Aug 18, 2020 1630 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook
Updated: Tue Aug 18 16:24:04 UTC 2020 (20200818 1630Z Day 1 shapefile | 20200818 1630Z Day 1 KML)
Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table
Categorical Graphic
20200818 1630 UTC Day 1 Outlook Graphic
Day 1 Risk Area (sq. mi.) Area Pop. Some Larger Population Centers in Risk Area
MARGINAL 246,391 10,589,983 Phoenix, AZ...Mesa, AZ...Riverside, CA...Glendale, AZ...Chandler, AZ...
Probabilistic Tornado Graphic
20200818 1630 UTC Day 1 Tornado Probabilities Graphic
Probability of a tornado within 25 miles of a point.
Hatched Area: 10% or greater probability of EF2 - EF5 tornadoes within 25 miles of a point.
Day 1 Tornado Risk Area (sq. mi.) Area Pop. Some Larger Population Centers in Risk Area
No Risk Areas Forecast
Probabilistic Damaging Wind Graphic
20200818 1630 UTC Day 1 Damaging Wind Probabilities Graphic
Probability of damaging thunderstorm winds or wind gusts of 50 knots or higher within 25 miles of a point.
Hatched Area: 10% of greater probability of wind gusts 65 knots or greater within 25 miles of a point.
Day 1 Wind Risk Area (sq. mi.) Area Pop. Some Larger Population Centers in Risk Area
5 % 224,150 10,146,870 Phoenix, AZ...Mesa, AZ...Riverside, CA...Glendale, AZ...Chandler, AZ...
Probabilistic Large Hail Graphic
20200818 1630 UTC Day 1 Large Hail Probabilities Graphic
Probability of hail 1" or larger within 25 miles of a point.
Hatched Area: 10% or greater probability of hail 2" or larger within 25 miles of a point.
Day 1 Hail Risk Area (sq. mi.) Area Pop. Some Larger Population Centers in Risk Area
5 % 22,240 443,112 Fargo, ND...Grand Forks, ND...Moorhead, MN...West Fargo, ND...Jamestown, ND...
   SPC AC 181624

   Day 1 Convective Outlook  
   NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
   1124 AM CDT Tue Aug 18 2020

   Valid 181630Z - 191200Z

   ...THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PARTS OF THE
   WEST TO NORTH-CENTRAL STATES...

   ...SUMMARY...
   Isolated severe wind gusts will be possible during the late
   afternoon and evening from the northern Great Basin to northern
   Rockies, Arizona to southern California, and the central High
   Plains. Isolated severe hail may also occur across the Red River
   Valley of the North.

   ...Northern Great Basin to northern Rockies...
   A stout mid-level anticyclone will remain anchored along the NV/UT
   border. 30-40 kt 500-mb flow will persist around the periphery of
   the anticyclone from northern CA across the northern Rockies. The
   most prominent impulse embedded within this flow regime has recently
   entered western MT and will move east then southeast into the
   northern Great Plains. In its wake, pockets of strong surface
   heating from west-to-east will occur as clouds thin. This should
   support isolated to widely scattered thunderstorms by late afternoon
   initiating off the Sierras and the higher terrain of eastern OR and
   spreading east-northeast across the northern Great Basin. Inverted-v
   thermodynamic profiles beneath weak buoyancy should support a risk
   for isolated severe gusts through this evening.

   ...Red River Valley of the North to the central High Plains...
   While a conditional supercell environment will exist from eastern ND
   into a portion of western/central NE by late afternoon, convective
   development within this region appears minimal. A mid-level impulse
   is progressing south from central NE. In its wake, MLCIN appears
   likely to remain pronounced relative to the degree of boundary-layer
   moisture.

   A subtle mid-level perturbation over eastern ND may support isolated
   elevated thunderstorms across the Red River Valley during the early
   to mid-evening within a zone of weak low-level warm advection.
   Isolated severe hail would be the primary threat. Otherwise, a
   couple high-based cells may form in the NE Panhandle vicinity along
   a lee trough where MLCIN is weaker. Inverted-v thermodynamic
   profiles would favor a threat for a severe wind gust or two from any
   convection that can form and briefly propagate south near the
   NE/CO/KS border.

   ...AZ to southern CA...
   GPS and GOES PW data indicate a substantial dry intrusion pushing
   west across southeast AZ. Morning guidance indicate boundary-layer
   moisture will be lower today compared to yesterday with a distinct
   lack of buoyancy along the I-10 corridor from Tucson to Phoenix.
   This suggests the center of severe wind risk should be shifted
   westward towards the Lower CO River Valley from isolated convection
   that can emanate west off the western portion of the Mogollon Rim.
   Isolated severe wind gusts will also be possible with scattered
   storms that form along the east side of the higher terrain in
   southern CA.

   ..Grams/Wendt.. 08/18/2020

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