Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wilmington, NC

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000 FXUS62 KILM 190719 AFDILM AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 319 AM EDT WED JUN 19 2013 .SYNOPSIS... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL REMAIN IN THE FORECAST AS A COLD FRONT SLOWLY SAGS ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. DRY HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE NORTH BEHIND THE FRONT TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. THE FRONT WILL WEAKEN TO THE SOUTH LEAVING A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WHICH MAY MOVE BACK TOWARD THE COAST AND AFFECT THE AREA THROUGH THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
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AS OF 3 AM WEDNESDAY...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SOME THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA JUST AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. THE COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY SLIP INTO OUR NORTHERN ZONES PRIOR TO SUNRISE...THEN SLOWLY SAG S ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH THE DAY. MODELS ARE STILL SHOWING WEAK WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING ALONG THE FRONT AND THIS WILL SERVE TO FURTHER SLOW ITS PROGRESS SOUTHWARD. A RATHER POTENT MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE WILL PASS LARGELY TO THE SOUTH OF THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR N ATTEMPTS TO WEDGE SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE CAROLINAS. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO SHIFT TO THE N AND THEN NE BEHIND THE FRONT TODAY...LASTLY ACROSS MYRTLE BEACH AND GEORGETOWN LATE DAY AND THIS EVE. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES WILL TOP 2 INCHES TODAY...TRENDING SLOWLY LOWER DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY FROM N TO S. THE DRY AIR WILL BECOME MORE FIRMLY ESTABLISHED INLAND TONIGHT...BUT IT WILL BE MUCH TOUGHER TO MAKE ANY SIGNIFICANT INROADS ALONG THE COAST. SIGNIFICANT BREAKS IN THE CLOUD COVER SHOULD DEVELOP INLAND TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NORTHERN PEE DEE THROUGH LBT AND EYF. THICK CLOUD COVER WILL GREATLY LIMIT THE MAGNITUDE OF INSTABILITY AND SO NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED TODAY. HOWEVER...STORM MOTIONS WILL BE UNDER 10 KT AND WITH SUCH A MOIST ENVIRONMENT...TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED. WILL HIGHLIGHT HEAVY RAIN. WILL INDICATE THE HIGHEST POPS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT WITH POPS SLOWLY TRENDING LOWER ON THE DRIER SIDE OF THE BOUNDARY. WILL CARRY POPS AS HIGH AS LIKELY TO LOW-END CATEGORICAL TODAY. POPS WILL TREND LOWER THROUGH THE NIGHT...BUT WILL CARRY LIKELY POPS ALONG THE COAST INTO THE EVE. THE RISK FOR SHOWERS IS EXPECTED TO END FROM NNW TO SSE DURING THE EVE...WITH ONLY A SMALL RISK ALONG THE COAST AND ALONG THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER OVERNIGHT. HIGH TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE RATHER UNIFORM ACROSS THE AREA...LOWER TO MID 80S WITH HIGH HUMIDITY LEVELS. DEWPOINTS SHOULD BEGIN TO LOWER ACROSS N/NW ZONES LATER TODAY AND MORE SO TONIGHT. LOWS TONIGHT COULD VARY MORE SIGNIFICANTLY GIVEN A DRIER AIRMASS WILL BE MAKING ITSELF FELT ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE AREA. LOWS SHOULD REACH THE MID 60S ACROSS MANY INLAND AREAS WITH PERHAPS LOWER 70S HANGING ON ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE COAST.
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&& .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...
