Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Charleston, SC
Issued by NWS Charleston, SC
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710 FXUS62 KCHS 271007 AFDCHS Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston SC 607 AM EDT Mon May 27 2024 .SYNOPSIS... A cold front will move into the region tonight and stall into mid week. High pressure will return for the second half of the week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... No major changes were made for the sunrise update. Still expect the MCS moving into west and northwest Georgia to weaken once it gets into central Georgia. Today through This Evening: A potentially complex convective scenario will unfold across the Southeast U.S. today as a cold front approaches from the west. It is unknown how the convective pattern will evolve this afternoon and evening with a number of complex interactions expected to occur over the next 18 hours. This is leading to below normal forecaster confidence. Early this morning, a well organized mesoscale convective system (MCS) is trekking across the Tennessee Valley and will move into parts of the Deep South and Southeast U.S. through daybreak. The MCS should slowly weaken with time as it gradually encounters an increasingly unfavorable environment across central and eastern portions of South Carolina and Georgia featuring building convective inhibition (CINH) within an increasingly drier lower troposphere. Guidance is similar is keeping the bulk of any significant measurable rainfall well to the west and northwest through early afternoon. There are signals, however, that a few light remnant rain showers with possibly a rumble or two of thunder could penetrate interior Southeast Georgia into portions of Allendale, Hampton and northern Colleton Counties by early afternoon as an increasingly diffuse outflow boundary mixes out somewhere across the interior. Slight chance pops were utilized to highlight this possibility. Despite increasing 0-6 km bulk shear, no severe weather should occur as convection should become increasingly shallow within a relatively dry environment characterized by meager 850 hPa theta-e and K-indices in the single digits. Attention shifts to late this afternoon into this evening as a cold front draws closer to the region and the thermodynamic environment across Southeast South Carolina and Southeast Georgia becomes increasingly more favorable for the development and maintenance of deep convection. While the 27/00z CAMs are similar in showing convection increasing across the area late, it remains unclear exactly where convective initiation to the west will occur, which will have downstream implications across the forecast area due to possible complex mesoscale boundary interactions. Despite these unknowns, the CAM consensus is showing some degree of convection impacting much of Southeast South Carolina and Southeast Georgia. Similar to the location of convective initiation, timing is a bit uncertain, although a number of the members point to 6 PM to 11 PM as the window for best coverage of showers/tstms across the region. Pops were increased to 50% percent for most areas during this time, but were capped until near term guidance supports a better, more consolidated signal. Corridors of higher pops will likely be needed for some areas later today as convective trends become more apparent. The troposphere will quickly moisten with time as the cold front gets closer. The advection of 850 theta-e will bring a ribbon of higher quality moisture in from the west as convection steadily builds. This coupled with strengthening 0-6km bulk shear and building net mixed-layer instability owing to strong insolation during the afternoon will support continued upscale growth along one or multiple convective clusters as they move west-east across Southeast South Carolina and Southeast Georgia. DCAPE of 1200-1500 J/kg will support a risk for damaging winds. If cold pools can develop and mature, there is a risk that more organized damaging wind threat could evolve as a few of the CAMs suggest. In addition, WBZ heights around 11-12.0 kt and a sizable HCAPE area noted on modified soundings will support large hail in the most intense updrafts. Hail size may be limited somewhat by the warm boundary layer conditions that are expected today as temperatures in the lower 90s. Most of Southeast South Carolina and Southeast Georgia has been outlooked in a slight risk with the early morning day 1 WFO guidance convective outlook per earlier coordination with the Storm Prediction Center (SPC). At this time, the risk for severe weather looks greatest across the interior as some data suggests some degree of mid-level capping could hold across the coastal counties thus limiting the severe potential somewhat there. Much will depend on how organized activity to the west becomes. Overnight: The risk for severe weather should end before midnight with rain slowly ending from west-east as the night progresses. The cold front is progged to push offshore shortly after sunrise Tuesday. Overnight lows will range from the upper 60s well inland to the mid 70s at the beaches. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... A cold front will get hung up near the coast on Tuesday. This could serve as a focus for a few showers and thunderstorms, mainly along the South Carolina coast, but even then coverage looks sparse with most places staying dry. Not much of an air mass change with temperatures again peaking in the lower 90s. Lows Tuesday night are mainly in the mid to upper 60s. Surface trough redevelops over the region on Wednesday before high pressure builds Wednesday night and Thursday. Aloft, broad troughing remains over the eastern U.S. Potential for precip looks too low for explicit mention so a dry forecast persists both days. Highs in the upper 80s/near 90 Wednesday will be notably cooler in the low/mid 80s for Thursday. Lows Wednesday night will be in the 60s. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... High pressure will be the dominant surface feature Friday through the weekend. Aloft, the trough axis initially along the East Coast will shift offshore, allowing a ridge to build over the region. It looks to be a fairly quiet period with just low- end (20%) diurnal rain chances and seasonable temperatures. && .AVIATION /09Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... 27/12z TAF Discussion: KCHS/KJZI/KSAV: VFR for much of the period. There remains some uncertainty on how an area of showers/tstms ahead of a cold front will evolve this afternoon/evening. There is general consensus that the 00-04z time frame remains the primary impact window for all three terminals. For now, TEMPO groups for MVFR conditions in TSRA will be included for all terminals during that period. Further adjustments will most certainly be needed in later forecast cycles as convective trends become more apparent. Extended Aviation Outlook: Predominantly VFR. && .MARINE... Today: Southerly winds will increase this afternoon as a cold front approaches and a modest sea breeze takes shape along the beaches. Winds are expected to surge to 15 kt with gusts to 20 kt in all legs, including the Charleston Harbor. The only exception will be the South Santee-Edisto Beach nearshore leg where a solid 15-20 kt appears likely. Conditions should remain below Small Craft Advisory thresholds, although locally rough conditions could occur in the Charleston Harbor the counterflow created by onshore winds and the outgoing tide. Seas will average 2-3 ft. Tonight: Winds will gradually subside to 10-15 kt with seas 2-3 ft. Convection will push offshore later this evening and overnight as the cold front draws closer. These storms could pose a risk to mariners with gusts in excess of 35 kt, hail and frequent cloud-to-water lightning. Tuesday through Saturday: No notable marine concerns are expected through late week. A cold front will get hung up near the coast into midweek before high pressure returns for the latter half of the week. Wind speeds average 15 knots or less and seas largely stay in the 1-3 foot range. && .CLIMATE... Record High Minimum Temperatures: May 27: KCHS: 76/1991 KCXM: 79/2019 KSAV: 77/1878 && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && $$