Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wakefield, VA

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772 FXUS61 KAKQ 132325 AFDAKQ AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Wakefield VA 725 PM EDT Sun Jul 13 2025 .SYNOPSIS...
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An unsettled weather pattern continues into midweek with scattered thunderstorms possible each day. Heavy rainfall and localized flooding will be possible each day before the heat rebuilds Thursday and Friday.
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&& .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM MONDAY MORNING/...
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As of 725 PM EDT Sunday... Key Messages: - Majority of showers taper off this evening, though some isolated showers and storms will be possible into the overnight hours, mainly north of Richmond. - Flood Watch has been extended through late tomorrow night and expanded for most of our VA counties just inland of the Chesapeake Bay, including the Tri-Cities area of central VA. A weak front remains draped across the I-95 corridor. this boundary and a myriad of remnant convective boundaries from earlier convection has served as the main trigger for rather slow-moving convection this afternoon into this evening. These storms have produced extremely heavy rainfall that have prompted the issuance of multiple flash-flood warnings, and some significant flooding in the Petersburg/Colonial Heights area earlier this afternoon. Storm coverage has begun to taper off this evening as expected with loss of daytime heating and as the environment gets convectively turned over from the ongoing convection. As we have seen the past few nights, patchy fog is possible, especially in areas that saw rainfall today along the I95 corridor, south central VA, interior NE NC along and west of the Chowan River and much of the VA piedmont. Temperatures will drop into the lower 70s overnight tonight and cloud cover should scatter out briefly before a possible stratus deck forms early tomorrow morning.
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&& .SHORT TERM /6 AM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...
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As of 725 PM EDT Sunday... Key Messages: - A cold front approaches the region from the NW on Monday, resulting in greater coverage of showers and storms. A Flood Watch may be necessary for portions of the area. - Unsettled pattern continues into Tuesday with additional rounds of showers and storms as the front stalls NW of the area. The current unsettled pattern we are in will continue over the next few days, with ample instability and minimal inhibition. Shear will continue to be a limiting factor though with strong daytime heating preceding storm development, DCAPE values will range between 700- 1200 J/kg which could result in isolated downbursts. With the steering flow being almost non-existent, the main threat will be flash-flooding. Slow moving storms, combined with PW values of 2"+, will lead to extended periods of heavy rainfall for areas across our forecast area. As with the challenge of today, the scattered nature of convective development that is expected will hinder the ability to pinpoint exactly where this heavy rainfall will set up. With the antecedent rainfall we have seen over the past few days, flash-flood guidance continues to be very low, so in more vulnerable areas such as the Richmond metro it will not take much rainfall to lead to flooding. WPC has placed a majority of our forecast area in a Slight ERO on Monday, and scattered instances of flash-flooding are possible. For that reason, the Flood Watch has been extended through tomorrow evening over the same area, with the remainder of the I-95 corridor in VA added, as well as Prince George up to the interior portion of the northern neck. A Marginal ERO is in place across eastern North Carolina through the Hampton Roads and into the Eastern Shore. The front will stall to our northwest on Tuesday, bringing another day of afternoon storms that could bring gusty winds and heavy rainfall to areas. WPC continues to highlight our area with at least a Marginal ERO for now for Tuesday. Temperatures will be in the upper 80s to lower 90s on Monday. By Tuesday, more cloud cover is expected as the front is forecast to be a little closer to the area, so highs are forecast to only reach the upper 80s with temperatures nearing 90 degrees in the NE NC and SE VA.
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&& .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... As of 252 PM EDT Sunday... Key Message: - Stagnant pattern continues mid to late week with daily shower and storm chances - Heat and humidity build late in the week with Heat Advisories possible. Looking ahead to mid-week, scattered convection will continue each afternoon. With upper ridging building the region starting Thursday through the weekend, convective coverage could diminish to widely scattered or even isolated, but have maintained scattered PoPs for the time being. If this pattern holds, will likely need to decrease rain chances for late week and into the weekend. With the possibility of decreased cloud coverage and showers, combined with the upper ridging, temperatures will be able to climb into the lower 90s Thursday through Saturday, with Friday possibly seeing mid 90s across the area. Heat indices, especially on Friday, could eclipse 105F+ so Heat Advisories may be required at least in the SE/S portion of our area. && .AVIATION /23Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... As of 145 PM EDT Sunday... Similar to yesterday afternoon, widespread showers and thunderstorms have started to develop in the vicinity of RIC. RIC has the best chance to see thunderstorm activity this afternoon with more isolated chances at the other TAF sites. Any thunderstorms have the potential to produce IFR VSBYs (due to very heavy rainfall) and gusty winds. Outside of the storms, CIGs are generally VFR with bases of 3500 to 4000 feet. Showers/storms gradually diminish tonight (though may linger until ~06z across central VA). Another round of MVFR to IFR CIGs and/or low VSBYs are possible again late tonight into tomorrow morning. Outlook: Additional isolated to scattered afternoon-late evening thunderstorms are expected to recur each day through early this week, along with the potential for early morning fog/stratus. && .MARINE... As of 145 PM EDT Sunday... Key Messages: - Benign marine conditions continue outside of local influences from afternoon and evening thunderstorms. High pressure extends SW toward the northern Mid-Atlantic coast this afternoon. A trough remains inland over the Piedmont, with weak low pressure well E of the VA coast. The wind is primarily E to SE 5-10kt this afternoon, with seas ~2 ft, and waves 1 ft to occasionally 2 ft in the Ches. Bay. A similar pressure pattern continues this evening with a SE wind around 5-15kt. High pressure retreats E of the Canadian Maritimes later tonight into Monday. Meanwhile, subtropical high pressure rebuilds off the Southeast coast through the middle of the week. This will allow the wind to become S to SW 5-10kt early in the week, with a mid- aftn to early evening sea-breeze influenced shift to SSE Monday and Tuesday. The pressure gradient tightens Wednesday night into Thursday as low pressure tracks NE of the Great Lakes into the St. Lawrence Valley. This will potentially bring SCA conditions in a SW wind, with the best chc in the Ches. Bay. The wind diminishes by Friday as the pressure gradient relaxes due to a weakening front dropping to the region. Seas will mainly be ~2ft through Tuesday and then 2-3ft by Wednesday, with 1ft to occasionally 2ft waves in the Ches. Bay. Seas build to 3-4ft (2-3ft nearshore) by Wednesday night and Thursday, with 2-3ft waves in the Ches. Bay. Aftn/evening showers/tstms will have limited coverage over the marine area this evening, with higher chances during the aftn/evening hours Monday through Wednesday. The main hazards with tstms will be brief strong wind gusts, frequent lighting, and reduced vsby in heavy rain. && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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MD...None. NC...None. VA...Flood Watch through Monday evening for VAZ048-060>062-064>069- 075-076-079>083-087-088-509>522. MARINE...None.
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&& $$ SYNOPSIS...RHR NEAR TERM...MAM/NB SHORT TERM...NB LONG TERM...RHR/NB AVIATION...AJB/RHR MARINE...AJB/AJZ