FXUS64 KHGX 241518
AFDHGX

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
918 AM CST THU DEC 24 2009

.AVIATION...
FOR THE KIAH AND KHOU 3 HOUR UPDATE...TWEAKED THE WINDS A BIT TO
ACCOUNT FOR TIMING ISSUES. SOME AREA OBSERVATIONS WERE ALREADY
GUSTING UP TO 24 KNOTS OR SO. LOOKS LIKE THE WINDS WILL REACH
THEIR PEAK DURING THE AFTERNOON. EVEN WITH SUNSET...THEY WILL THEN
BE SLOW TO DIMINISH GIVEN THE PRESSURE GRADIENT ISSUES.

ALSO DID AN AMENDMENT FOR MOST OF THE OTHER AREA TERMINAL SITES.
IN THE NORTH THERE WERE MVFR CEILINGS FROM CLOUDS WRAPPING AROUND
THE STORM CENTER. THESE WILL PROBABLY BE OUT OF THE KCLL AND KUTS
SITES BY EARLY AFTERNOON AND MAY AFFECT KCXO AND METRO AIRPORTS.

40

&&

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 509 AM CST THU DEC 24 2009/

DISCUSSION...
UPDATED ZFPHGX TO REFLECT CANCELLATION OF TORNADO WATCH FOR EASTERN
ZONES. LOWERED POPS SLIGHTLY SW THIRD OF CWFA FOR THIS MORNING. 
OTHERWISE REST OF FORECAST PACKAGE ON TRACK. 37

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 354 AM CST THU DEC 24 2009/ 

DISCUSSION...
COLD FRONT AND ASSOCIATED SQUALL LINE EXTENDING FROM JUST WEST OF
HUNTSVILLE TO NEEDVILLE TO WHARTON MOVING RAPIDLY EAST AT AROUND 35
MPH. BY DAYBREAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY SHOULD BE JUST ABOUT EAST OF OUR
CWFA. UPPER LEVEL ENERGY TRAILING BEHIND FRONT AND APPROACHING OUR 
WESTERN ZONES PRODUCING ELEVATED SHOWERS. TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT
BEHIND FRONT WILL RESULT IN WINDY CONDITIONS FOR OUR CWFA TODAY.
WIND ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST. COASTAL ZONES
MAY STILL NEED AN ADVISORY DURING EARLY EVENING HOURS. THIS WILL
BE MONITORED CLOSELY. ELEVATED SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH UPPER LOW 
INDICATED TO LINGER OVER THE NORTHERN ZONES THIS AFTERNOON BY WRF
AND GFS. IT WILL BE QUITE COLD TONIGHT WITH TEMPERATURES DROPPING
TO THE MID 20S FAR NORTHEAST ZONES AND UPPER 20S TO MID 30S
ELSEWHERE. FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND WILL CONTINUE TO BE UNSEASONABLY
COOL. HIGH PRESSURE WILL MAINTAIN DRY WEATHER. HOWEVER THE COASTAL
WATERS AND PERHAPS THE COASTAL ZONES MAY SEE A SLIGHT CHANCE PRECIP
DUE TO A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH DEVELOPING SOUTH OF OUR CWFA.
DEVELOPING UPPER LOW/TROUGH OVER SW CONUS EARLY NEXT WEEK WILL
APPROACH TEXAS BEFORE MID WEEK. SURFACE TROUGH INDICATED TO
DEVELOP AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM WILL GIVE OUR REGION A CHANCE OF
RAIN. 37

MARINE...
NOT GOOD BOATING CONDITIONS FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT 24 HOURS. STRONG 
NORTH-SOUTH ORIENTED COLD FRONT ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS EARLY THIS 
MORNING IS EXPECTED TO BE THROUGH ALL OF OUR COASTAL WATERS AROUND 
SUNRISE. WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT TODAY WILL BE 
STRONG...PROBABLY 20 TO 30 KNOTS WITH GUSTS AROUND GALE FORCE. SMALL 
CRAFT ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR ALL WATERS THROUGH MIDNIGHT. 
WINDS AND SEAS WILL GRADUALLY COME DOWN TONIGHT AND FRIDAY AS THE 
GRADIENT BEGINS TO WEAKEN.  42

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
COLLEGE STATION (CLL)      51  29  51  29  53 /  40  10  10  10  10 
HOUSTON (IAH)              58  32  51  33  55 /  40  10  10  10  10 
GALVESTON (GLS)            62  38  50  41  57 /  50  10  10  10  20 

&&

.HGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING 
     ZONES: AUSTIN...BRAZORIA...BRAZOS...BURLESON...CHAMBERS...
     COLORADO...FORT BEND...GALVESTON...GRIMES...HARRIS...
     HOUSTON...JACKSON...LIBERTY...MADISON...MATAGORDA...
     MONTGOMERY...POLK...SAN JACINTO...TRINITY...WALKER...
     WALLER...WASHINGTON...WHARTON.

GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR THE 
     FOLLOWING ZONES: GALVESTON BAY...MATAGORDA BAY...WATERS 
     FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL 20 NM TO 60 
     NM...WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL OUT 
     20 NM...WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT 20 TO 60 NM...
     WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT OUT 20 NM.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...47
AVIATION/MARINE...40