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AS OF 3 AM WEDNESDAY...HIGH PRESSURE RIDGES DOWN THE COAST DURING THE PERIOD WHILE COLD FRONT REMAINS JUST OFF THE COAST. FIRST HALF OF THE PERIOD SHOULD BE DRY AS WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT IN CONJUNCTION WITH SLOWLY BUILDING 5H RIDGE HELPS DRY THE REGION OUT. AT THIS POINT IT LOOKS LIKE THE DEEP MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT REMAINS JUST OFFSHORE AND FORECAST SOUNDINGS DROP PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES CLOSE TO 1 INCH LATE THU AFTERNOON. LOW LEVEL NORTHEAST FLOW WILL PROVIDE SOME LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WHICH IS LIKELY TO MANIFEST ITSELF AS A SCATTERED TO BROKEN FLAT STRATOCU DECK IN THE AFTERNOON. CLOUD COVER ALONG WITH THE NORTHEAST FLOW WILL KEEP HIGHS BELOW CLIMO. CANNOT RULE OUT SOME LIGHT SPRINKLES NEAR THE COAST FROM ACTIVITY MOVING ON SHORE BUT DEEP DRY AIR SHOULD PREVENT ANYTHING MEASURABLE. REINFORCING SHOT OF DRY AIR ARRIVES THU NIGHT BUT IS SHORT LIVED AS STALLED BOUNDARY MOVES CLOSER TO THE COAST FRI MORNING. LOWS WILL BE NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW CLIMO THU NIGHT WITH SKIES CLEARING AND LIGHT NORTHEAST FLOW CONTINUING. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW A RETURN OF DEEPER MOISTURE DURING THE DAY FRI AS THE BOUNDARY TRIES TO MOVE ONSHORE. BOUNDARY BECOMES SOMEWHAT DIFFUSE AT THIS POINT BUT MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH IT MOVES ONSHORE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...OPENING UP THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME ISOLATED CONVECTION. GIVEN THE PROXIMITY TO THE DRY AIR AND THE WEAK SUBSIDENCE DO NOT THINK COVERAGE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT BUT FEEL IT DOES WARRANT A SLIGHT CHC POP...MAINLY CONFINED TO COASTAL COUNTIES. DESPITE CONTINUED NORTHEAST FLOW MORE SUN SHOULD LEAD TO HIGHS A LITTLE CLOSER TO CLIMO. CLOUD COVER AND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE ALONG THE COAST WILL CREATE A LARGER SPREAD FOR LOWS FRI NIGHT. TEMPS WILL RANGE FROM NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE CLIMO ALONG THE COAST TO NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW CLIMO WELL INLAND.
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&& .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
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AS OF 3 AM WEDNESDAY...UNCERTAINTY ABOUNDS FOR THE DURATION OF THE LONG TERM. THE DECENT AGREEMENT SEEN LAST NIGHT HAS EVAPORATED LEAVING SEVERAL POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO PONDER. THESE RANGE FROM MOSTLY DRY FOR THE WEEKEND AND START OF NEXT WEEK TO VERY WET WITH POSSIBLE FOR WEAK LOW PRESSURE ALONG THE CAROLINA COAST. COMMON THEME AMONG THEM IS THE EVOLUTION OF THE MID LEVEL AND SURFACE PATTERNS AND THE PRESENCE OF LINGER SURFACE BOUNDARY OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST. ALL OF THE GUIDANCE SHOW MID LEVEL RIDGE BUILDING OVER THE SOUTHEAST WHILE AT THE SURFACE BERMUDA HIGH TAKES HOLD. THE KEY TO THE PERIOD WILL BE HOW DEFINED THE BOUNDARY REMAINS AND HOW MUCH DEEP MOISTURE LINGERS WHEN THE BOUNDARY COMES ONSHORE AND THEN LIFTS NORTH. THE ECMWF IS CURRENTLY THE DRIEST AND ALSO THE SOLUTION WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF QUESTIONS CONCERNING ITS VALIDITY. THE GFS APPEARS TO BE AFFECTED BY FEEDBACK WHICH MAY BE HELPING MAINTAIN A STRONGER SURFACE BOUNDARY AND DEEPER MOISTURE. THE CANADIAN DEVELOPS A CLOSED LOW WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT IMPACT THE CAROLINAS...DEPENDING ON THE RUN. THIS HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT COMMON FOR THE CANADIAN RECENTLY AS IT HAS BEEN TRYING TO TURN WEAK WAVES ALONG STALLED COASTAL FRONTS INTO MORE SIGNIFICANT CLOSED LOWS WITH LITTLE SUCCESS. FOR NOW WILL IGNORE ITS SOLUTION GIVEN RECENT PERFORMANCES AND THE LACK OF CONSISTENCY. THE RESULT IS MINIMAL CHANGES TO PREVIOUS FORECAST WITH SLIGHT CHC TO LOW CHC POP EACH DAY AND TEMPERATURES GRADUALLY INCREASING FROM BELOW CLIMO TO ABOVE CLIMO BY THE END OF THE PERIOD.
