Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wakefield, VA
Issued by NWS Wakefield, VA
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172 FXUS61 KAKQ 182335 AFDAKQ AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Wakefield VA 635 PM EST Tue Nov 18 2025 .SYNOPSIS... High pressure moves offshore into this evening ahead of a low pressure system, which will bring a quick chance of rain tonight through early Wednesday morning. Primarily dry Wednesday and Thursday as high pressure returns. Another low pressure system will bring chances for light rain Friday Night into Saturday. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... As of 630 PM EST Tuesday... Key Messages: - Brief round of rain showers moves through the area tonight. Greatest rainfall north of RIC to MD Eastern Shore. Low pressure over the MS/OH valley will move east and across the region tonight. This will allow a warm front with associated isentropic lift to pass across the area bringing a brief round of rain showers across mainly VA and MD overnight. Latest radar imagery shows some showers to the north of Richmond. Dry sub- cloud airmass continues to limit the precip reaching the ground. Dew points have started to increase allowing some saturation, but rainfall totals currently are still less than 0.05". Highest chances for rain (categorical PoPs) will remain across the far north into the lower MD eastern shore overnight due to the best frontogentical forcing and isentropic lift. Rainfall amounts as high as 0.25-0.5" possible in this area. In fact, there is about a 40% probability of at least 0.5" rainfall in SBY overnight. Lesser amounts of precip further south, with less than a 0.10" likely along/south of the VA/NC border. Only about a 25% probability of at least 0.10" near the VA/NC border and about a 10% probability of 0.10" in Bertie County. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... As of 130 PM EST Tuesday... Key Messages: - Dry through Thursday with a chance for rain later Friday. There may be a few lingering showers at the coast early Wednesday morning. Otherwise, high pressure will build across the region into Thursday leading to dry conditions. The NAM suggests that the eastern shore may see some light drizzle Wed night due to cyclonic onshore flow around the surface low offshore, but for now will just keep areas closer to the coast mostly cloudy. Another weak area of low pressure develops across the TN Valley which will allow another weak front to move northward across the area. This may bring small chances for showers Friday into Friday night but the rainfall should be light depending on where the baroclinic zone sets up. At this time, the best chances for rain will be across the north. Seasonable temperatures expected with mid 50s north to upper 60s/lower 70s south on Wednesday. Mid 50s to mid 60s on Thursday. Lows staying in the upper 30s and 40s. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 235 PM EST Tuesday... Key Messages: - Other than small chances for rain showers Saturday morning,Sunday through Tuesday is expected to be dry. A weak frontal boundary is expected to move through the area Saturday which will keep small chances for rain especially in the morning. High pressure builds across the area for the reminder of the week leading to dry weather through Tuesday. Once again, seasonable temperatures with highs in the 60s and lows in the upper 30s and 40s. No appreciable chances for below freezing temperatures through the middle of next week at least. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... As of 630 PM EST Tuesday... VFR conditions currently across all major terminals to start the 00z/19 TAF period. A warm front will move through the area tonight along with light rain showers. A few showers have begun to make their way across the northern portions of the area this evening moving eastward, although most precip is being absorbed by the dry sub-cloud airmass and not reaching the ground and limiting rainfall amounts. All sites are expected to remain VFR throughout the system except SBY where CIGs/VSBYs are expected to drop to MVFR overnight as the more moderate rainfall moves through. Any rainfall will be short lived as the front moves through around sunrise on Wednesday. MVFR conditions will likely continue at SBY through the morning due to deeper low level moisture further north. Winds will shift out of the NW in the morning at 5-10 kt. Outlook: Mainly VFR Wednesday night and Thursday as weak high pressure builds back into the area. Another chance for light rain arrives Friday into Saturday with the next system, which could lead to flight restrictions. && .MARINE... As of 235 PM EDT Tuesday... Key Messages: - Generally benign marine conditions are expected through Friday and into the weekend with multiple brief, sub-SCA surges High pressure is situated along the local coast and winds have diminished in response. Latest obs show 5-10kt with some variation in direction, but mostly onshore. Seas are currently 2-3 ft, with waves generally measuring 1ft or less. The aforementioned high will continue to gradually move eastward, ejecting into the western North Atlantic by this evening. Benign marine conditions will continue through the remainder of the week. While winds will briefly increase again by mid-week, SCA conditions are not expected at this time. A cold front is forecast to move across the area Friday night into Saturday, which would could bring a period of SCA conditions to the local waters, though CAA looks to be on the weaker side, confidence in higher winds continues to decrease. Have kept the wind forecast below SCA through the weekend and into early next week. Seas will remain in the 2-3 ft range through the end of the week, while waves will be in the 1-2 ft range. Behind the front this weekend, seas are forecast to build to 3-4 ft, with waves in the Bay building to 2-3 ft (highest at the mouth of the Bay). && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...None. NC...None. VA...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MRD NEAR TERM...KMC/MRD SHORT TERM...MRD LONG TERM...MRD AVIATION...KMC/MRD MARINE...AC/NB