Model Diagnostic Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 249 AM EDT Sat Sep 22 2018 Valid Sep 22/0000 UTC thru Sep 25/1200 UTC ...See NOUS42 KWNO (ADMNFD) for the status of the upper air ingest... 00Z Model Evaluation...with Preferences and Forecast Confidence ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ...Overall preference for the entire CONUS... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Preference: Blend of 00Z ECMWF, 00Z UKMET, 00Z GEFS Mean Confidence: Average Models are in fairly good agreement through the weekend, but begin to show increasing differences by Sunday Night and into Monday. The normalized standard deviation of the 500mb heights on the ECMWF Ensemble (12Z cycle) was generally above 1 across much of the CONUS by Monday, indicating greater variance than the last 30-day average. Therefore, confidence in the forecast is a bit lower toward the end of the Day 2 period and into the Day 3 period. The 00Z NAM and 00Z CMC show greater differences from the overall consensus, particularly with the strength of the wave lifting into the Mid Mississippi Valley on Monday, and the amplitude of the evolving trough in the High Plains around the same time. The 00Z GFS showed greater differences with its QPF in a variety of places around the CONUS. Therefore, the preference was to lean toward a blend of the ECMWF, UKMET, and GEFS Mean, and in particular toward the more consistent distribution of QPF in the Ohio Valley from the UKMET over the past several model cycles. Model trends at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/model2.shtml 500 mb forecasts at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/h5pref/h5pref.shtml Lamers