Model Diagnostic Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 1230 AM EDT Tue Sep 25 2018 Valid Sep 25/0000 UTC thru Sep 28/1200 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 GFS, 12Z ECMWF, 12Z UKMET Confidence: Slightly above average The synoptic pattern over the remainder of the work week should be relatively static, with a longwave trough over the central US becoming gradually broader, a ridge anchored along the East Coast, and a rex block off the West Coast. Given the amplified pattern and only very gradual change to the mid-upper level flow, the model agreement is fairly good. The deterministic models' mass fields are within the model spread envelope, and the spread is generally not too large. Therefore, the preference is to lean toward a general blend with two exclusions. First, the 00Z NAM shows substantially more amplification to a digging shortwave on the back side of the longwave trough from the Intermountain West to the Southern Plains. This is not supported by any other models at this time. Second, the 12Z CMC has more substantial deviations from the consensus in its mid-upper level height forecasts by Thursday and Friday across the CONUS. Model trends at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/model2.shtml 500 mb forecasts at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/h5pref/h5pref.shtml Lamers