Area forecast discussion National Weather Service Wichita Kansas 1141 PM CDT Thursday may 23 2013 Short term...(this evening through monday) issued at 324 PM CDT Thursday may 23 2013 Tonight - friday: showers and thunderstorms continue to persist in south central Kansas along the Kansas/Oklahoma state line late this afternoon. This activity is near/ahead of a weak pv anomaly with yet another weak anomaly moving in under the building ridge. This activity is expected to continue into the late afternoon and evening hours. Beyond this evening...expecting activity to develop to our south and west and tract north and east over the area. Much of the guidance indicates this precipitation developing over southwest Kansas and moving northeast over south central and central Kansas. Have expanded probability of precipitation in this manner for tonight and tomorrow. The activity may continue into the morning and early afternoon hours Friday over central and eastern areas. Have kept temperatures a little cooler for Friday with clouds and activity...but think where precipitation ends...and in the warm/moist air advection...temperatures will be near to below seasonal norms. Saturday - Memorial day: there are precipitation chances throughout the Holiday weekend...however...not expecting there to be long periods of rain...or for it to rain all weekend. The warm front will surge northward for the weekend and moisture will stream northward. Dewpoints are expected to be in the 60s allowing for plentiful instability through the weekend. We cannot rule out the chances for severe weather...throughout the periods...but organized severe weather is difficult with the lacking shear. But with cooler middle-level temperatures thunderstorms will be able to develop...especially along the High Plains. This activity could track eastward across Kansas and impact the area. Difficult to pin one day down over another for strong/severe thunderstorm chances with multiple ripples moving in beneath the ridge...so stay tuned...especially for any outdoor activities. Some small hail and strong straight line winds are possible with activity...and lightning is always a threat. Temperatures will slowly warm through the weekend into the 80s as the ridge builds in overhead. Billings Long term...(tuesday through thursday) issued at 324 PM CDT Thursday may 23 2013 Tuesday - thursday: discrepancies among the various guidance magnify during this period. The latest 12z/23rd GFS is more bullish in bringing the trough that is sitting out west...eastward. This could bring a chance for severe thunderstorms into the area...but as much as the GFS gives this solution...the latest 12z/23rd European model (ecmwf) is different. It digs the trough south over Baja California and is much slower and further south with the disturbance. This pushes any strong/severe thunderstorm chances further into the week. Regardless this is a period to watch for strong to severe thunderstorm development. Confidence in any one model over another is low...so stay tuned. Billings && Aviation...(for the 06z tafs through 06z Friday night) issued at 1141 PM CDT Thursday may 23 2013 Forecast concern remains low clouds along our western flank late tonight. Low level moisture continues to stream into the High Plains with some lower ceilings already showing up over far western Kansas/eastern Colorado. This area of low clouds will slowly develop east overnight and may flirt with our western fringe. Based on 00z guidance...did remove the MVFR ceilings from kict and will only run with some at krsl at this time after 10z. Some showers and storms are still expected to develop over far western Kansas and slowly approach the forecast area by sunrise. For now will only run with thunderstorms in the vicinity at krsl around 13z with low confidence in this occurring. Just not sure how far east these storms will make it. Lawson && Preliminary point temps/pops... Wichita-kict 57 74 64 85 / 20 40 30 20 Hutchinson 56 75 65 85 / 30 40 30 20 Newton 55 72 63 84 / 20 40 30 20 Eldorado 55 74 62 83 / 20 40 30 20 Winfield-kwld 57 75 63 83 / 50 30 30 20 Russell 54 75 64 89 / 40 40 30 20 Great Bend 56 76 65 87 / 40 40 30 20 Salina 52 73 64 88 / 20 40 30 30 McPherson 54 74 64 86 / 30 40 30 20 Coffeyville 56 75 60 83 / 20 20 20 20 Chanute 53 73 59 82 / 10 20 20 20 Iola 53 72 59 82 / 10 20 20 30 Parsons-kppf 55 74 60 82 / 10 20 20 20 && Ict watches/warnings/advisories... none. && $$