CW3E AR Update: 20 March Outlook

March 20, 2018

Click here for a pdf of this information.

Update on Atmospheric River Forecast to Impact California This Week

  • The terminus of the atmospheric river plume is approaching coastal CA and precipitation will begin today
  • Models are suggesting potentially strong (IVT >750 kg m-1 s-1) AR conditions over San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties
  • Locations further south may experience moderate strength AR conditions (IVT >500 kg m-1 s-1)
  • AR conditions are forecast to peak over portions of SoCal between Midnight and 11 AM PDT on Thursday, 22 March 2018
  • As much as 10 inches of precipitation may fall over the higher elevations of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties
  • The National Weather Service has issued numerous Flash Flood Watches and Winter Weather Warnings in California

SSMI/SSMIS/AMSR2-derived Integrated Water Vapor (IWV)

Valid 0000 UTC 18 March – 1600 UTC 20 March 2018

Images from CIMSS/Univ. of Wisconsin

Click IVT or IWV image to see loop of 0-72 hour GFS forecast

Valid 1200 UTC 20 March – 1200 UTC 23 March 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summary provided by C. Hecht, F.M. Ralph, J. Rutz, and B. Kawzenuk; 1 PM PT Tuesday 20 March 2018

*Outlook products are considered experimental