National Weather Service San Juan PR
341 PM AST Mon Jan 22 2018
.SYNOPSIS...A surface high pressure across the north Atlantic is
moving east and will strengthen over the course of the next few
days as it absorbs another surface high across the northeastern
Atlantic. Another surface high pressure will move into the
western Atlantic, north of the local area late this week. This
will keep mainly easterly winds across the local area for the next
few days, becoming east northeasterly and rather breezy towards
the end of the week. Upper ridge will continue over the local
islands for the next several days with an upper trough passing to
the north of the local area, digging a bit more to the east of
the Leeward Islands early next week. Frontal boundary is expected
to remain well north of the local islands early next week.
&&
.SHORT TERM...Tonight through Wednesday...
Easterly trade winds continue as high pressure retreats and is
absorbed into another high in the northwest Atlantic. The next
vigorous cold front is poised to move into the western Atlantic
Tuesday evening. Its best progress during the week will be made to
the east, so by Thursday it will still be a little over 400 miles
to our north northwest. At first we will see a continuation of
patches of low level moisture that will move through with
scattered showers and a slightly deeper low level moist layer, but
on Thursday flow will begin to turn northeast to bring in cooler
and slightly drier air from the central Atlantic. This will
diminish the showers over most of Puerto Rico, but may leave
scattered showers and cooler weather on the northeast coast.
At upper levels a weak trough is passing through the area and will
coincide with the back edge of the better moisture seen today--
though mainly in the Atlantic waters north of the islands. The
moisture returns Tuesday and Wednesday in spite of the ridge that
builds--albeit weakly. A second weaker trough will move through
Wednesday night and drier air will again move in from the northeast.
Mid levels remain quite dry.
.LONG TERM...Thursday through Tuesday of next week...
From previous discussion...
The upper level high pressure ridge will hold across the region through
Friday. However the prevailing easterlies will continue to transport
sufficient moisture across the region to support periods of passing
late evening and early morning showers, as well as isolated to scattered
afternoon convection. Saturday through Sunday, a polar trough will amplify
and spread eastward across the west and central Atlantic causing a slight
erosion of the upper level ridge. By Monday and Tuesday the mid to upper
level ridge will reestablish over the region and again limit shower
development.
In the meantime, the a cold front is forecast to move across the west
Atlantic and reach the local area by the upcoming weekend. Model guidance
continued to suggest a gradual increase in trade winds moisture during
the latter part of the week with more favorable conditions for moisture
convergence and shower development over the weekend, as the cold front
sinks southwards and stalls just north of the region by Sunday. Improving
weather conditions are however expected by Monday and Tuesday with a
return of more typical passing trade wind showers.
&&
.AVIATION...VFR conditions are expected at all TAF stations. SHRA in
wrn PR may produce brief MVFR conds til 22/21Z and mtn obscurations.
Winds east 8 to 16 kt with sea breeze influences til 22/21Z then
subsiding to less than 12 kt. SHRA will increase from east to west
arriving in ern PR arnd 23/09Z. Sea breezes return aft 23/14Z east 8
to 16 kt. Max winds west 35-40 kt FL420-500 diminishing aft
23/00Z.
&&
.MARINE...Seas remain hazardous and are expected to remain
hazardous through Tuesday. Wave heights will be up to 7 feet
today, mainly for the Atlantic waters and local passages,
elsewhere, seas will be up to 6 feet. There is a high risk of rip
currents for the north facing beaches of Puerto Rico, moderate
risk for most of the remaining coastlines of PR and the USVI. A
strong northerly swell could invade the local waters this coming
weekend.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SJU 74 84 75 84 / 30 30 50 50
STT 75 84 74 84 / 30 30 40 40

