SPC 1730Z Day 2 Outlook
Day 2 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
1245 PM CDT Fri Apr 14 2023
Valid 151200Z - 161200Z
...THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM CENTRAL
MISSOURI SOUTHWARD TO NORTHERN LOUISIANA...
...SUMMARY...
Severe thunderstorms -- capable of producing large to very large
hail and damaging wind gusts, as well as a couple of tornadoes --
are possible from Missouri and the Mid-Mississippi Valley, southward
to the Lower Mississippi and Sabine Valleys.
...Synopsis...
As a weakening upper low over the Mid-Atlantic region shifts
northeastward, a larger trough exiting the Rockies is forecast to
move steadily eastward across the Plains, gradually acquiring
negative tilt as it advances.
At the surface, a cold front associated with the western U.S. upper
trough should lie initially from the western Upper Great Lakes
region southwestward into the southern Plains. The boundary is
forecast to advance eastward with time, with cyclogenesis forecast
to occur along the baroclinic zone across the Mid-Mississippi Valley
area during the second half of the period. As the low moves
northward toward Lake Michigan overnight, the trailing portion of
the cold front is progged to surge southeastward across
Missouri/Arkansas/Louisiana through the evening. By Saturday
morning, the front should extend from the Lower Ohio and Tennessee
Valleys to the central Gulf Coast states.
...Missouri and the Mid-Mississippi Valley south to the Sabine and
lower Mississippi Valleys...
A complex convective evolution is apparent for Friday across a
region centered near/just west of the middle and lower Mississippi
Valleys. This will be in part due to a series of perturbations in
the southern-stream flow field that are progged to be moving out of
Texas, across the western Gulf of Mexico and Lower Mississippi
Valley into the central Gulf Coast states through the first half of
the period.
Lingering convection associated with these perturbations may be
ongoing at the start of the period across portions of eastern Texas
and Louisiana into southern Arkansas, though CAM guidance differs on
the exact location -- and degree -- of convective coverage early.
Despite these differences, CAMs generally depict a midday increase
in storms across the Lower Mississippi Valley to the central Gulf
Coastal region, which seems reasonable as daytime heating helps
boost surface-based CAPE, owing in part to steep mid-level lapse
rates.
Deep-layer shear is progged to decrease with southward extent, hence
the gradient in probability lines across Louisiana. However,
potential for large hail and damaging winds -- and possibly a
tornado -- should evolve across this area. Uncertainty precludes
substantial changes to the existing outlook across the area.
Adjustments in later outlooks may be needed, once Day 1 convective
development across Texas -- associated with the aforementioned
southern-stream energy -- becomes more clear.
Farther north, as the upper system advances, the combination of very
steep lapse rates aloft, and diurnal heating of a seasonably moist
boundary layer (low 60s dewpoints into northern Missouri, to near 70
into the southern Arkansas/Louisiana area) will occur. This will
result in a strongly unstable environment (2000 to 3000 J/kg
mixed-layer CAPE).
Storm development is expected to occur by mid afternoon, near and
just ahead of the advancing cold front, from western and central
Missouri southward into Arkansas. Aided by roughly 30 kt
south-southwesterlies at low levels veering weakly and increasing to
35 to 45 kt from the southwest at mid levels, shear will favor
supercells -- which will quickly become capable of producing very
large hail in excess of tennis ball to baseball size. While
low-level shear is not progged to be excessive, a couple of these
supercells may become capable of producing tornadoes.
With time, convective development both northward and southward along
the front is expected. Upscale growth into an at least
loosely-organized band or line is anticipated, extending from
southeastern Iowa/western Illinois south-southwestward along the
advancing front into the Sabine River Valley area. As a result of
this anticipated evolution, have expanded higher all-hazard
probabilities northward in this outlook, into much of Missouri.
Along with continued risk for hail, damaging wind potential should
increase during the evening -- particularly across the
Missouri/Arkansas area.
Storms should diminish in intensity later in the evening, as they
cross the Mid-Mississippi Valley, but farther south, may remain
severe across Louisiana and into Mississippi through the evening and
possibly into the overnight hours.
..Goss.. 04/14/2023
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