Special Weather Statement, NWS La Crosse, WI

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
1238 PM CDT Thu Mar 23 2017

.SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight)
Issued at 333 AM CDT Thu Mar 232 2017

Main fcst concerns are increasing rain chances thru today/tonight
and TSRA chance later this afternoon/tonight.

Data analysis at 06z had Can high pressure centered near Detroit and
a broad area of low pressure from Saskat to NM. Broad area of
tighter pressure gradient and south flow between the two thru the
plains spreading warmth/moisture northward. Leading mid level
moisture/clouds were spread east across WI while leading lower
clouds/Gulf of Mex moisture was lifting into SE Neb/SW IA. Some
radar returns across central MN/northern WI with the warm advection/
moisture transport near 700mb but few if any report of precip
reaching the ground due to the very dry sfc-800mb airmass with the
Can high still over the region.

23.00z model runs initialized quite well. Solutions quite similar at
the larger scales as the troughing/energy coming thru the central/
southern Rockies and develops a 500mb low over western KS by 12z
Fri. Overall trend favors more progressive/further NE of the earlier
runs with the 500mb low position at 12z Fri. Smaller scale
differences as early as this afternoon (Nam starting to appear as an
outlier) have impacts on the sensible weather across the area thru
tonight and lower the overall short-term confidence. Short-term fcst
confidence is above average but shy of good this cycle.

For the short term, Gulf of Mex moisture spreads quickly NE
into/across the area today, with PW values climbing into the 1+ inch
range this afternoon. With this moisture comes some MUCAPE of as
much as 250-600 J/KG for the afternoon into early evening hours.
Model soundings showing potential for less CIN to convecting 850-
800mb parcels as some stronger 850-700mb warm advection/isentropic
lift and some FN-convergence in this layer would lift NE across the
fcst area with the elevated warm front. Evening crew introduced a
TSRA mention centered on 00z this evening. This looks good and
expanded/refined timing/aerial coverage a bit to match the
frontal/lift timing and neighboring grids. Other focus for today is
a bit more delay in precip chances spreading NE across the area, now
mainly during the mid to late afternoon hours, and more over the
NW half of the fcst area with the stronger low level moisture
transport/theta-e convergence. In fact, the SE end of the fcst
area may well stay dry thru today into this evening. stronger low
level forcing and moisture transport/theta-e convergence remains
focused over the N half of the fcst area tonight, closer to the
sfc-850mb frontal boundary. Some weak MUCAPE progged in the area
later tonight but model soundings showing this cape may be harder
to release with more warming/capping around 700mb and lesser
overall lift thru the column. Left TSRA mention out of the late
tonight into Fri morning grids for now.

Even lesser confidence on precip amounts this afternoon/tonight.
Models 'all over the board' with potential QPF thru tonight, ranging
from totals of few hundreths to upwards of an inch. Not to
mention differences where the heavier QPF would occur. Will stay
with the model/ensemble consensus QPF thru tonight for now. Will
just have to plan on some shorter term adjustments/updates when it
become clearer where the potential heavier band of rain is going
to set up.

.LONG TERM...(Friday through Wednesday)
Issued at 333 AM CDT Thu Mar 23 2017

For Friday thru Saturday night: main fcst concerns this period are
rain chances and amounts mainly Fri thru Sat.

23.00z model runs remain similar enough at 500mb as the mid level
low slowly migrates to western MO by 12z Sat. Solutions then begin
to diverge Sat/Sat night as the mid level continues E/NE Sat/Sat
night. Even with these differences, the lower level features remain
rather similar, with all models progging the sfc low about 1009mb
over central IL at 12z Sun. Fcst confidence for Fri thru Sat night
is average to good this cycle.

Confidence is high that it will rain across much of not all of the
area Fri thru Sat. This as the main forcing/lift with the closed sfc-
500mb circulation approaches/moves into the mid MS valley. As
expected, plenty of detail differences when/where the stronger
surges of moisture/lift rotating around the low will move across the
area, so will stay with the model/ensemble consensus. Highest rain
chances across the north half of the fcst area Fri morning with/near
the frontal/F-Gen forcing, translating slowly south across the fcst
area Fri afternoon/night as the mid level circulation approaches. By
Sat afternoon/evening the sfc-700mb FN convergence north/east of the
circulation begins to weak and shift into the OH valley, along
with the stronger of the moisture transport and higher PW
airmass. Rain chances decreasing to the 20-50% range by Sat night
reasonable. Detail differences where the main F-Gen precip band
would be across the area from Fri into Sat morning, and where any
heavier QPF would fall. Most Individual models/ensemble members
produce near 2 inches or more of rain in their main F-Gen precip
band, but the issue is where. Again will stay with the
model/ensemble consensus QPF across the area these periods, which
produce totals of 1 to 1.5 inches from tonight thru Sat.

