Model Diagnostic Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 135 PM EDT Wed Sep 12 2018 Valid Sep 12/1200 UTC thru Sep 16/0000 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/GEFS mean and 00Z ECMWF/ECENS mean blend Confidence: Slightly Below Average Guidance continues to show increasing spread through 84 hours with the reinforcing longwave trough across the Pacific NW. 12Z NAM persists as the strong/fast outlier with its ejecting of mid-level shortwaves around the parent vortex to the north, although the UKMET is also on the fast/strong side with these features. This leads to faster surface low development into central Canada, but the primary cold front axis is relatively unaffected across the Northern Plains. By Saturday night many of the operational models are outrunning the ensemble means with the position of the deepening trough centered just west of British Columbia. The GFS/ECMWF are nearly identical and slower than the remaining guidance, so will include them in the blend along with their ensemble means to slow progression slightly. ...Troughs over southern and eastern Texas... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Preference: Non-CMC blend Confidence: Average Models are in reasonable agreement although the CMC remains quite fast lifting the trough into Texas Friday and Saturday. This is evident both in surface features and by westward displacement of the max QPF axis. The UKMET is a bit faster lifting the surface trough onshore as well, but within the guidance envelope and will be included in the preferred blend. Please see the latest NHC tropical weather outlook for development potential of this feature. ...Hurricane Florence... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Preference: See NHC forecast discussion Best Proxy: 12Z GFS/00Z ECMWF blend The latest NHC track is almost in between the 12Z GFS and 00Z ECMWF, making a consensus of the two a reasonable proxy 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