National Weather Service San Juan PR
420 AM AST Mon Jul 19 2021
.SYNOPSIS...
Drier air is moving into the region from the east, in the wake of
the wave yesterday. More stable weather conditions are likely during
the day today, though there will remain sufficient moisture to
sustain some shower activity. Additionally, there is a Saharan
Air Layer that is part of this drier air mass, and hazy skies are
likely. Increasing patches of near-normal moisture are expected
for midweek into the end of the week, and increasing shower
activity is anticipated.
&&
.SHORT TERM...Today through Wednesday...
A mid-level ridge and a Saharan Air Layer will promote drier
conditions and hazy skies across the region through most of the
short term period. At lower levels, east to southeast trade winds
are expected to continue through Tuesday. Patches of moisture
embedded in this wind flow will move at times across the region.
Therefore, a few passing showers can be expected across the U.S.
Virgin Islands and the eastern sections of Puerto Rico during the
night and early morning hours, followed by diurnally induced
streamers off the islands and shallow shower development over the
western sections of PR each afternoon. However, no significant
rainfall accumulations are anticipated at this time.
For Wednesday, a TUTT-induced low-level trough is expected to
move from the east, increasing moisture content and causing winds
to shift from the east to northeast. This will promote an increase
in night time and early morning showers across the northeastern
sections of PR and over the USVI. Showers with better vertical
development than previous days are expected to form over the
southwestern quadrant of PR.
.LONG TERM...Thursday through Tuesday...
On Thursday, there will be patches of near-normal moisture streaming
across the area from time to time. This will support a typical
pattern of showers through the day, though rainfall amounts will
likely be relatively low. Forecast confidence for Thursday is
moderate to high.
To the east, a tropical wave is expected to break Thursday into
Friday, then make its way into the region on Friday into Saturday.
Model guidance shows a further decrease in how well this feature
holds together, and with how much moisture makes its way to the
local islands, continuing the trend from yesterday. As such, the
forecast continues to back off on expected shower activity. However,
moisture is still likely to increase Friday into early Saturday,
which will have a correlated increase in shower activity. Troughing
in the mid- to upper-levels will also decrease stability over the
region, which will also act to increase somewhat the potential for
showers. During the day on Saturday, the wave is forecast to have
moved out of the region, and moisture will decrease in its wake.
Precipitable water values are forecast to be on the low end of
seasonal normals, or slightly below. Very dry mid-levels will also
act to inhibit shower activity. Still, some showers are expected.
Forecast confidence for the end of the week is low to moderate.
Another wave is forecast to approach the region during the beginning
of next week. As with previous forecasts, how far north this wave
tracks remains uncertain, though model guidance has continued to
push it further north. This does seem reasonable, considering
weakness in the ridge to the north, which is forecast to be pulling
away to the northeast at the time. On the whole, the trend is
towards increasing showers for Sunday into Monday. Dry air makes its
way into the region for late Monday into Tuesday behind the wave,
and more stable conditions are expected. Confidence in the general
trend of the forecast for next week is moderate to high, but
confidence in the details is low.
&&
.AVIATION...
Mainly VFR conditions expected across all terminals
during the next 24 hours. HZ due to Saharan dust expected to
continue, but VSBY should remain P6SM. East to southeast winds will
increase around 15 kt with sea breeze variations and higher gusts
aft 14z.
&&
.MARINE...
Choppy conditions continue today into tomorrow, associated with
moderate to fresh, and locally strong easterly winds behind the
tropical wave that has exited the region. Sustained winds of up to
22 knots are expected, and seas up to 6 feet. Winds will gradually
diminish into midweek this week, and seas will subside.
There is a moderate risk of rip current for nearly all local
beaches, with some exceptions along the southern west coast and the
south central coast of Puerto Rico.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SJU 89 77 89 78 / 20 10 20 20
STT 91 80 88 78 / 20 20 20 30