For Sunday thru Wednesday (days 4-7): main fcst concerns this period
are small/lingering rain chance Sun, above normal temps into the
middle of next week.

Model runs of 23.00z show decent agreement on the mid level low
to fill/open up Sun as it is pushed east by the next shortwave
troughs into both the central and northern plains. Enough lower
level moisture/cyclonic flow looking to remain over the area on
Sun for continued small -RA chances, mainly over the east side of
the fcst area. Drying Mon/Tue/Wed reasonable with area split
between one trough/shortwave passing north of region and the
southern stream wave crossing the mid/lower MS valley. Reasonable
model consensus for mid level shortwave ridging to build across
the region for Tue into Wed. Thru all this, the flow across NOAM
next week remains split, with the colder air held well north in
Can. Even with sfc high pressure nosing in from the north Tue/Wed,
temps into the middle of next week trending a category or two
above normal look well trended.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Friday afternoon)
Issued at 1238 PM CDT Thu Mar 23 2017

Main taf concerns through the period is rain moving into the region
and ceilings lowering into IFR at the RST/LSE taf sites. Low
pressure on the lee-side of the Rocky Mountains is expected to
push into Kansas through the taf period. Southerly winds ahead of
the low pressure system will continue to advect low level moisture
into the region. With the low level moisture...precipitation
chances will increase across the area at both RST/LSE taf sites
and MVFR conditions lowering to IFR conditions at the RST/LSE taf
sites mainly after 08z Friday. Low level wind shear will also
occur at both taf sites between 07-11z Friday.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...(Thursday night through Wednesday)
Issued at 333 AM CDT Thu Mar 23 2017

It continue to look like the area will be in a prolonged rainy
period from tonight into Sat night as deeper moisture/lift spread
slowly across the region. PW values in the range of 2 to 3 std
deviations above normal across the area much of this period.
Depending on the track of the sfc-mid level low thru the mid MS
valley during this period, the potential exits for a band of
rainfall totals near/greater than 2 inches somewhere across the
fcst area. Otherwise, most rain totals will likely be in the 1 to
1.5 inch range. With this rain spread out over as much as 2 1/2
days, only anticipating within bank rises on area rivers at this
time.

&&

.ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...None.
MN...None.
IA...None.
&&

SHORT TERM...RRS
LONG TERM....RRS
AVIATION...DTJ
HYDROLOGY....RRS

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
454 AM CDT Thu Mar 23 2017

IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029-
032>034-041>044-053>055-061-241100-
Mitchell-Howard-Winneshiek-Allamakee-Floyd-Chickasaw-Fayette-
Clayton-Wabasha-Dodge-Olmsted-Winona-Mower-Fillmore-Houston-
Taylor-Clark-Buffalo-Trempealeau-Jackson-La Crosse-Monroe-Juneau-
Adams-Vernon-Crawford-Richland-Grant-
454 AM CDT Thu Mar 23 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast
Minnesota...northeast Iowa and southwest into central Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms are possible this afternoon into this
evening. Lightning and small hail will be the main hazards with
any thunderstorm.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday

Periods of rain Friday through Saturday may produce rises on area
rivers and streams.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Reports of any hail would be appreciated today into this evening.

.EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION...

No webinar is scheduled.

Wetenkamp

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
204 PM CDT THU MAR 23 2017

IAZ008-018-019-232000-
Floyd-Chickasaw-Mitchell-
204 PM CDT THU MAR 23 2017

...A COUPLE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN
MITCHELL...FLOYD AND WESTERN CHICKASAW COUNTIES...

At 201 PM CDT, a couple of strong thunderstorms were located near
Rockwell, and near Alexander, moving east at 55 mph.

Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail are possible with
these storm.

Locations impacted include...
Charles City, Osage, Nashua, Nora Springs, Ionia, Chickasaw,
Colwell, Orchard, and Howardville.

LAT...LON 4328 9302 4330 9256 4321 9255 4321 9252
      4291 9236 4291 9302
TIME...MOT...LOC 1901Z 253DEG 47KT 4301 9326

DTJ

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
312 PM CDT THU MAR 23 2017

IAZ019-029-232100-
Chickasaw-Fayette-
312 PM CDT THU MAR 23 2017

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT FAYETTE AND CHICKASAW
COUNTIES...

At 310 PM CDT, a strong thunderstorms were located near Nashua to
near Waverly, moving east at 55 mph.

Wind gusts up to 50 mph and dime size hail are possible with this
storm.

Locations impacted include...
Oelwein, New Hampton, West Union, Nashua, Fayette, Fredericksburg,
Elgin, and Clermont.

LAT...LON 4264 9208 4291 9208 4291 9255 4310 9255
      4310 9208 4308 9208 4308 9161 4264 9161
TIME...MOT...LOC 2010Z 257DEG 47KT 4283 9242

DTJ