


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Raleigh/Durham, NC
Issued by NWS Raleigh/Durham, NC
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-- Highlight Changed Discussion --
-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --425 FXUS62 KRAH 022349 AFDRAH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Raleigh NC 745 PM EDT Wed Jul 2 2025 .SYNOPSIS...-- Changed Discussion --A mid and upper-level trough and accompanying surface cold front will move slowly eastward across the Middle Atlantic and Carolinas through Thursday morning. High pressure will build over the region Thursday through Saturday.-- End Changed Discussion --&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 140 PM Wednesday... * Widespread torrential showers and storms will shift east of the forecast area over the next few hours. Scattered shallow showers remain possible through this evening along the cold front. Water vapor imagery and RAP analysis prominently shows the positively-tilted through axis extending down through the Mid- Atlantic in the Southeast with a plume of anomalous deep-layer moisture draped over the Carolinas towards the Delmarva Peninsula. Surface dew points in the mid 70s and breaks in cloud cover, especially from the Triangle eastward, has resulted in tall, skinny instability profiles with 1500 to 2000 J/kg of MLCAPE. Within the past few hours, convective temperatures have been reached across the warm sector and allowed numerous showers and scattered storms to develop in addition to the ongoing more localized convection surrounding several MCVs that are rotating through the Triangle and northern Sandhills. This activity is expected to gradually shift eastward towards the coast through this afternoon and clearing the I-95 corridor by around 5PM with only isolated/scattered convection through 8-10PM. The primary concern though 5PM will be torrential downpours, which will be capable to backbuilding/training over the same area for a period of time. This will result in a risk for isolated to scattered flash flooding, especially in urban areas. Most locations should experience 0.1-1" with the potential for 2-3" where the deepest storms develop. However, where backbuilding/training occurs, locally as much as 5" will certainly be possible. Lows tonight will remain mild and settle in the upper 60s to low 70s. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT/... As of 140 PM Wednesday... * Minimal coverage in diurnal showers Thursday with a return of above normal temperatures. Quieter weather is expected with only a weak shear axis rippling through the westerly flow aloft to act as much synoptic forcing. Drier air through the depth of the troposphere will be deposited over central NC and should limit coverage/intensity of any afternoon showers/storms. Best chances will be down across the Coastal Plain into the Sandhills where closer proximity to PWAT around 1.5" and MLCAPE 1000-2000 J/kg may be able to overcome the dry air aloft. Otherwise, less cloud cover and minimal airmass change behind the cold front will result in above average temperatures with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s. Overnight lows will be similarly mild in the upper 60s to low 70s. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... As of 230 PM Wednesday... * Mostly dry conditions on Friday and Saturday, with afternoon rain chances increasing Sunday through Wednesday. * Near normal temperatures expected. Friday and Saturday the region will be under the influence of high pressure and upper level ridging. This should keep the forecast mostly dry, with just a slight chance of showers and storms in the far southeast each afternoon. Diurnal rain chances increase again starting Sunday afternoon for the rest of the long term. This is in part due to the potential tropical development off the coast. There is still a lot of uncertainty with if a tropical system will form, but regardless of formation, increased moisture will move back into the region which will allow for an increased chance of showers and thunderstorms each afternoon from Sunday to Wednesday. Temperatures should be within 5 degrees of normal each day in the long term. On Friday, maximum temperatures should be in the upper 80s to low 90s. From Saturday to Monday, highs should be in the upper 80s to around 90, increasing to low to mid 90s on Tuesday and Wednesday. Along with this, heat indices should be in the upper 80s to mid 90s from Friday to Monday, with heat indices over 100 possible starting on Tuesday. Lows should generally be in the upper 60s to low 70s each night. && .AVIATION /00Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...-- Changed Discussion --As of 745 PM Wednesday... Scattered storms will weaken and move out of the RDU, FAY, and RWI areas by mid evening. Otherwise, skies are expected to gradually clear, albeit briefly, before fog/stratus quickly fills into the area. Patchy fog will be most probable at RDU, GSO, and INT with predominantly stratus favored at RWI, FAY, and RDU. Although, cloud bases around RWI and FAY have a high probability of lowering towards airport minimums by early Thursday morning. After 00Z Thursday: Fair weather low-end VFR cumulus will be probable Thurs afternoon with isolated showers/storms possible, less than 30%, around FAY. Predominantly VFR conditions expected through Sat with a return to diurnally maximized showers/storms Sun into early next week.-- End Changed Discussion --&& .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...np NEAR TERM...Swiggett SHORT TERM...Swiggett LONG TERM...Helock AVIATION...Badgett/Swiggett