Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wakefield, VA

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000 FXUS61 KAKQ 221955 AFDAKQ AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Wakefield VA 355 PM EDT Mon Apr 22 2024 .SYNOPSIS... High pressure centered over the lower Mississippi Valley will build east this evening, and settle over the local area by Tuesday morning. The high will slide off the Carolina coast later Tuesday, followed by a weak cold front pushing through the region on Wednesday. Strong high pressure builds from the eastern Great Lakes eastward to off the New England coast Thursday through Friday. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 330 PM EDT Monday... The latest WX analysis indicates ~1025mb sfc high pressure centered across the lower MS Valley, with sfc low pressure well off the SE US coast. Aloft, a trough that extends down into GA is pushing towards the coast, and will push offshore by early this evening. A NNE low level flow along with some colder air aloft has led to SCT-BKN cumulus cloud cover lingering in SE VA and NE NC in addition to the mid/high clouds. Temperatures remain rather cool, ranging from the low-mid 50s at the coast in the SE, to the lower 60s along the I-95 corridor. The cloud cover will continue to diminish through the late aftn and the sky will be mostly clear all areas towards sunset. The sfc high pressure system becomes centered over the local area later tonight, allowing for a clear sky, light winds, and good radiational cooling conditions. This will allow for the sfc dew pts to rise several degrees (from the 20s into the lower 30s) after sunset, conducive for frost formation. Will go a few degrees below NBM, with forecast lows will be in the low- mid 30s over rural areas W of the Chesapeake Bay (upper 30s in more urban portions). Near the coast, lows will generally be in the upper 30s to lower 40s. The Frost Advisory has been expanded a few counties to the E Chesapeake/Suffolk, etc.) given the favorable position of the sfc high into the coastal plain of SE VA and NE NC. Will also mention patchy frost another tier to the Bay (outside of urban Hampton Roads) and across the MD eastern shore. Mainly sunny with just a few high clouds on Tuesday as the sfc high drifts off the Carolina coast by aftn. This will allow for a SSW wind ~10mph well inland by aftn (with a bit more of an onshore flow near the coast)> highs will warm into the lower 70s well inland, with mid to upper 60s near the coast. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/...
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As of 345 PM EDT Monday... Increasing clouds move in overnight Tue into Wed morning in advance of the next cold front, keeping lows much milder and ranging from the mid/upper 40s over interior southern VA/NE NC, to the lower 50s elsewhere. Goof model agreement with the main sfc low tracking east through Quebec into northern New England on Wednesday, dragging a cold front through the local area during the aftn. This system will be moisture starved for areas east of the Appalachians and S of the Mason Dixon, with low level flow turning westerly rather quickly. As such, PoPs will only be 25-30% N and ~15-20% S. It will be well mixed and warmer, with highs into the mid to upper 70s SE to the lower 70s N/NW. The front pushes SSE of the area Wed night, with sfc high pressure building eastward across the Great Lakes. There will be enough mixing to keep temperatures from dropping off too much except over the N/NW zones. Lows will be in the upper 30s/around 40F NW to the upper 40s SE. High pressure will build from the eastern Great Lakes eastward to off the New England coast Thu through Fri. Mostly sunny and cool Thu with highs ranging from the upper 50s to mid 60s. Clear/mostly clear Thu night with lows ranging from the mid 30s to mid 40s. Patchy frost will be possible, mainly over the northern 1/2 of the FA from the piedmont to e-central VA and the eastern shore.
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&& .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
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As of 430 AM EDT Monday... Partly to mostly sunny on Fri with highs ranging through the 60s to near 70. Partly to mostly cloudy Fri night with lows ranging through the 40s into the lower 50s. There could be isolated showers across the N Sat into Sun morning, as a weak warm front lifts into/across the area. Highs on Sat in the upper 60s to mid 70s. Lows Sat night in the lower to mid 50s. Warmer on Sun, as an upper level ridge amplifies across the ern CONUS. Highs on Sun in the mid 70s to lower 80s.
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&& .AVIATION /20Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
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As of 200 PM EDT Monday... VFR this aftn through tonight and Tuesday. NNE winds 10-15kt along the coast (and 5-10kt inland), will become light/variable tonight and then shift to the SSW inland Tue aftn (E-SE near the coast). Outlook: VFR conditions will continue Tue night. There is a minimal chance for showers Wed, but conditions will primarily stay VFR. Dry/VFR conditions Thu-Sat.
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&& .MARINE...
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As of 330 PM EDT Monday... Surface analysis shows broad high pressure stretching from eastern TX NE into the Ohio Valley with deepening low pressure now well off the NC coast. Winds continue to slowly decrease today and now average N 10-15 kt over the local waters. Waves in the bay are 1-3 ft (highest near the mouth). Seas offshore range from 3-4 ft N to 5- 7 ft S. Higher seas continue to hang on across the southern coastal waters despite decreasing wind speeds. Opted to extend the SCA for the ocean south of Cape Charles Light until 7pm with the waters south of the VA/NC border extended until 10pm (this zone may require another extension this evening as seas are notoriously slow to subside here even in weak NE winds). Otherwise, quiet marine weather is expected tonight into Tuesday. Secondary low pressure deepens along the stalled front well offshore late Tuesday and will keep some enhanced 8-10 second E-SE swell moving toward the coast, likely necessitating another round of SCA for all/most of the coastal waters Tue night. Meanwhile, a mainly dry cold front approaches from the west late Tuesday into Wednesday. A re-tightening of the surface pressure gradient results in increasing SW winds to around 15 kt, though some low-end SCA may also be needed in the Bay and lower James River. The front moves through the region Wednesday night into early Thursday, with increasing N winds and potential for SCA headlines in its wake.
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&& .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...None. NC...Frost Advisory from 2 AM to 8 AM EDT Tuesday for NCZ012>014- 030. VA...Frost Advisory from 2 AM to 8 AM EDT Tuesday for VAZ048- 060>062-064>069-075-076-079>083-087>090-092-093-096-097- 509>522. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 7 PM EDT this evening for ANZ656. Small Craft Advisory until 10 PM EDT this evening for ANZ658. && $$ SYNOPSIS...LKB NEAR TERM...LKB SHORT TERM...LKB/TMG LONG TERM...LKB/TMG AVIATION...TMG MARINE...MAM/RHR

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