460 FXUS62 KTAE 311523 AFDTAE Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tallahassee FL 1123 AM EDT Tue Mar 31 2020 ...SEVERE WEATHER EXPECTED TODAY ACROSS THE REGION... .NEAR TERM [Through Today]... A positively tilted short wave trough axis was lined up along the Mississippi River at 14Z. Associate surface low pressure was centered over central AL with a warm front extending eastward from it across southern AL to just south of an Albany to Waycross GA line. South of the front, dew points are in the upper 60s to lower 70s. The 12Z KTAE sounding showed quite a bit of dry air below 500 mb. However, model soundings from the HRRR show this column moistening sufficiently to allow instability supportive of severe weather. About a day's worth of HRRR runs show a 50-knot low level jet developing over the forecast area during the afternoon. Strong mid level flow, about 80 knots, working through the base of the trough as well. Bulk shear should be in the 50-60 knot range. Hodographs are fairly straight, suggesting some splitting cells with left and right movers. All severe modes are still in play, however. A tornado watch is in effect for the northwestern half of the forecast area fro Turner County southwest to Decatur and then on to Walton County and points northwest. Wind damage has already occurred upstream in AL with at least one cell showing a TDS. In addition to the severe threat, the strong onshore flow warrants a high risk for rip currents, although there shouldn't be anyone in the water with all beaches closed. Finally, strengthening low level jet will allow sufficient low level winds to mix down to the surface to justify leaving the wind advisory in effect. && .PREV DISCUSSION [652 AM EDT]... .SHORT TERM [Tomorrow Through Thursday]... In the upper levels, a ridge will build into the Southeast by Wednesday night. At the surface, high pressure will be over the region with a much cooler, drier air mass in place. POPs will be near zero with little to no cloud cover. Temps will be noticeably cooler and more seasonable with highs in the lower 70s tomorrow. Thursday highs will be in the mid to upper 70s. Lows tomorrow night will be in the mid to upper 40s. .LONG TERM [Thursday Night Through Tuesday]... In the upper levels, the weak ridge over the Southeast will strengthen on Monday and Tuesday. At the surface, easterly winds Friday will become more southerly on Saturday. POPs will begin to increase on Saturday with a slight chance for showers as moisture returns. The best chance for a shower or thunderstorm is Sunday and Monday afternoon/evening with POPs of 20 to 40 percent. Highs will be mainly in the lower 80s. Lows will be in the 50s and lower 60s. .AVIATION... [Through 12Z Wednesday] Scattered LIFR to MVFR conditions will lift to MVFR, drift north and scatter through the morning and early afternoon. Showers and thunderstorms will spread into the Panhandle later this morning, followed by a powerful line of storms moving west to east through the region in the afternoon. Strong winds are expected today ahead of the thunderstorms, with sustained winds near 20 knots and gusts around 35 knots. .MARINE... Southerly winds will increase significantly today ahead of an approaching system. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect through Wednesday morning for sustained winds in excess of 20 knots. Severe storms are possible mainly this afternoon and evening. Strong northerly winds (20 to 25 kt) are expected tonight after the cold front passes. Late in the week expect light easterly winds. .FIRE WEATHER... High dispersion indices are expected today ahead of numerous showers and thunderstorms expected to arrive later this afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 to 40 mph at times. High dispersion indices will continue once again tomorrow, though Red Flag conditions are not expected over the next several days. .HYDROLOGY... The best chance for rain will be today as a more substantial cold front moves through. Another chance for rain is likely this weekend. Forecast rainfall totals are one inch or less for the region over the next five days. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is requested. Spotters should safely report significant weather conditions and/or damage by calling the office or tweeting us @NWSTallahassee. Please relay any information to the NWS while following all local, state and CDC guidelines. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Tallahassee 83 50 74 48 79 / 80 40 0 0 0 Panama City 78 52 73 53 76 / 80 10 0 0 0 Dothan 79 46 70 47 76 / 90 10 0 0 0 Albany 79 47 70 46 75 / 90 20 0 0 0 Valdosta 81 49 71 47 77 / 90 70 0 0 0 Cross City 81 53 75 48 79 / 30 50 0 0 0 Apalachicola 79 52 72 55 73 / 60 10 0 0 0 && .TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...Wind Advisory until 8 PM EDT /7 PM CDT/ this evening for Calhoun- Central Walton-Coastal Bay-Coastal Dixie-Coastal Franklin- Coastal Gulf-Coastal Jefferson-Coastal Taylor-Coastal Wakulla-Gadsden-Holmes-Inland Bay-Inland Dixie-Inland Franklin-Inland Gulf-Inland Jefferson-Inland Taylor-Inland Wakulla-Jackson-Lafayette-Leon-Liberty-Madison-North Walton- South Walton-Washington. High Rip Current Risk through this evening for Coastal Bay- Coastal Franklin-Coastal Gulf-South Walton. GA...Wind Advisory until 8 PM EDT this evening for Baker-Ben Hill- Berrien-Brooks-Calhoun-Clay-Colquitt-Cook-Decatur-Dougherty- Early-Grady-Irwin-Lanier-Lee-Lowndes-Miller-Mitchell- Quitman-Randolph-Seminole-Terrell-Thomas-Tift-Turner-Worth. AL...Wind Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for Coffee-Dale-Geneva- Henry-Houston. GM...Small Craft Advisory until 11 AM EDT Wednesday for Apalachee Bay or Coastal Waters From Keaton Beach to Ochlockonee River FL out to 20 Nm-Coastal Waters From Ochlockonee River to Apalachicola Fl out to 20 Nm-Coastal waters from Suwannee River to Keaton Beach FL out 20 NM-Waters from Suwannee River to Apalachicola FL from 20 to 60 NM. Small Craft Advisory until 10 AM CDT Wednesday for Coastal waters from Mexico Beach to Apalachicola FL out 20 NM- Coastal waters from Mexico Beach to Okaloosa Walton County Line FL out 20 NM-Waters from Apalachicola to Mexico Beach FL from 20 to 60 NM-Waters from Mexico Beach to Okaloosa Walton County Line FL from 20 to 60 NM. && $$ NEAR TERM...Wool SHORT TERM...McD LONG TERM...McD AVIATION...Harrigan MARINE...McD FIRE WEATHER...Harrigan HYDROLOGY...McD