000 FXUS63 KMPX 151141 AFDMPX AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 641 AM CDT SUN JUL 15 2007 .UPDATE...ADDED AVIATION DISCUSSION FOR 12Z TAFS && .DISCUSSION... MOISTURE CHANNEL SAT LOOPS CLEARLY SHOWS THAT AN MCS FORMED OVER EAST CENTRAL ALBERTA LAST EVENING...OR ON THE TOP OF A WELL PRONOUNCED 1000-500 MB THICKNESS RIDGE...AND THIS SAME MCS IS NOW PROPAGATING SOUTH AND EAST ALONG THE TIGHT THICKNESS GRADIENT EAST OF THE RIDGE AXIS. LAST EVENING GFS (40 KM) SHOWED SUPPORTIVE LAYER Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE FOR THIS FEATURE TODAY WITH A SUGGESTION THAT SYSTEM WILL MAKE IT INTO NORTHWEST MN BY 00Z THIS EVENING. STRONG THICKNESS DIFFLUENCE IS INDICATED THROUGH TONIGHT ACROSS THE MPX CWA AND ALONG WITH THIS...STRONG 500-300 MB LAYER Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE OVER EAST CENTRAL MN AND WESTERN WISCONSIN. ACCORDINGLY...WE HAVE EMPHASIZED CONVECTIVE POPS IN THIS AREA OVERNIGHT LINGERING THE CONVECTIVE CHANCE IN OUR SOUTHEAST COUNTIES THROUGH MONDAY. DUE TO THE STRENGTH OF THE UPPER LEVEL FORCING TOGETHER WITH WARM ADVECTION AND DIAGNOSED ISENTROPIC LIFT...WE WOULD EXPECT A FAIRLY GOOD SOAKING OVERNIGHT FOR THE EAST HALF OF OUR CWA. SOME SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WOULD BE A GOOD BET...EVEN AFTER 06Z. FOR REMAINDER OF FORECAST...WE HAVE TRIMMED BACK ON MAX TEMPERATURES LATER IN THE WEEK. THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN CONTINUES TO DISPLAY A LARGE BLOCKING PATTERN OVER WESTERN NORTH AMERICA WITH MN WELL EAST OF THE THERMAL RIDGE AXIS. SUCH A POSITION WOULD FAVOR SEASONALLY WARM...HUMID WEATHER WITH HOT CONDITIONS MUCH FURTHER WEST NEAR THE THERMAL RIDGE AXIS. && .AVIATION...FOR 12Z TAFS SEVERAL CONCERNS THIS FORECAST CYCLE. FIRST OF WHICH IS PATCHY MVFR VIS ACROSS CENTRAL MN AND WEST CENTRAL WI ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM KAQP TO KPNM TO KOEO. EXPECT THESE AREAS TO IMPROVE IN NEXT HOUR OR TWO. ONCE THAT OCCURS...EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT AND VARIABLE THIS MORNING...BUT TREND WILL BE TO BE FROM THE NORTHWEST THROUGH LATE MORNING THEN TURN WEST THEN SOUTH BY THIS EVENING. MAIN CONCERN IS LOW PRESSURE MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN ATTM. LOW WILL CONTINUE SOUTHEAST AND SPREAD CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INTO THE AREA THIS EVENING AS ATTENDANT WARM FRONT SURGES EASTWARD. BEST PRECIP CHANCE LOOKS TO BE FROM NEAR KAXN TO KSTC AND ARCING DOWN TOWARDS KMSP...KRNH FROM EARLY TO MID EVENING AND ONWARD INTO KEAU LATE THIS EVENING. STRONG WIND GUSTS AND MVFR CIGS/VIS COULD ACCOMPANY THE STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. WINDS SHIFT TO THE NORTHEAST AND INCREASE TONIGHT AS THE LOW PASSES. WILL NEED TO MONITOR FOR POSSIBLE MVFR CIGS FOLLOWING THE SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS...ESPECIALLY AT THE NORTHERN SITES LATE TONIGHT. ..MDB.. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...NONE. WI...NONE. && $$