000
FXUS62 KGSP 210233
AFDGSP

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
1033 PM EDT Wed Sep 20 2017

.SYNOPSIS...
A weak trough will move east of the area tonight and settle along
the southeast coast on Thursday. A gradual increase in more moist,
easterly flow is expected through the latter part of the work week.
Drier and stronger high pressure will settle across the region over
the weekend and likely persist through early next week, as Tropical
Systems Jose and Maria remain off the east coast.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
As of 1030 PM: Convection has completely waned within the CWFA, but
there are a couple of isolated storms to the NE, which look to be on
a dying trend. The latest SPC mesoanalysis page shows lingering CAPE
of around 1000 J/kg, but with plenty of CIN. The weakest CIN is in
the northern NC mountains, where the GOES RGB nighttime product shows
some ridgetop cu. So cannot rule out a stray shower over the next
couple of hours, but not enough to warrant any precip mention. So
going with a dry forecast for the rest of the night. Otherwise,
expect valley fog to develop again, which could be dense late. Temps
look on track, with mins a couple categories above normal.

A sharp ridge of high pressure will build over the inland parts
of the eastern CONUS on Thursday, while a shortwave will remain
on our southeast flank. Though the high will bring N to NE flow,
thermal advection is basically neutral, so max temps will remain
6 to 8 degrees above normal. Lapse rates won`t be quite as good in
the wake of the shortwave, but respectable instability still will
develop. Models mainly key on terrain as an initiation mechanism,
leading to chance range PoPs over the mountains and slight chance
in the Piedmont. Profiles feature a bit more moisture aloft but
sfc-midlevel theta-E lapses are progged to be sufficient for a tiny,
but nonzero, threat of damaging winds.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
As of 155 PM EDT Wednesday: An upper level trough axis will settle
along the southeast coastline Friday and linger through Saturday, as
a 590 dm ridge axis sets up from the Great Lakes to the MS Valley.
Low level easterly flow continues Friday into Saturday which should
help to focus the highest chance PoPs along the eastern slopes of
the mountains. Thus anticipate mainly diurnal, scattered ridge
top/eastern mountain convection both days with weak forcing and
limited moisture. Drier air moves into the NC Piedmont on this flow
Saturday limiting precip chances there, with better chances
remaining over the mountains, western Upstate and NE GA. SBCAPE
values should steadily recover to 1000 to 1500 J/kg across the
mountains to support a scattered thunder mention. Instability will
be lower elsewhere but high enough for thunder. Highs will be nearly
steady around 5 degrees above normal both days. With lows around 5
degrees above normal Friday morning falling a couple of degrees
Saturday morning.

&&

.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
As of 155 PM EDT Wednesday: the extended fcst picks up at 00z on
Sunday with persistent and highly amplified upper ridging in place
over the Eastern CONUS and steep upper trofing over the west. The
trof will gradually slide eastward thru the period and will begin to
flatten the ridge by the end of the period. At the sfc, very broad
high pressure will be in place to start the period. The remnants of
TS Jose will still be lingering off the New England Coast while TS
Maria is currently forecast to be due east of the Bahamas by early
Sunday. Maria is still expected to remain far enough off the east
coast to not have significant impacts on our fcst area. We will
remain under broad high pressure thru day 7 with predominately dry,
N to NELY low-lvl flow expected to persist. A cold front is expected
to approach the fcst area just beyond the fcst period early Thurs.
As for the sensible fcst, no major changes were needed. The period
should be mostly dry with temperatures starting out about a category
above normal and warming a few more degrees by the end of the period.

&&

.AVIATION /03Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
At KCLT and Elsewhere: The isolated convection that developed
earlier today is now dissipating quickly with loss of daytime
heating. Expect mostly clear skies and light winds. This should
support plenty of valley fog in the NC mountains overnight. So have
gone more pessimistic at KAVL with the 00z TAFs. Otherwise, VFR
conditions are expected at the other sites. Conditions Thursday
should be similar to today, with isolated to widely scattered
convection in the mountains and only a few stray showers and perhaps
isolated tstms in the piedmont. Will add PROB30 for TSRA at KAVL and
KHKY Thursday AFTN where the PoPs are highest. After daybreak, fog
will burn off and a VFR cu field will develop across the region.
Wind will stay light, favoring a N to NE direction at all sites.

Outlook: Chances for diurnally favored showers and thunderstorms
remain in the fcst thru Friday. Restrictions from early
morning fog across the northern NC Piedmont and foothills, as well
as in the mtn valleys, will also be a concern. Drier weather is
expected to return for the weekend.

Confidence Table...

            02-08Z        08-14Z        14-20Z        20-00Z
KCLT       High 100%     High 100%     High 100%     High 100%
KGSP       High 100%     High 100%     High 100%     High 100%
KAVL       High  95%     Low   25%     High  88%     High 100%
KHKY       High 100%     High 100%     High 100%     High 100%
KGMU       High 100%     High 100%     High 100%     High 100%
KAND       High 100%     High  95%     High 100%     High 100%

The percentage reflects the number of guidance members agreeing
with the scheduled TAF issuance flight rule category. Complete hourly
experimental aviation forecast consistency tables and ensemble forecasts
are available at the following link:

www.weather.gov/gsp/aviation

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...None.
NC...None.
SC...None.

&&

$$
SYNOPSIS...JPT
NEAR TERM...ARK/Wimberley
SHORT TERM...RWH
LONG TERM...JPT
AVIATION...ARK