Model Diagnostic Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 1128 PM EST Fri Jan 04 2019 Valid Jan 05/0000 UTC thru Jan 08/1200 UTC ...See NOUS42 KWNO (ADMNFD) for the status of the upper air ingest... 00Z Model Evaluation...with Preferences and Confidence ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ...Overall Pattern Across the CONUS... Preference: General model blend through 07.12z, then blend of the 00z GFS/NAM and 12z ECMWF Confidence: Average Overall model agreement through 84 hours is fairly good with not much spread in the in the mass fields across the CONUS. The closed low over the mid-Atlantic will lift off the coast on Saturday with its associated surface low deepening as it races northeast near Nova Scotia. Across the western US, a longwave trough will push onshore late Saturday into Sunday. Through 60 hours, model agreement is good and a general blend of available guidance would suffice. Beyond 60 hours (07.12z), as the troughing across the western US pushes into the central Plains, bigger model differences begin to develop especially in the mid/upper levels. The CMC holds a stronger ridge across the southeast US the longest and is also more progressive/deep with the trough across the central US. The GFS/NAM are flatter, not as deep with the bulk of the energy holding back across the northern Rockies. The 12z ECMWF remains in good agreement with the 00z GFS and NAM. For this cycle, the WPC preference is for a general model blend through 07.12z then a blend consisting of the 12z ECMWF with the 00z GFS/NAM. Model trends at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/model2.shtml 500 mb forecasts at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/h5pref/h5pref.shtml Taylor