


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Newport/Morehead, NC
Issued by NWS Newport/Morehead, NC
412 FXUS62 KMHX 051100 AFDMHX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC 700 AM EDT Sun Oct 5 2025 .SYNOPSIS... High pressure currently centered to the north will push offshore over the next few days eventually allowing for return flow to set up once again. This will bring very warm temperatures and generally dry conditions to ENC into the beginning of next week. Cold front approaches during the middle of next week increasing chances at unsettled weather. High pressure builds in behind the cold front. King Tides are expected Tuesday to Saturday. && .NEAR TERM /Today/... As of 7 AM Sun...No big changes needed with AM update. Prev disc... As of 3 AM Sun...Any morning dense fog is forecast to erode this morning within an hour or so after sunrise with yet another warm fall day on tap. Surface high pressure continues to push further offshore but continues to extend into the Carolinas bringing dry weather and light E`rly winds to the area. Low level thicknesses increase ever so slightly today resulting in highs in the low 80s inland and mid to upper 70s along the immediate coast and OBX, which is only several degrees above climo for the first week of October. Sct to bkn 4-5k cloud deck will persist for much of today. && .SHORT TERM /Tonight/... As of 3 AM Sun...Another threat for late night/early morning fog as wx pattern remains persistent. Calm to light erly flow will cont overnight, with temps in the 50s interior to low/mid 60s coast. Attm, the best bet for fog will be in the nwrn coastal plain counties, where HREF probs for vsby <= 1/2 mile are 40-60%. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... As of 1 AM Sunday...Sfc high pressure will be centered off the Mid- Atlantic coast while upper ridging continues across the Eastern CONUS into early next week. Light easterly winds continue Monday and Tuesday, becoming more southeasterly ahead of an approaching cold front. Temps remain near to slightly above normal through Tuesday and early next week with highs in the low to mid 80s. By the middle of next week, the upper ridge breaks down as a strong northern stream trough digs into the Northern Plains and Midwest with sfc high pressure migrating farther offshore and a sfc cold front approaching from the NW bringing increasing chances of showers and maybe even one or two thunderstorms across the region. Instability is lacking, but the strong forcing may be enough to overcome the lack of instability for isolated weak thunderstorm formation. Progressive nature of showers ahead of the front will prevent any flooding concerns. Behind this cold front, high pressure builds in and strong pressure gradient sets up. This will result in gusty NE winds, highest over coastal zones. The gusty winds and higher seas (if materialized) paired with king tides would bring coastal flooding concerns. See Coastal Flooding section for more information. Front stalls offshore near the gulf stream after passing through Thursday. Upper level trough then moves through over the weekend, which may help spin up a coastal low along this stalled front late in the weekend. Substantial model uncertainty exists with the possible coastal low formation, so trends will have to be monitored in the coming days. && .AVIATION /12Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... SHORT TERM /through tonight/... As of 7 AM Sun...Periods of fog and low stratus again this morning. Best chance will be at KPGV. Other terminals likely to see tempo reductions in IFR or LIFR conditions. Fog should burn off within an hour or so after sunrise. Skies will be sct/bkn today with cloud decks of 4-5k ft as some strato cu works it`s way wwrd off the Atlantic waters. Chances for fog/low stratus again late tonight through early Mon. Attm, best chances will once again be for KPGV, where probs for 1/2 mi or less are 40-60%. LONG TERM /Monday through Thursday/... As of 1 AM Sunday...Pred VFR conditions expected through Tuesday with high pressure dominating. E winds will be less than 15 kt through Tuesday. Cannot rule out patchy late night fog early next week when winds will be weaker and low levels decouple overnight. Wednesday winds becoming southeasterly ahead of an approaching cold front. Cold front may bring scattered showers and a few rumbles of thunder Wednesday PM, temporarily lowering cigs and vis. Behind this front, gusty NE winds are expected. && .MARINE... SHORT TERM /through Sunday night/... As of 7 AM Sun...Will allow SCA to expire at 7a for all but central leg of coastal waters as seas have subsided below 6 ft. Prev disc...As of 1 AM Sunday...Benign wind field is forecast through the period as high pressure gradually shifts offshore promoting NE-E`rly winds at 5-15 kts. Seas continue lessening, currently 3-5 ft except for some 6 footers near the Gulf Stream. Will likely end SCAs for all coastal waters except for Cape Hatteras to Ocracoke at 7am this morning to reflect the decreasing seas. No rain in the forecast through Sunday night thanks to the high pressure. LONG TERM /Monday through Thursday/... As of 1 AM Sunday...High pressure migrates offshore over the weekend with easterly winds around 15 kt or less through Monday, then veers to SE Tuesday PM. Gulf stream could continue to see some 6 footers through Monday, before waves become 5 ft or less Monday night. Tuesday and early Wednesday we should be below 6ft across all coastal waters as boating conditions become much more pleasant than the past couple days. Wednesday PM into early Thursday a cold front moves through, bringing chances of rain ahead of it, and gusty NE winds behind it as high pressure moves in. Current expectation is for NE gusts around 30 knots for most marine zones. If the fcst trends higher, we would be reaching gale force wind gusts Thursday and Friday. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... As of 1 AM Sunday... King Tides and potential for strong NE flow mid to late next week: This week we enter a king tide cycle, with astronomically high tides. The highest tides are expected from Tuesday (10/7) to Saturday (10/11), peaking Thursday. Accounting just for the king tides, minor coastal flooding is expected for typical vulnerable low lying locales. However, there is potential for strong NE wind gusts behind a cold front Thursday and Friday. This would help waves build along the coast, and may also help push some water towards the southern Pamlico Sound and Neuse river. There is still decent uncertainty on the strength of the winds, but should they materialize as forecast, or greater, the compounding effects of strong winds, higher seas, and king tides could cause greater impacts for areas with vulnerable dune structures along OBX Thursday and Friday. && .MHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...Beach Hazards Statement through this evening for NCZ196- 203>205. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 7 AM EDT this morning for AMZ152- 156-158. Small Craft Advisory until 1 AM EDT Tuesday for AMZ154. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MHX NEAR TERM...TL SHORT TERM...TL LONG TERM...RJ AVIATION...TL/RJ MARINE...TL/RJ TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...MHX