Model Diagnostic Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 256 AM EDT Mon Aug 20 2018 Valid Aug 20/0000 UTC thru Aug 23/1200 UTC ...See NOUS42 KWNO (ADMNFD) for the status of the upper air ingest... 00Z Model Evaluation...with Preferences and Confidence ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ...Overall Synoptic Pattern across the CONUS... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Preference: General model blend, weighted to 00Z GFS Confidence: Slightly above average Models have gradually come into better agreement, although there are some slight differences in timing with the troughs that will be progressing across the northern half of the CONUS. Overall, the variations in the mass fields from the deterministic models are contained well within the ensemble spread envelope. Therefore, a general blend is favored. Differences in model QPF are not too large. Greater weight was given to the 00Z GFS based on minor timing trends, greater rainfall in the Southwest (associated with the monsoon) and the Southeast (higher moisture levels), and a more southwesterly placement of the QPF maximum associated with MCS activity in the Southern Plains. These subtle differences seem to fit the synoptic pattern better. Model trends at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/model2.shtml 500 mb forecasts at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/h5pref/h5pref.shtml Lamers