119 FXUS61 KCTP 021802 AFDCTPArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service State College PA 202 PM EDT Thu Oct 2 2025
.SYNOPSIS... * Temperatures climb to well above normal Fri and last into next week * Our extended dry pattern continues with no rainfall and low humidity expected through Monday night
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.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Huge high pressure remains in control for the near term. High clouds will drift across every so often. Good radiational cooling should allow mins tonight to be nearly normal.
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.SHORT TERM /FRIDAY/... Main features to the forecast are dry aftn dewpoints/low humidity, but just a little higher Fri vs Thu, and temps well above normal. Even though the dewpoints rise, the temps will almost keep pace with them. Maxes on Fri look to be sky- higher vs normals in the NW (10-15F above) and modestly higher in the SE (0-5F above).
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.LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... Mostly sunny and very warm days followed by comfortable sleeping nights over the weekend into early next week. Highs will climb well above the historical average for early October (+10-15F) reaching the mid 70s to low 80s. The dry air in place will keep min temps closer to/but still above climo. No rainfall is expected Saturday through Monday.
Model and ensemble mean consensus finally bring some rainfall back into the picture by the middle of next week, with a cold frontal passage projected around next Tuesday/Wednesday. NBM/WPC blended QPF amounts within that 24 to 48 hr period are in the 0.10 to 0.75" range from SE to NW - so certainly not a drought buster we will take what we can get.
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.AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Just tweaked MDT/LNS for near term sky cover. Still VFR, but cu around - despite dewpoints in the 40s. Air at 8H is cooler in the SE than elsewhere across the state leading to better instability and some cu based around FL040.
Prev... High clouds are all there will be to see through over the next few days. Thanks, high pressure. Direction of wind forecast will be challenging since it will be light, but the wind should be a little more southerly Fri than Thurs. They will go light/calm tonight and again for Fri night. Despite the cooling expect mainly clear skies to prevail tonight. The potential for fog is low (less than 20%), given the dry airmass and temps in the m40s N. Without much/any fog last night, and temps staying milder, the fog potential is low, especially at Central PA airfields.
The dry high pressure will linger over the eastern half of the CONUS through the weekend, providing excellent flying conditions.
Outlook...
Fri-Mon: VFR other than AM fog poss - not likely - N valleys.
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.CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None.
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SYNOPSIS...Dangelo NEAR TERM...Dangelo SHORT TERM...Dangelo LONG TERM...Steinbugl/Gartner AVIATION...Bowen
NWS CTP Office Area Forecast Discussion