Model Diagnostic Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 1244 PM EDT Fri Jul 24 2020 Valid Jul 24/1200 UTC thru Jul 28/0000 UTC ...See NOUS42 KWNO (ADMSDM) for the status of the upper air ingest... 12Z Model Evaluation Including Preferences and Forecast Confidence ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ...Mid-upper level troughing tracking from the Northwest into the north-central U.S. through the weekend... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Preference: General model blend...through 60 hours 12Z GFS/00Z UKMET/00Z ECMWF blend...after 60 hours Confidence: Average A mid-level closed low/shortwave trough will track through southwestern Canada through Saturday with a cold front at the surface and extending into the northwestern U.S. As this energy reaches the northern Plains late in the weekend, it will phase with some southern stream energy lifting through the Front Range and central Plains, which will allow the trough to deepen over the northern Plains and upper Midwest. The latest guidance is in good agreement through about 60 hours, with some tendency for the 00Z CMC to lag the remaining guidance with its height fall progression thereafter. Also, the 12Z NAM after 60 hours may be a tad too strong with its trough over the upper Midwest. So, a general model blend will be preferred through 60 hours, followed by a blend of the well clustered 12Z GFS/00Z UKMET and 00Z ECMWF thereafter. ...Tropical Storm Hanna... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Preference: Official NHC track Best Model Proxy: 12Z GFS/00Z UKMET and 00Z ECMWF blend Confidence: See latest NHC products The latest model guidance continues to show fairly good clustering with the track and speed of the T.S. Hanna over the next 24 hours as the system approaches and ultimately makes a landfall along the south-central Texas coastline. The 12Z GFS and 00Z ECMWF are generally close or perhaps locally a tad south of the 15Z NHC track of Hanna, with the 12Z NAM and 00Z CMC a bit farther north leading up to landfall. The 00Z UKMET is quite close to the latest NHC track. Overall, the NAM appears to be too fast with the forward speed of Hanna, with the CMC too slow. Some strengthening of the mid-level subtropical ridge north of Hanna should steer the system more westward by Saturday and then west-southwestward Saturday night as the system crosses through the lower Rio Grande Valley. On Sunday, Hanna should be weakening over northeast Mexico. ...Upper low/trough over California... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Preference: General model blend Confidence: Above average A broad upper trough and embedded closed low over CA will generally remain in place through early next week, with some tendency for the energy to begin lifting north by the end of the period. Overall, the models are in good agreement through the period with the handling of this energy, so a general model blend will be preferred. Model trends at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/model2.shtml 500 mb forecasts at www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/h5pref/h5pref.shtml This product will terminate August 15, 2020: www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf2/scn20-58pmdhmd_termination. pdf Orrison