Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Raleigh/Durham, NC

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185 FXUS62 KRAH 111925 AFDRAH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Raleigh NC 325 PM EDT Tue Jun 11 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Weak high pressure over the Ohio River Valley will drift east, eventually moving offshore by Wednesday night. Friday could be the hottest day of the year so far before a cold front brings some cooler temperatures for the weekend. && .NEAR TERM /TONIGHT/... As of 155 PM Tuesday... Diurnal cumulus is beginning to fill in this afternoon across the forecast area. Forecast soundings still show a very narrow layer of saturation occurring late in the afternoon into the early evening hours. 00Z high-resolution models showed some small areas of precipitation just skirting eastern Halifax and Edgecombe counties, and more recent high-resolution models have managed to even trim that coverage a bit more, keeping precipitation east of the forecast area. Have decided to keep the minimal pops in the forecast, which peak during the late afternoon, with any mention of showers/storms removed from the forecast after sunset. Overnight lows should be similar to last night, with values ranging from the mid 50s to the mid 60s. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... As of 155 PM Tuesday... A broad surface high will be over the mid-Atlantic states, continuing to bring an easterly component to the low level wind. Dewpoints will start to rise a bit, with nearly all locations into the 60s. There will still be minimal forcing for ascent, so the forecast remains dry in all locations, although there will likely be greater coverage of diurnal cumulus clouds during the day. With wind out of the southeast, highs will creep up a couple degrees on Wednesday, with all locations in the 80s and a few southern locations touching the 90 degree mark. Similarly, all locations will fall in the 60s Wednesday night. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
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As of 325 PM Tuesday... Largely dry weather is expected through this period, with a roller coaster of temps: hot, then seasonably cool, then above normal again. Thu/Thu night: The surface frontal zone and any offshore low along the front will be well to our SE and S, with surface high pressure centered over the NW Atlantic nosing SW through central NC. Aloft, very weak/baggy shortwave troughing over NC (as the westerlies hold well to our N) will give way to rising heights as the ridge over AZ/NM and N Mex begins to build eastward. We`ll be within a fairly low PW environment with no opportunity for moisture transport into the area and increasing stability aloft, so will keep a dry forecast. Low level thicknesses are just a bit above normal, but with abundant sunshine (clouds should be limited to sct high-based flat cu with deep mixing), highs will be near a category above normal, upper 80s to lower 90s. Lows in the 60s. Fri through Sat night: A profound shortwave trough will swing through the Great Lakes, St Lawrence Valley, and Northeast Fri through Sat morning, which will drive a corresponding surface cold front SSE through NC late Fri night through Sat morning. The NBM and LREF members suggest that our extreme SE could see an afternoon storm Sat near the front if it slows its progression, and have kept an isolated thunderstorm risk in the far SE Sat, but even this may be too high. Fri will be another hot day with above normal thicknesses and narrowing and weakening surface ridging across the area plus weak NW flow aloft still limiting prefrontal moisture transport. Once again, clouds both days should be restricted to a few high-based afternoon cu and perhaps a few wispy high clouds. Highs will be in the low-mid 90s across the board, with warm lows Fri night in the upper 60s to lower 70s, pushing our HeatRisk into the Moderate category over much of the forecast area, indicating a health threat for sensitive and vulnerable individuals. The Moderate HeatRisk shifts to just our southern sections Sat, where highs will be in the low-mid 90s, versus the upper 80s/near 90 across the N where the cooler air post-front will arrive earlier. Lows will be back into the 60s Sat night as less humid and cooler high pressure builds in from the N. Sun-Tue: Continued dry with temps rebounding back above normal. The surface high pressure will shift off the Northeast and Mid Atlantic coast Sun and continue to drift E through Tue while extending back across NC. Gradually increasing onshore flow in the low levels from the E and SE will bring increasing clouds, mainly across the S and W, heading into early next week, with a risk of upslope-assisted precip by the time we get to Tue. Will have dry weather through early Tue, then just a slight chance in the W Tue afternoon. Expect highs in the mid 80s to lower 90s Sun/Mon, then upper 80s-mid 90s Tue. -GIH
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&& .AVIATION /17Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... As of 1245 PM Tuesday... Aside from some patchy fog early Wednesday morning, expect predominately dry, VFR conditions through the forecast period. Diurnal heating and lift underneath a rather strong mid level capping inversion will result in the development of an extensive strato cu field this afternoon, and especially Wednesday. Light northerly winds today will become south or southeasterly Wednesday. Outlook: Generally dry fair weather is expected through the weekend, with the potential for some late night/daybreak fog and stratus. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Green NEAR TERM...Green SHORT TERM...Green LONG TERM...Hartfield AVIATION...CBL