Model Diagnostic Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 249 AM EDT Sun Aug 9 2020 Valid Aug 9/0000 UTC thru Aug 12/1200 UTC ...See NOUS42 KWNO (ADMSDM) for the status of the upper air ingest... 00Z Model Evaluation Including Final Preferences and Forecast Confidence ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Overall weather pattern across the continental U.S. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Preference: General model blend through 18Z Monday, then GFS/ECMWF/CMC blend Confidence: Average 7Z update: Both the ECMWF and UKMET trended slightly more amplified with the trough building in across the Pacific Northwest by the middle of the week. The UKMET continues to be stronger with the upper ridge across the eastern U.S. and is not in line with the model consensus, which indicates a weak trough axis near the East Coast. Otherwise, no major changes noted with the arrival of the UKMET, CMC, and ECMWF. ------------ The overall weather pattern across the continental U.S. will be quasi-zonal across the northern half of the continental U.S., with a mid-level ridge anchored over the south-central U.S. The main synoptic feature on the map will be a large mid-level closed low tracking eastward across Canada, with a related cold front at the surface forecast to move across the Great Lakes region. By the end of the forecast period Wednesday morning, another trough begins to build across the northwestern U.S. with height falls arriving from the Gulf of Alaska. The models show fairly good agreement regarding the timing/strength of the closed low and a shortwave spoke rounding the base of the closed low, tracking from Saskatchewan on Sunday to western Ontario on Monday. The 00Z NAM is slightly more amplified with this feature. A second closed low/shortwave is forecast to enter western Canada on Tuesday and result in a building trough across the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies. The latest guidance indicates only modest amplitude differences with the second closed low, with the 00Z NAM farther east with the trough axis and the 00Z GFS slightly stronger. Similar to yesterday, the UKMET continues to indicate a stronger ridge across the south-central U.S. and shows less southward progression with the shortwave troughs. Taking these factors into account, a general model blend can be incorporated through about 18Z Monday, after which a GFS/ECMWF/CMC blend would offer a good starting point in the forecast process. 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 Hamrick