509 FXUS63 KARX 101742 AFDARX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service La Crosse WI 1242 PM CDT Wed Oct 10 2018 .UPDATE... Issued at 1105 AM CDT Wed Oct 10 2018 The heavy rain threat has ended across the area therefore the flood watch has been cancelled. Be alert for rising water levels and flooding along some area rivers. See the latest river statements for details. && .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 300 AM CDT Wed Oct 10 2018 Early today a surface low was centered over northern IA with a cold front extending south from the low and a warm front extending eastward into central WI. A stronger upper shortwave trough ejecting out of the central plains will kick the surface low northeast towards the upper Great Lakes through tonight with the cold front sweeping across the area through the day today. Some showers/storms will continue ahead of the initial surface trough, with the highest chances east of the Mississippi. With MLCAPE only a few hundred J/kg, not expecting any severe storms today. One more mild day is in store with highs in the 60s over most of the area. Strong low-level cold advection will develop behind the front this afternoon into tonight with temps falling into the 30s tonight with west to northwest winds gusting 30 to 40 mph. A few showers will remain possible tonight mainly over northern WI on the backside of the surface low near the upper trough. .LONG TERM...(Thursday through Tuesday) Issued at 300 AM CDT Wed Oct 10 2018 Cool and overall drier weather will be the theme through early next week. High pressure will build in from the west on Thursday into Friday. However, low clouds trapped beneath an inversion will be slow to erode, and could persist into Thursday night. Thursday will be quite the change from the past few days with highs in the upper 30s to mid 40s and a tight gradient/cold advection behind the departing low keeping winds gusty from the northwest. Although we'll have to watch how the low clouds erode Thursday and some increasing mid/high clouds Thursday night, it still looks like much of the area will see a freeze Friday morning, with headlines likely to be needed. An upper trough translating across the region on Friday will bring some cloud cover with it, but the highest precip chances appear to be south of the area closer to a stronger shortwave trough. Highs will remain cool in the 40s, although with lighter winds. Models continue to point to shortwave ridging over the area giving way to broad upper troughing over the central US later in the weekend into early next week. Some brief return flow on Saturday behind the surface high will allow temps to rebound a bit, although only into the 40s to low 50s, cooling back into the 40s through Monday. Guidance differs on the placement of shortwaves within the broader trough, and consequently precip chances Sat night and Sunday. With 10.00Z runs of the global models continuing to be less aggressive with precip over the area given stronger shortwaves passing north and south of the area, confidence in any meaningful precip is low. High pressure then is expected for Monday before another shortwave drops southeast in northwest flow aloft for Tuesday. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Thursday afternoon) Issued at 1241 PM CDT Wed Oct 10 2018 MVFR conditions are expected at the TAF sites through much of the forecast period with IFR conditions possible. Low stratus will move across the area this afternoon through Thursday morning with ceilings around 1500 ft, possibly lowering to around 800 ft at KRST. Look for strong west winds to develop tonight with speeds of 15 to 19 kts with gusts of 25 to 31 kts. The strongest winds will be at KRST. High pressure edges in from the west on Thursday and we should see VFR conditions return during the afternoon hours. && .HYDROLOGY...Through This Weekend Issued at 1105 AM CDT Wed Oct 10 2018 The threat for heavy rain has ended. Remain alert for rising water levels and flooding along some area rivers. See the latest river statements for details. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...None. MN...None. IA...None. && $$ UPDATE...Wetenkamp SHORT TERM...JM LONG TERM...JM AVIATION...Wetenkamp HYDROLOGY...Wetenkamp