National Weather Service San Juan PR
456 AM AST Sun May 30 2021
.SYNOPSIS...Bands of moisture will move through a modestly
unstable atmosphere today through Tuesday, then moisture will
increase and an upper level trough will stall over Cuba leaving
better instability on Thursday and Friday to increase showers and
thunderstorms--mainly over Puerto Rico. Moisture continues to
improve over the weekend prolonging the wet trend through at least
next Sunday.
&&
.SHORT TERM...Today through Tuesday...
For today, a surface high pressure extending across the north
Atlantic will continue to maintain a moderate east to slightly east-
southeast wind flow across the region. A weak tropical wave is
forecast to stream across the region, generating slight variations
in the general wind flow and enhance low-level moisture convergence.
At mid to upper levels, a weak mid-level ridge will build over the
area. As a result, a trade wind inversion will gradually envelop
the region. This inversion may inhibit organized deep convection,
but it will not be strong enough to suppress shallow convective
development. Even so, there is still a chance of thunderstorm
development resulting from the combination of near normal moisture
levels around 1.70 inches, intense diurnal heating and local
effects in the afternoon. Preceding the arrival of the
aforementioned tropical wave, an area of relatively drier air will
maintain generally fair weather conditions through the mid
morning hours.
As pockets of moisture reach the forecast area, expected a slight
increase in showers moving from the waters into the US Virgin
Islands and eastern Puerto Rico through late in the morning, when
lines of showers are expected to develop and extend further west
from the local islands and El Yunque area into eastern Puerto Rico
and the San Juan metropolitan area thereafter. The bulk activity
will then shift to portions of the interior and western Puerto Rico,
where periods of moderate to heavy rains over already saturated
soils will result in urban and small stream flooding and possible
mudslides near areas of steep terrain. This activity should
dissipate around sunset, but remnants may linger over western Puerto
Rico and the Mona Passage through the evening hours. Daytime high
temperatures are forecast to reach the mid to upper 80s across
coastal areas, with heat indices peaking to around 100 degrees
across coastal areas.
For Monday and Tuesday, intermittent pockets of relatively drier air
and shallow moisture, with moisture levels fluctuating between 1.30
to 1.80 inches, are expected to stream across the region from weak
perturbations in the trade winds. Mid level ridging will hold over
the region, but weakening of the trade wind inversion is anticipated
on Tuesday due to the proximity of a mid-to-upper level trough to
the west. Showers will follow a seasonal pattern, but somewhat
favorable conditions may enhance deeper convective development on
Tuesday. As a result, urban and small stream flooding remains
possible, especially with the heaviest rain expected each afternoon.
.LONG TERM...Wednesday through Sunday...
Troughing at upper levels over Cuba and the Bahama Islands
develops a cut-off low on Wednesday. The trough will continue in
the same general area while the cut-off low weakens and lifts to
the northeast. This in turn will cause a relatively weak
southwesterly jet, again at upper levels, to brush the area and
increase the instability. At the same time 500 mb temperatures
will lower to just under minus 7 degrees. Precipitable water
values will be on the rise during most of the period with a peak
on Saturday afternoon of 2.2 inches aided by tropical waves
passing to the south and a persistent ridge at 700 mb to our west.
Moisture between the 850 and 700 mb levels is the weakest part of
the profile during the period and this will likely suppress some
of the rain over the area, but in general rainfall will increase--
especially on Thursday and periods of heavy rainfall are expected
each day over western and interior Puerto Rico. Showers will also
increase for the U.S. Virgin Islands, but amounts will be limited
compared to Puerto Rico. Areas of urban and small stream flooding
will become more widespread Wednesday and Thursday, but will
continue through the end of the period, sustained by the high
moisture content of the atmosphere over the area. At this time
surface and low to mid level flow is east or east southeast and
this will tend to favor afternoon showers and thunderstorms over
northwest and north central Puerto Rico with the possibility of a
streamer just southwest of the Greater San Juan and Bayamon
Metropolitan areas.
&&
.AVIATION...Mainly VFR conditions are expected across all terminals.
However, brief MVFR conditions can be expected with VCSH affecting
TJSJ, USVI and Leeward terminals through 30/14Z and VCTS/VCSH with
MVFR conds affecting all PR terminals between 30/14-23Z due to
low ceilings and reduced visibility. Winds will be light and
variable through 30/13Z, turning from the E at 10-20 knots with
higher gusts thereafter. Max winds WSW-W 45-50 kts btwn FL385-480.
&&
.MARINE...Marine condtions will remain relatively tranquil with
seas up to 5 feet except for Tuesday in the outer Atlantic waters
when 6 foot seas are possible along the northern border of the
local waters. Showers and thunderstorms with locally gusty winds
will increase Wednesday and Thursday and some heavy shower
activity is likely to be seen through the weekend as moisture
continues to increase.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SJU 89 76 88 76 / 40 30 40 40
STT 86 76 88 76 / 50 50 40 40

