4. Forecast Applications

Winter Weather » Precipitation Type 0000 UTC Day 1

Conceptual animation of a midlatitude cyclone with location of forecast area

As shown in the animation, a slow-moving winter cyclone is moving toward your area from the southwest, and is expected to pass just south of your location in the next few days. [Note: Your "Forecast Area" is denoted by an "X" in the animation.] A variety of precipitation types are being observed with this system. You are expecting to be in the overrunning precipitation region of the cyclone, with precipitation beginning in the next 12 hours. In this scenario, you will be using observed and model forecast soundings plotted on a skew-T to diagnose and forecast precipitation type during the next 48 hours.