Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wilmington, NC

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939 FXUS62 KILM 180001 AFDILM Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 801 PM EDT Fri May 17 2024 .SYNOPSIS... An upper low and cold front approaching from the west will bring unsettled weather through SUnday. Cooler and drier air arrives Sunday night. Later next week will feature a warmup and only a gradual increase in rain chances. && .UPDATE... Latest KLTX and surrounding radar trends used to incorporate hrly POPs thru midnight than meshed with ongoing fcst there- after. Ltg difficult to come by given the observed low topped pcpn, thus kept thunder limited to slight chance for tonight. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/...
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Increasing WAA/isentropic upglide will cause clouds to lower/thicken overnight. Some light rain should also spread into the area from the south and west but guidance seemed a bit fast as the lift if weak initially. This uncertainty sort of translates into tomorrow`s forecast. Guidance varies considerably regarding Saturday`s eventual destabilization and our severe weather potential. With both a surface front and a mid level vort and possibly a convective MCV there may be enough forcing to overcome less than impressive instability. SPC continues to highlight our area for SLGT mainly for winds. Shear isn`t very impressive but heavy rain and wet microbursts seem the most likely culprits.
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&& .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
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Main upper trough axis approaches Sat night and swings through late Sunday keeping the weather quite unsettled. The same arguments above regarding good forcing but poor instability applies, though with rain somewhat widespread pockets of sunshine that were possible Sat seem unlikely Sun. Cooler and much drier air spills in from the NW Sun night.
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&& .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
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Monday`s highs quite seasonable as a narrow area of high pressure builds in but dewpoints barely above 60 will give a much earlier in the Spring feel. The high moves east and upper ridging builds Tuesday and Wed allowing for a warmup. The latter part of the period will feature a bit more in the way of moisture possibly supporting isolated storms caused by mainly mesoscale processes. A cold front could lead to a more substantial rain offering on Friday.
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&& .AVIATION /00Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
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VFR to dominate this evening except for ILM and possibly LBT terminals being affected by low stratus around 1000 feet (MVFR/IFR). Otherwise, mid level clouds dominate that will gradually lower overnight to MVFR/IFR thresholds. Showers should increase in coverage late overnight and continue thru Sat after a WFP lifts northward. Move favorable parameters for thunder occurs after the WFP along with some insolation poking thru. Activity from the SW and a window of destabilization will be enough for PROB30 groups to highlight the thunder threat Sat aftn. Extended Outlook...The next storm system and associated periodic flight restrictions will continue to affect the area Sat night into Mon. VFR to mainly dominate Tue thru Wed while an upper low remains just off the SE States Coast.
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&& .MARINE...
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Through Saturday... Light S to SE winds tonight with about a category of speed increase on Saturday as a front approaches. The sea state will be comprised predominantly of wind waves with no appreciable swell, so we should add a foot to the upper range on Saturday, 2 ft opening up to 2-3. Saturday night through Wednesday... Pre-frontal flow regime will see increase wind speeds as a front approaches Saturday night. A fairly sharp wind shift to northerly occurs with FROPA Sunday making for choppy, short period seas. High pressure keeps a northerly component on Monday with abating gradient/seas. Light NE winds Tuesday less from the high and moreso from a weak offshore low.
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&& .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MBB UPDATE...DCH NEAR TERM...MBB SHORT TERM...MBB LONG TERM...MBB AVIATION...DCH MARINE...MBB