Model Diagnostic Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 1225 PM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019 Valid Apr 14/1200 UTC thru Apr 18/0000 UTC ...See NOUS42 KWNO (ADMNFD) for the status of the upper air ingest... 12Z Model Evaluation...with Preferences and Confidence ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ...Overall Pattern Across the CONUS... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Preference: General model blend, weighted to 12Z GFS and 00Z ECMWF after 17.00Z (Day 3) Confidence: Above average Models are in excellent agreement through the first 48-60 hours of the forecast. For example, by Monday Night (16.06Z), all the deterministic models and ensemble means place the surface low positions over the Canadian Maritimes and Central Plains within about 80 miles of each other. Ensemble spread with the mass fields is very limited, and thus a general model blend is preferred. Forecast confidence is above average. By Tuesday Night and Wednesday, some greater differences begin to emerge with a trough pushing into the Plains. The 12Z GFS and 00Z ECMWF are in very good agreement with the trough position and structure, and the position of the surface lows in the Plains. The preference is to shift the blend toward a more significant weighting of those two models by Day 3, given strong support from ECMWF ensemble members. The 00Z CMC/UKMET and 12Z NAM lag the trough more. While this can't be ruled out, it is perhaps a less likely scenario at this point, given the ensemble member distribution. Model trends at www.wpc.noaa.gov/html/model2.html 500 mb forecasts at www.wpc.noaa.gov/h5pref/h5pref.shtml Lamers