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&& .AVIATION /07Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 06Z...HAVE INCLUDED VCSH TO ACCOUNT FOR SHOWERS SLOWLY SAGGING SOUTH ALONG AND AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. MVFR/TEMPO IFR CIGS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH SUNRISE...THOUGH CONFIDENCE IS LOW ATTM. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO STALL NEAR THE COAST TODAY...AND MORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS APPEAR LIKELY LATER TODAY...ESPECIALLY FOR THE COASTAL TERMS. WINDS MAY BE LIGHT AND VARIABLE ALONG THE COAST NEAR THE STALLED BOUNDARY. EXPECT PREVAILING VFR DURING THE DAY WITH TEMPO MVFR/IFR IN THE HEAVIEST DOWNPOURS. PCPN CHANCES DIMINISH AFTER 00Z...THOUGH SHOWERS COULD LINGER INTO THE EVENING HOURS ALONG THE COAST. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...VFR THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS ON SUNDAY. && .MARINE...
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NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 3 AM WEDNESDAY...SW WINDS WILL SHIFT TO N AND THEN NE AS A COLD FRONT SLOWLY SAGS S ACROSS THE WATERS TODAY. THE NORTHERN WATERS ARE EXPECTED TO SEE THE WIND SHIFT THIS MORNING THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON WHILE THE SOUTHERN WATERS WILL EXPERIENCE THE WIND SHIFT DURING THE LATER AFTERNOON AND EVE HOURS. A NE SURGE WILL ACTUALLY WORK ITS WAY DOWN THE COAST OVERNIGHT. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL OCCUR THIS MORNING AHEAD OF THE FRONT...MAINLY EARLY AND THEN IN THE NE SURGE OVERNIGHT AND THU MORNING...UP TO 15 TO 20 KT ACROSS THE NORTHERN WATERS AND NEAR 15 KT ACROSS THE SOUTHERN WATERS. SEAS WILL TREND LOWER THROUGH THE DAY AND THEN REVERSE HIGHER OVERNIGHT. WILL CAP SEAS AT 5 FT ACROSS THE NORTHERN WATERS AND 4 FT ACROSS THE SOUTHERN WATERS. WILL HEADLINE SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION FOR THE NORTHERN WATERS THIS MORNING WITH NO HEADLINES FOR THE SOUTHERN WATERS. A HEADLINE MAY AGAIN BE REQUIRED LATE TONIGHT FOR PORTIONS OF THE WATERS. SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 AM WEDNESDAY...PINCHED GRADIENT BETWEEN HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING SOUTH AND STALLED FRONT OFF THE COAST WILL PRODUCE NORTHEAST FLOW IN THE 15 TO 20 KT RANGE THU AND THU NIGHT. GRADIENT STARTS TO WEAKEN LATE THU NIGHT WITH SPEEDS DROPPING TO A SOLID 15 KT BY FRI MORNING. FURTHER REDUCTION IN GRADIENT FRI WILL KEEP NORTHEAST FLOW IN THE 10 TO 15 KT RANGE. FLOW BECOMES A LITTLE MORE EASTERLY FRI NIGHT AS SURFACE RIDGE AXIS STARTS TO SETTLE SOUTH. GRADIENT CONTINUES TO WEAKEN AS REMAINS OF STALLED FRONT LIFT INTO THE AREA. AS A RESULT SPEEDS WILL DROP BELOW 10 KT BY THE END OF THE PERIOD. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT THU IN RESPONSE TO STRONG NORTHEAST FLOW SLOWLY SUBSIDE INTO FRI. GRADUALLY REDUCTION IN WINDS LATE THU NIGHT AND FRI ALLOWS SEAS TO FALL TO 2 TO 3 FT BY THE END OF THE PERIOD. LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 3 AM WEDNESDAY...WEAK COASTAL TROUGH IN THE VICINITY AND HIGH PRESSURE WEAKLY BUILDING DOWN THE COAST DURING THE PERIOD WILL KEEP WIND LIGHT AND VARIABLE. WINDS WILL BE FROM THE EAST AT 10 KT OR LESS BUT COULD VARY FROM NORTHEAST TO SOUTHEAST AT ANY GIVEN TIME...DEPENDING ON THE POSITION OF THE REMAINS OF THE SURFACE BOUNDARY AND ANY MESOSCALE BOUNDARIES. LIGHT WIND FIELD WILL MAINTAIN 2 TO 3 FT SEAS WITH HIGHEST SEAS SAT.
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&& .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...NONE.
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&& $$ NEAR TERM...RJD SHORT TERM...III LONG TERM...III AVIATION...BJR/RJD

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