Model Diagnostic Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 1238 PM EDT Tue Sep 11 2018 Valid Sep 11/1200 UTC thru Sep 15/0000 UTC ...See NOUS42 KWNO (ADMNFD) for the status of the upper air ingest... 12Z Model Evaluation Including Preferences and Preliminary Forecast Confidence ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ...Pacific Northwest... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Preference: 12Z GFS, 00Z ECMWF/CMC blend Confidence: Slightly below Average Persistent trough across the northwest will be reinforced by shortwaves shedding from the main vortex across far northern Canada. The NAM/UKMET continue to be strong and fast with the shedding energy which leads to more rapid ejection of a surface low through ND/MN into Manitoba on Thursday, The overall frontal position which lags back into the NW is relatively unaffected however, but still suggests a non NAM/UKMET blend for this portion of the forecast. Late in the period, Friday, spread increases significantly with the trough entering the NW. UKMET continues to be faster than the other guidance due to its weaker phasing attempt of the energy between the closed low across Canada and mean trough near British Columbia. The blend for the approach of this feature will remain unchanged despite the NAM agreement at 84 hours due to its differences earlier in the week. ...Trough approaching Texas... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Preference: 12Z GFS, 00Z ECWMF/UKMET blend Confidence: Average A trough in the eastern Gulf beneath the large scale ridge across the east will move into Texas on Friday. The CMC is much faster than the remaining guidance suite, and with weak steering flow appears to be the outlier. The NAM continues its trend of being too strong with many of the features, this trough included, and is also not preferred despite similar timing to the rest of the suite. UKMET/GFS/ECMWF are well within a reasonable guidance envelope, with the 06Z GEFS mean on top of the 12Z GFS operational lending support to this solution. ...Hurricane Florence... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Preference: See NHC forecast discussion Best Proxy: 06Z GFS Parallel, 00Z ECMWF, 12Z GFS blend 06Z GFS parallel (FV3) and 00Z ECMWF are now matched with the recent 12Z GFS such that a consensus of these three produces a track most closely resembling the official NHC forecast track for Florence. Please refer to the latest NHC discussions and products for more detailed information. Model trends at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/model2.shtml 500 mb forecasts at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/h5pref/h5pref.shtml Weiss