Forecast Discussions mentioning any of "ACARS" "MDCRS" "AIRCRAFT" "TAMDAR" "AMDAR" "WVSS" received at GSD on 06/13/22


Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
515 PM MST Sun Jun 12 2022 .UPDATE... Updated Aviation section. && .SYNOPSIS... Another day of extreme and deadly heat is expected as high temperatures across the lower deserts climb to between 110-115 degrees this afternoon. Mainly dry conditions should prevail, however, isolated high-based thunderstorms containing minimal rainfall is possible this afternoon mostly across portions of southeast and east Arizona. A weather disturbance will move across the western states through early next week, bringing with it a temporary relief to the extreme heat as well as increase in winds. Another episode of extreme heat is likely by next Thursday as another episode of high pressure builds across the western CONUS. An increase in moisture by end of next week and next weekend favors the potential for an increase in convective activity. && .DISCUSSION... The area`s first excessive heat event is now in its fifth (and final) day as the Excessive Heat Warning remains in effect through this evening. High to very high HeatRisk will remain the primary wx impact today with another day of possible record breaking temperatures. High temperatures are expected to reach up to 110-114 degrees for most urban and desert locations today with lows only cooling to the mid-upper 80s, including additional record breaking warm lows for Phoenix. As of early afternoon Phoenix had already tied the daily record high of 112 degrees after tieing a record high of 114 degrees yesterday. In addition, slight (<10%) chances for mostly isolated afternoon high based showers and dry lightning thunderstorms will be seen for SE AZ and the E AZ high country/Mogollon Rim this afternoon. Early afternoon radar depicted very isolated and weaker convection well SE and E of Phoenix. The weak upper level disturbance and UL high has shifted E of the area as depicted on the latest UA plots and GOES WV imagery as a Pacific trough pushes into the W Coast. ACARS sounding and SPC mesoanalysis confirm drier air aloft and in the BL with PW running only slightly elevated at ~0.7-0.8", and lingering elevated MUCAPE and DCAPE of ~1200-1500 j/kg. Any high based showers and thunderstorms will likely produce very little or no precip with their main threat being dry lightning, localized very strong and gusty winds and patchy blowing dust. HREF shows the best dust potential in N Pinal Cty near Casa Grande with a 30% chance of outflow winds of 35 mph. The Pacific trough continues to advance into the W Coast this evening, and the Great Basin and north portions of our region early in the week. Noticeable cooling will result and provide some relief to our region starting tomorrow and will likely last through Wed, as highs decrease to around 106-109 degrees, or Moderate HeatRisk. The trough will is also increasing winds as afternoon gusts of 25-35 mph look likely for Sun and Mon, with the stronger winds favoring the western deserts and typical high terrain areas. As a result, new Wind Advisories have been issued for W Imperial Cty including the Salton Sea and the Imperial Valley for Mon afternoon and into Mon night. For the latter half of the week the Clusters favor the next strong high pressure system rebounding across the W CONUS. Currently the Grand Ensemble mean H5 height is still forecast at ~592 dam for Thu. This would result in high HeatRisk and a 1-day Excessive Heat Event. By Fri-Sun Clusters favor a very amplified H5 height pattern featuring a deep W Coast trough juxtaposed with a pronounced W-Cent CONUS ridge which could put the region of pronounced S flow and in the path of N MX deep subtropical moisture advection and disturbance tracks. Moreover by Sat, the top 3 clusters favor at least some 24 hr QPF across several parts of AZ. Then for Sun all 4 of the clusters favor QPF for AZ. The current preferred NBM solution favoring 20-30% POPs for Fri, 40% POPs for Sat and 20% for Sun. The Grand Ensemble storm total QPF for Phoenix is becoming slightly less bullish at ~0.23". In addition, much cooler (below normal) highs are favored for next weekend. && .AVIATION...Updated at 0015Z. South-Central Arizona including KPHX, KIWA, KSDL, and KDVT: Moderate to strong southwesterly/westerly flow (relative to this time of year) is in place throughout the troposphere due to an upper trough centered over the PacNW and SW Canada. This will aid in late afternoon and early evening gusts of 20-25 kts. Ongoing thunderstorms over southern Pinal County are not expected to reach the metro area nor is the outflow from them is not expected to impact the TAF sites. Winds will slowly weaken tonight and eventually transition to downvalley drainage patterns after 07Z (~11Z for KPHX). The downvalley patterns will transition to upvalley/southwesterly winds fairly early (between 16Z-18Z Monday). The upper trough will deepen over the western CONUS tonight and Monday leading to strengthening southwesterly flow. In turn, surface wind speeds will increase through the afternoon Monday with gusts of 25-30kts becoming common after 21Z Monday. As for sky cover, little to no cloudiness. Southeast California/Southwest Arizona including KIPL and KBLH: Moderate to strong southwesterly/westerly flow (relative to this time of year) is in place throughout the troposphere due to an upper trough centered over the PacNW and SW Canada. This will aid in late afternoon and early evening gusts of 25-30 kts (possibly up to 35 kts briefly). Winds will slowly weaken tonight (sooner at KBLH than KIPL) and trend toward southerly at KBLH (remaining westerly at KIPL). The upper trough will deepen over the western CONUS tonight and Monday leading to strengthening winds through the column during the day Monday. Breeziness redevelops in the 16Z-18Z time frame with gusts of 25kts common followed by additional strengthening in the afternoon with gusts of 30-35kts after 21Z. Anticipate localized dust plumes developing over western Imperial County leading to areas of lofted dust and reduced slantwise visibilities in the late afternoon over a fairly large area. Some additional strengthening is anticipated at KIPL after 00Z with gusts of 35-40 kts and potential for decreased surface visibilities in blowing dust. As for sky cover, little to no cloudiness. && .FIRE WEATHER... Very hot temperatures are expected once again today across the lower deserts with highs peaking between 110-115 degrees. There is a slight chance (less than 10%) of an isolated dry thunderstorm developing this afternoon across Southern Gila County. A cool down in temperatures is likely through the first half of the week (Mon-Wed) with highs falling back below 110 degrees. Another warmup to temperatures surpassing 110 degrees is likely on Thursday. Afternoon MinRHs will range between 7-15% through next Thursday with overnight recoveries between 25-40%. A passing weather disturbance, responsible for the relief in the excessive heat conditions, will deliver breezy to locally windy conditions today and Monday. Wind gusts this afternoon will be between 20-25 mph across most areas with the potential for gust greater than 30 mph late this afternoon into this evening across portions of Southeast California, especially the Imperial Valley. Stronger winds are likely on Monday with widespread 25-35 mph gusts, elevating the fire danger threat with near critical threat across the higher terrain of south-central Arizona, where a Red Flag Warning is in effect. Lighter winds are expected the rest of the week with typical afternoon diurnal breezes. && .CLIMATE... Daily Record Temperatures: Phoenix Yuma El Centro Today: 112 (2019) 117 (1956) 115 (2019) && .PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AZ...Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM MST this evening for AZZ530>556-559>562. Red Flag Warning from 11 AM to 8 PM MST Monday for AZZ133. CA...Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM PDT this evening for CAZ561>570. Wind Advisory from 6 PM to 11 PM PDT Monday for CAZ563-566-567. Wind Advisory from 2 PM Monday to 3 AM PDT Tuesday for CAZ562. && $$ Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and at weather.gov/phoenix DISCUSSION...Sawtelle AVIATION...AJ FIRE WEATHER...Lojero/Sawtelle CLIMATE...Kuhlman