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Severe Thunderstorms in the Southeast; Critical Fire Weather in the Northern Plains

Isolated severe storms with locally damaging wind gusts and hail are possible from the coastal Carolinas into the Florida Peninsula, and along the central Gulf Coast. Heavy rain may cause localized areas of flash flooding in the Gulf Coast. Gusty winds and dry conditions may produce elevated to critical fire weather across the northern/central Plains. Record heat is expected in the West. Read More >

Here is the latest Area Forecast Discussion for Central PA

This text statement is the latest forecast reasoning from the NWS in State College, PA

See the links at the bottom of the page for previous issuances/versions of the statement as well as our other text statements.


187
FXUS61 KCTP 111820
AFDCTP

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service State College PA
220 PM EDT Mon May 11 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
* Freeze Warning/Frost Advisory issued for tonight-Tuesday AM

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Freeze and frost conditions could kill crops and other
sensitive vegetation tonight into early Tuesday morning

2) Cool/Wet weather for midweek with limited/light rain amounts

3) Early May chilly pattern projected to break down this
weekend triggering a significant summerlike warmup into next
week

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1: Freeze and frost conditions could kill crops and
other sensitive vegetation tonight into early Tuesday morning

"Self destruct" cu field fades into tonight with low pwat air
and clear/calm synoptic conditions setting up a very chilly and
frosty night. Confidence is high for frost/freeze in the
advisory and warning areas and could even see patchy frost in
the outlying rural areas in the LSV. Guidance hints at some
pesky cloud cover over southwest PA that could hinder
frost/freeze in parts of the Laurel Highlands, but with any
breaks and elevation we still felt headlines were needed.

KEY MESSAGE 2: Cool/Wet weather for midweek with limited/light
rain amounts

A seasonably strong upper level trough will carve out over
Great Lakes Tue-Thu and eventually close off over New England
by the end of the week. The upper trough and its associated sfc
low and trailing cold front will bring wet weather to CPA for
midweek with periods of rain/showers and perhaps a few t-storms.
Total rainfall amounts through 00Z Friday are on the light side
and less than 0.50 inch in most locations. Look for steadier
light rain Tuesday night-Wednesday to become more showery by
Thursday before conditions start to dry out Thursday night-
Friday.

KEY MESSAGE 3: Early May chilly pattern projected to break down
this weekend triggering a significant summerlike warmup into
next week

Guidance signals a significant warmup on the horizon as the
upper level trough ejects eastward into the northern Atlantic
and mean jet stream flow lifts northward. This large scale
pattern shift should deliver a significant warm surge into the
back half (2H) of May with summerlike temperatures forecast by
early next week. There is even some potential heatrisk
considerations (after a rather cool stretch) with current max
temps in the 80-90F range on Monday. Rainfall should remain
light/limited with low chances for sct showers or isolated
t-storms.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
18z update... Fairly high confidence (80-90%) in
VFR/unrestricted conditions for the central PA TAF sites through
Tuesday.

Although probabilities are small (on the order of 10-20%), if
radiational cooling conditions really maximize overnight across
the northern PA river valleys, patchy fog in the vicinity of
KBFD is not completely out of the question. At this time, low
probabilities preclude such a mention in the terminal forecast.

W-NW surface winds this afternoon of 8-10 kt (occasionally
gusty) will quickly diminish overnight and early Tuesday.

Outlook...

Wed...Restrictions possible with showers.

Thu...Lingering clouds and showers.

Fri...VFR likely.

Sat...At least brief restrictions may develop by afternoon, with
potential scattered shower activity.

&&

.CLIMATE...
State College COOP (STCP1) recorded the 20th coldest first 10
days of May going back to 1893 (133 years). The average
temperature was 51.1 degrees and tied 1995 and 1893 as the 20th
coldest on record.

&&

.CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Freeze Warning from midnight tonight to 8 AM EDT Tuesday for
PAZ004>006-010>012-017-018-024-033-037-041-042.
Frost Advisory from midnight tonight to 8 AM EDT Tuesday for
PAZ019-025>028-034-035-045-046-049>053-058.

&&

$$

WHAT HAS CHANGED...Steinbugl
KEY MESSAGES...Steinbugl
DISCUSSION...Steinbugl
AVIATION...Jurewicz/Martin
CLIMATE...Steinbugl


 

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