synopsis vaild UNTIL XXXXz

[cirrusmx]

FAs state that the synopsis is valid UNTIL x time. is that a statement saying that the forecast is only valid at x time or is it saying that the weather is tending towards a certain condition until x time??

 

[poadeleted20]

It means just what it says -- that the synopsis is valid until that time. It has nothing to do with the clouds/weather portion of the Area Forecast, and says nothing about where the fronts/highs/lows might go after that time.

 

[AggieMike88]

Yup... to repeat what Ron said, "...valid until that time" is the operative take away.

Then the outlook portion becomes valid.

 

[poadeleted20]

Yup... to repeat what Ron said, "...valid until that time" is the operative take away.

Then the outlook portion becomes valid.

The outlook is part of the clouds/weather portion, not part of the synopsis. The two sections of the Area Forecast (synopsis and clouds/weather/outlook) have different functions and different timing sets. As such, the valid times of the synopsis have nothing to do with when the outlook becomes valid. In fact, the outlook is valid for the last 6 hours of the 18-hour synopsis valid period, while the clouds/weather portion is valid for the first 12 hours of the synopsis portion.

 

[Hobobiker]

The outlook is part of the clouds/weather portion, not part of the synopsis. The two sections of the Area Forecast (synopsis and clouds/weather/outlook) have different functions and different timing sets. As such, the valid times of the synopsis have nothing to do with when the outlook becomes valid. In fact, the outlook is valid for the last 6 hours of the 18-hour synopsis valid period, while the clouds/weather portion is valid for the first 12 hours of the synopsis portion.

Good to know Ron. I hadn't really put that together yet and, honestly, the "Valid Times" of the prog charts was something that I had to do some mental gymnastics over while I was studying for my private.

Thanks!

 

[RyanB]

It means that wx information is valid until that time

 

[cirrusmx]

in contrast to the progs charts were they are valid at a time. I see it as a snapshot.

 

[poadeleted20]

It means that wx information is valid until that time

Not for prog charts. "Valid time" there means it's a snap-shot of where they expect everything to be at that specific time. As regards the synopsis portion of the Area Forecast, the same is essentially true -- the synopsis gives you verbal pictures of the surface analysis and 12-hour surface prog charts, which are both snap-shots, so in that regard, the "valid until" on the synopsis doesn't really mean much anyway.