FFASJU) remains in effect from 6 AM AST Tuesday through 6AM AST Thursday. && /FROM PREVIOUS DISCUSSION ISSUED AT 502 PM AST Mon Feb 5 2024/ .SYNOPSIS... An unstable weather pattern is expected starting tomorrow through Thursday, with rain activity possible across the entire forecast area. Due to this, a flood watch is out for all of the local islands until at least Thursday. For more details on the rainfall event, please refer to the Hydrologic Outlook (ESFSJU). A small northerly swell and fresh northerly winds will aid buildings seas from tomorrow through the weekend, resulting in hazardous and choppy seas. Please refer to the Marine Weather Message (MWWSJU) for more information. && .SHORT TERM...Tonight through Wednesday Today`s sounding detected low-level winds between 10 and 25 knots out from the south with normal to above-normal Total Precipitable Water (TPW). The islands had a mix of sunshine and clouds. Light to moderate rains developed across the interior and southern PR from noon onward. Rainfall amounts were minimal, but ponding of water developed with the isolated periods of heavy rain. Temperatures were in the low 90s along the coast and the low or mid-80s in the mountains. We expect a short break in the rain activity early this evening today. Under a light and variable southerly wind flow, most of this evening`s rain activity will occasionally affect the southern windward areas of mainland PR and the USVI. The rain activity will slowly increase from the Southern Caribbean into south-PR before the onset of an unsettled weather pattern early Tuesday morning through early Thursday morning with the arrival of the deep-layer trough and a frontal boundary, pooling above normal moisture. The wettest period will be early Tuesday for southern PR, stretching eastward into the Virgin Islands later that day, with a second round of flooding rains on Wednesday. The highest accumulations should be for the south, interior, and eastern PR, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands. The most likely scenario calls for 3-6" for southern/eastern PR and 2-4" for the USVI. The reasonable worst-case scenario calls for 5-8" across southern/eastern PR and 3-5" for the USVI. The main impact of this event is the flooding, including flash flooding, but also we expect strong thunderstorms and windy conditions. We could also experience rapid river rises and mudslides. Therefore, we issued a Flash Flood Watch for the territories from early Tuesday to early Thursday. && .LONG TERM...Thursday through Monday... /from previous discussion/ A transition in the weather pattern is expected for Thursday as the tropical moisture and instability associated with a deep layer trough slowly exit from the forecast area. According to the global guidances (GFS & ECMWF), the highest probability of showers is anticipated across sectors of the eastern part of the island and the U.S. Virgin Islands, resulting in additional rainfall. Although the intensity and duration of showers during the day are not expected to be very significant, additional rain on already saturated soils could exacerbate flooding issues in sectors of eastern Puerto Rico. Therefore, for Thursday, there is a limited flood threat for the southeastern sections of Puerto Rico. As the day progresses, all the tropical moisture is expected to shift east of the island, pushed by a mass of dry air with precipitable water values below climatological normals. Additionally, a broad mid-level range will replace the divergent side of the trough, eroding the available moisture and resulting in more stable conditions. From Friday onwards, the island will mostly be dominated by high pressure in the western Atlantic, resulting in a northwest wind flow by early Friday. From Saturday into Monday, winds are forecasted to veer as the surface high pressure moves farther eastward into the Central Atlantic, becoming northeast by Sunday. && .AVIATION... (00Z) South-southwesterly low level winds between 10 to 20 kt will persist overnight, increasing at 15 to 25 kt with higher gusts aft 06/06Z. SCT SHRA/ Isold TSRA will move from the Southern Caribbean into PR/USVI after 06/06z, creating squally weather across the local flying area with prevailing VFR but occasional MVFR or IFR conditions psbl especially between 06/10z-06/22Z. && .MARINE... The interaction of two surface lows, one over the Northwest Atlantic and another near the Gulf of Mexico, and an approaching frontal boundary will promote fresh southerly winds overnight through Tuesday. The interaction of a deep- layer trough and the broad Atlantic ridge extending into the eastern Caribbean, will result in fresh to locally strong winds, hazardous seas and squally weather across the regional waters and passages from early tomorrow morning through early Thursday morning. The arrival of a northerly swell will aggravate the situation through the second part of the work-week. && .SJU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PR...Flood Watch from 6 AM AST Tuesday through late Wednesday night for PRZ001>013. VI...Flood Watch from 6 AM AST Tuesday through late Wednesday night for VIZ001-002. AM...Small Craft Advisory from 2 PM Tuesday to 8 AM AST Monday for AMZ711. Small Craft Advisory from 2 PM Tuesday to 3 AM AST Wednesday for AMZ716-723. Small Craft Advisory from 2 PM to 8 PM AST Tuesday for AMZ726. Small Craft Advisory from 8 PM Tuesday to 2 AM AST Thursday for AMZ741. && $$ $$