Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wakefield, VA

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588 FXUS61 KAKQ 210736 AFDAKQ AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Wakefield VA 336 AM EDT Tue May 21 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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High pressure remains over the Mid-Atlantic region today. A summerlike pattern develops by the middle of the week as high pressure settles off the Southeast coast. A cold front approaches from the northwest Thursday with daily chances for showers and thunderstorms to end the week and into the weekend.
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&& .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/...
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As of 335 AM EDT Tuesday... Key Messages: - Areas of fog this morning. High pressure extends from the Mid-Atlantic to the coast of New England early this morning. Weak low pressure lingers well offshore of the Southeast coast. This combined with the high to the N is resulting in light onshore flow, which has allowed areas of stratus and fog to push onshore to about the I-95 corridor. Farther W over the Piedmont, fog is more patchy. Vsby is lowest over the Coastal Plain and over the Eastern Shore, and these areas will need to be monitored for a dense fog advisory over the next 1-2 hours. Temperatures early this morning primarily range through the 50s. High pressure will remain in vicinity of the coast today. Morning fog and stratus will gradually lift and dissipate lingering longest toward the coast. Becoming sunny with high temperatures ranging from the upper 60s to lower 70s along the coast with light onshore flow, to the lower 80s well inland.
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&& .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY/...
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As of 335 AM EDT Tuesday... Key Messages: - Dry Tuesday and Wednesday with a noticeable warming trend. - An approaching cold front brings chances showers and thunderstorms Thursday, a few of which could be strong to severe. High pressure nudges offshore tonight. Some patchy fog/stratus is possible, especially toward the coast, with less coverage than early this morning. Otherwise, mostly clear tonight with lows in the mid 50s to around 60F. High pressure settles off the Southeast coast Wednesday into Thursday. More summerlike conditions arrive as 850mb temperatures rise to 16-17C, which will support highs in the upper 80s to around 90F away from the coast both days. A lighter wind, still SSE will keep highs in the mid 70s to around 80F along the coast Wednesday, with highs into the upper 70s to mid 80s Thursday along the coast as the wind becomes more southwesterly. Meanwhile, dewpoints are expected to be in the lower to mid 60s Wednesday, and then mid to upper 60s by Thursday. Mild, mostly clear, and modestly humid Wednesday night with lows in the mid to upper 60s. Dry Wednesday through midday Thursday. A shortwave trough and cold front will approach from the NW by Thursday afternoon. This will bring a trigger for showers/tstms into a moderately unstable airmass with strong surface heating. This combined with 500mb flow of 30-40kt could result in a few stronger to severe tstms.
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&& .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
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As of 335 AM EDT Tuesday... Key Message: - Remaining warm, but unsettled, for Friday into the weekend. The cold front stalls in vicinity of the Mid-Atlantic region Thursday night into the weekend and early next week as it become aligned parallel to WSW flow aloft. There is a potential for a series of shortwave troughs to track through the mid/upper level flow bringing daily chances of mainly afternoon/evening showers/tstms. Friday still should be rather hot with highs in the mid to upper 80s, with high temperatures trending down to the lower 80s Saturday and lower to mid 80s Sunday and Monday. Low temperatures will primarily be in the mid to upper 60s.
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&& .AVIATION /08Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... As of 155 AM EDT Tuesday... High pressure is centered from the Mid-Atlantic to the New England coast as of 06z, with low pressure well off the Southeast coast. This is resulting in light onshore flow, which has resulted in areas of IFR/LIFR stratus pushing onshore. IFR/LIFR conditions are expected to prevail through early morning with vsby dropping to 1/2-2sm, with 1/4sm possible at SBY. High pressure remains in vicinity of the coast Tuesday. Cigs/vsby are expected to slowly improve during the morning lingering longest along the coast. High pressure becomes centered immediately offshore tonight with some patchy stratus/fog possible, especially toward the coast. Dry Wednesday through most of Thursday with prevailing VFR conditions. A cold front approaches from the NW later Thursday aftn bringing a chc of showers/tstms. This front lingers over the area Friday into Saturday with a chc of mainly aftn/evening showers/tstms continuing. && .MARINE... As of 245 PM EDT Monday... Key Messages: -Moderate rip current risk expected for the southern beaches on Tuesday. - Generally quiet marine conditions continuing for much of the week. High pressure continues to build into the local area this afternoon, which is pushing an area of low pressure further southeast away from our waters. Wind is generally E/NE at 8-12kt with a few gusts to 15kts. Afternoon seas are 3-4ft across the north with 4-5ft along the southern coastal waters. Waves in the Bay remain around 1-2ft. With relatively benign conditions expected on the marine side for most of the week, expect seas and waves to persist at the aforementioned levels, with perhaps the southern seas coming down to 3-4ft as well. The high pressure will slide offshore later this week ahead of an incoming frontal system turning the winds more SSW, but they should remain below SCA thresholds. The cold front will settle into the region Thursday and into the weekend bringing a chance of scattered showers and storms each day. A high risk of rip currents continues for the rest of the day for the southern beaches, with a moderate risk for the northern beaches. Expecting the rip forecast for tomorrow to "come down" to moderate for the southern beaches and low for the northern beaches as the wind relaxes and nearshore waves gradually subside. && .HYDROLOGY...
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As of 335 AM EDT Tuesday... Water is gradually moving downstream on the Nottoway River, with Sebrell in minor flood stage early this morning. The river will likely stay in flood this morning before falling below flood stage later today. Rainfall from the weekend may cause localized rises in other rivers, but all remaining sites should stay below action stage.
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&& .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... As of 245 PM EDT Monday... Another round of nuisance to minor tidal flooding is expected to occur during the higher astronomical high tide tonight as tidal anomalies remain 1.0-1.5ft above astronomical, particularly for the middle Chesapeake Bay and tidal portions of the Rappahannock River and southern shore of the tidal Potomac. Thus, a Coastal Flood Statement has been issued for these locations, as well as the upper James area, for tonight`s high tide cycle. A similar pattern will continue through midweek as the higher astronomical high tides will remain elevated over the next several days. && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...None. NC...None. VA...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...SW NEAR TERM...AJZ SHORT TERM...AJZ LONG TERM...AJZ AVIATION...AJZ MARINE...AJZ/JKP HYDROLOGY...AKQ TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...AKQ