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Albany, NY WFO Forecast Discussion
257 FXUS61 KALY 010529 AFDALY Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Albany NY 129 AM EDT Tue Sep 1 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... Slight risk for severe thunderstorms expanded into portions of the mid Hudson Valley for Tuesday. Also lowered max temps even further for Tue-Wed, especially from Albany north and east. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1) Low pressure system and approaching warm front bring showers and non-severe thunderstorms late tonight into Tuesday morning with locally heavy rainfall. 2) A few strong to severe thunderstorms possible south and west of the Capital Region Tuesday afternoon into the evening with an isolated flash flood threat for the region. 3) Additional rounds of showers and thunderstorms Wednesday into Thursday with some strong thunderstorms and isolated to scattered instances of heavy rainfall/flash flooding possible. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1... Approaching warm front and upper level shortwave from the west will bring increasing coverage of showers this evening and overnight, with some embedded thunderstorms developing after midnight and continuing through Tuesday morning. PWAT`s increase overnight to 1.75 to just under 2 inches, along with forcing from approaching upper level shortwave as well as developing dual upper level jet structure (one upper jet across northern Maine, another approaching from Great Lakes region) should allow for some heavier bands of showers to develop later tonight. Some weak elevated instability could also allow for a few embedded thunderstorms. Rainfall rates of 0.50-1"/hour could occur. It appears that heaviest rain potential might be near or north of I-90 around daybreak Tuesday where best forcing overlaps deep moisture, before shifting south and east during Tuesday morning. Will have to watch for ponding of water in low lying/poor drainage and urban areas for the Tuesday morning commute, with isolated flash flooding possible. Showers/thunderstorms should then shift south of the region by midday with areas of drizzle then lingering. KEY MESSAGE 2... Additional showers/thunderstorms are expected Tuesday afternoon as some surface based instability develops, mainly for areas south and west of Albany. 12Z/HREFs suggest MU CAPES of 1000-2000 J/kg may develop in these areas by late Tuesday afternoon, amid 0-6 km shear of 30-40 KT, with greatest overlap across the SE Catskills and mid Hudson Valley, which is where the Slight Risk for severe thunderstorms has been included for Tuesday afternoon. Latest CAMs suggest some potential for supercell development across the mid Hudson Valley region Tuesday afternoon, with isolated to scattered instances of large hail and damaging winds possible. Given enhanced low level shear across portions of the mid Hudson Valley and NW CT in close proximity to an effective warm frontal boundary (possibly reinforced from earlier convective outflow), can not rule out a tornado or two in the mid Hudson Valley region as well. Showers/thunderstorms may eventually shift south and east of the region Tuesday evening as forcing and instability decrease further. KEY MESSAGE 3... Stronger upper level shortwave approaches from the Great Lakes, along with surface occluded front late Wednesday into Thursday. Although much of Wednesday may just be cloudy with only spotty showers or drizzle and rather cool temperatures in the 60s/lower 70s, areas of rain and embedded thunderstorms are expected to develop Wednesday evening and continue into Thursday. Main concern during this time period will be additional locally heavy rain, especially should it coincide spatially with areas which receive antecedent heavy rainfall. An area of Slight Risk for Excessive Rainfall will be located across the Mohawk Valley, SW Adirondacks and upper Hudson Valley region with a Marginal Risk for the remainder of the region. Surface based instability may remain limited to the westernmost Mohawk Valley, eastern Catskills and perhaps mid Hudson Valley, however elevated instability should allow for a few embedded thunderstorms, especially areas west of the Hudson River Valley. Should any breaks in the clouds occur Wednesday through Thursday, a few stronger thunderstorms can not be ruled out, especially across portions of the Mohawk Valley, mid Hudson Valley and NW CT given the strong mid level winds (40-50 KT) expected across the area. && .AVIATION /06Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... Ceilings continue to lower to MVFR/IFR conditions for all TAF sites at the start of this TAF period. IFR conditions should persist through the TAF period due to passing rain showers lowering visibility and low cloud ceilings as a weather system moves through today. Confidence continues to be low for thunderstorm potential this afternoon across TAF sites, so continued mention in PROB30 groups from 18z to 22z at KALB and KPOU and 18z to 02/00z for KGFL and KPSF. Winds continue range between calm to light and variable through the TAF period. Outlook... Wednesday Night: High Operational Impact. Definite SHRA...TSRA. Thursday: High Operational Impact. Likely SHRA...TSRA. Thursday Night: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Friday: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Friday Night: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Saturday: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Saturday Night: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Sunday: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX.&& .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...None. NY...None. MA...None. VT...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...24/15 AVIATION...05