Excessive Rainfall Discussion


[Abbreviations and acronyms used in this product]
Geographic boundaries:    Map 1- [Color] [B/W Print Version]      Map 2 - [Color] [B/W Print Version]



Excessive Rainfall Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
225 PM EST Sun Dec 22 2024

Day 1
Valid 16Z Sun Dec 22 2024 - 12Z Mon Dec 23 2024

The probability of rainfall exceeding flash flood guidance is less
than 5 percent.

Orrison


Day 2
Valid 12Z Mon Dec 23 2024 - 12Z Tue Dec 24 2024

...THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL FOR PORTIONS OF
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHWEST OREGON...

Update...

The 12Z guidance did not suggest any significant changes were
required, therefore made only minor adjustments to the previous
outlook area.

Previous Discussion... 

Consensus continues to grow for a quick hitting weak to borderline
moderate atmospheric river aimed at southwestern OR down into 
northern CA by late Monday into Tuesday morning. Recent ensemble 
depictions are in agreement on an IVT pulse centered over the 
northern CA coast, protruding inland through the end of the period 
with warm air advecting well into the boundary layer and above 
yielding a majority rainfall signal across even some of the higher 
terrain inland. NAEFS output for PWAT anomalies indicates a tongue 
of 2-3 deviations above normal moisture plume being ushered in on 
deep layer southwest flow thanks to a shortwave trough undercutting
a broad upper level cyclone located off the PAC Northwest coast. 
This look is fairly textbook for a period of prevailing 
southwesterly flow running orthogonal to some of the adjacent 
coastal ranges that are situated from southwest OR down through 
northern CA. The zones most impacted will lie at the foothills of 
Mount Shasta and the northern Sierra Nevada for the inland portion,
as well as the King and Siskiyou Ranges that align from OR down 
through northwestern CA. Rainfall totals on the order of 3-5" with 
locally higher in the highest elevations of the above ranges are 
forecast during the time frame beginning 21z Monday through 12z 
Tuesday with some carryover into D3 before the main shortwave moves
inland. 2-4" will be common within the coastal plain with locally 
higher in areas south of Eureka. Localized flooding prospects are 
higher than normal given the stronger IVT pulse being depicted, 
also impacting areas that saw decent rainfall as of a week to 10 
days prior. The saving grace is the time frame is not very long in 
terms of impact, so that helps limit a greater flash flood threat.

The previously inherited forecast was generally maintained outside
some fine tuning across the Sierra Foothills and the northern
periphery of the MRGL risk into OR.

Pereira/Kleebauer


Day 3
Valid 12Z Tue Dec 24 2024 - 12Z Wed Dec 25 2024

...THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL FOR THE NORTHERN
SIERRA FOOTHILLS AND EAST TEXAS INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY...


Update...

The 12Z guidance did not suggest any significant changes were
required, therefore made only minor adjustments to the previous
outlook areas.

Previous Discussion...

..Sierra Foothills.. 

Atmospheric river from previous period will 
bleed into the D3 time frame with the primary shortwave trough 
quickly propagating inland with increased forcing upon arrival into
the Northern and Central Sierra, less so for areas back into the 
coast due to negative vorticity advection. Locally enhanced 
rainfall will be plausible the initial portion of the period with 
the heaviest likely aligned along those Foothill regions of the 
Northern Sierra, mainly within elevations below 8000ft, although 
snow levels will fall below 7000ft towards the end of the more 
significant precipitation time frame Tuesday morning. Additional 
totals of 1-3" are possible within a 6-10 hour window prior to the 
precip ending leading to a low-end potential for flash flood 
concerns just outside the Valley that extends from Redding down to 
Sacramento. Higher runoff capabilities due to terrain orientation 
and soil moisture anomalies running closer to normal will present 
some potential for flood concerns despite this being an event that 
doesn't maintain a more prolonged precipitation signature. 
Considering limited deviation from run-to-run amongst guidance with
considerable agreement in timing and magnitude of precipitation, 
continuity from the previous forecast was maintained with very 
little in the way of adjustment in the inherited MRGL risk across 
the Sierra Foothills.

..Arklatex and Lower Mississippi Valley..

Surface ridge to the northeast will slowly drift further to the 
northeast allowing for a more broad return flow regime to affect 
areas across the Western Gulf into the Lower Mississippi Valley. 
Southerly flow will advect a bit more unstable air northward with 
areal theta_E averages on the increase when assessing the ensemble 
means and initial D3 cluster analysis with heavy weight towards the
GEFS and ECENS output. Aloft, a shortwave will dig southeast with 
enhanced mid-level energy accompanying aiding in better regional 
forcing as we work into Tuesday afternoon and evening. This will 
help setup a period of convective initiation across Eastern TX and 
points north with the primary axis of heaviest precip likely 
aligned southwest to northeast across the Arklatex down into the 
eastern Hill Country located east of I-35. Weak jet coupling will 
help with the expansion of the precip field across the above areas 
with those embedded convective signatures likely situated along and
ahead of an advancing cold front as surface cyclogenesis in-of the
Red River will become a focus for activity in question. Locally 
heavy rainfall will be forecast within those stronger convective 
cores, however the PWAT anomalies and available surface based 
instability will be modest, at best with regards to the setup. This
will likely lead to more spotty instances of >3" of total precip 
in any one location with the best areas of interest mentioned 
above.

The previous MRGL risk was maintained, but did trim some of the
eastern flank of the risk area as probabilities off the blend are
pretty meager and agree with the current ML output basing best
chances to the northwest of where the risk area was drawn. A small
extension to the southwest was done out of prospects for the
traditional southwestern bias in heavier QPF within these types of
setups. This was featured within a few of the regional
deterministic and works well with the proposed elevated SBCAPE
anticipated in that area.

Pereira/Kleebauer


Day 1 threat area: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/qpf/94epoints.txt
Day 2 threat area: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/qpf/98epoints.txt
Day 3 threat area: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/qpf/99epoints.txt




Last Updated: 226 PM EST SUN DEC 22 2024




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