-frontal, High Plains initiation:
As large-scale lift aloft related to the Great Basin shortwave
trough approaches late this afternoon, widely scattered to scattered
thunderstorms should develop near the Foothills and eastward across
the High Plains of northeastern CO.  This process will be supported
further by a substantial easterly/upslope component to the low-level
flow. Initially dependent mainly on elevated inflow parcels, this
activity should encounter an increasingly unstable layer above the
surface, resulting from low-level theta-e advection, and may produce
isolated large hail.  Potential exists for upscale growth into a
wind-favoring bowing segment or cluster, whose downward momentum
transfer may become strong enough to penetrate the
near-surface/post-frontal stable layer with near-severe gusts in a
few locales.  This convection may last long enough to merge with the
southwestern parts of the next regime. 

*  Post-frontal band, central Plains northeastward:
Convective coverage should increase from late afternoon through
evening behind the surface front, from the central Plains into parts
of the upper Mississippi Valley region, offering the risk of at
least isolated large hail.  The main limiting factor for hail
coverage/intensity may be the presence of too many storms and
related modal interference, though this also may support greater
than currently depicted potential hail coverage early in the cycle
of convective development, prior to excessive mergers/interference. 
Elevated MUCAPE 1000-2000 J/kg and favorable deep shear are expected
over this region.

..Edwards/Dial.. 10/02/2017

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