Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wilmington, NC

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135 FXUS62 KILM 290732 AFDILM Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 332 AM EDT Mon Apr 29 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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Today remains dry and sunny due to offshore high pressure. An upper level disturbance will lead to shower and storm chances late Tuesday and Wednesday. Dry and sunny weather returns Thursday and Friday. From there, a cold front approaches the area, bringing chances for showers and storms by the weekend.
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&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
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Surface high will remain parked off the coast as ridging at 850/700/500 mb slowly shifts offshore later today into tonight. Subsidence and dry air will keep the region dry with minimal cloud cover. Temperatures will be near to a little above climo with the sea breeze keeping coastal sites a bit cooler. Main forecast concern for today will be morning fog and enhanced onshore flow following the passage of the sea breeze. Boundary layer winds will be stronger tonight into Tuesday morning and fog will be less of a concern, although patchy fog will still be possible inland. Lows tonight will end up several degrees above climo.
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&& .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/...
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Cloud cover continues to increase Tuesday ahead of a shortwave aloft approaching the area. A few isolated showers are possible inland later in the day as some of the better forcing arrives. This shortwave deepens and becomes quite the little trough pattern as it pushes eastward and offshore Tuesday night through Wednesday. Upper forcing looks much better here, and there`s a very subtle coastal trough forming nearby. This creates more robust shower and thunderstorm chances. SBCAPE looks to eclipse above 1000 J/kg by Wednesday afternoon, coinciding with pretty good low-level lapse rates and DCAPE between 500-1000 J/kg. Considering the decent bulk shear, this indicates some good downdrafts in thunderstorms, but some pieces are missing. Lapse rates aloft are quite pedestrian, which is not much of a surprise around here. Wind and hail could be a factor with some storms, but nothing suggests much of a severe threat. Rain chances taper off Wednesday night as the shortwave pushes offshore. Highs each day in the low-to-mid 80s. Lows in the lower 60s.
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&& .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
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Mid-level ridging sets in Thursday and Friday, which brings overall quiet weather here. A dry cold front will try to drop southward into the area Thursday morning, but it may not make it all the way here. Even if it does, no rain chances here. A weak Piedmont trough sets up inland, which will try to squeeze out an isolated shower or two Thursday and Friday, but dry air aloft and good subsidence will likely eliminate this idea. Highs each day in the low-to-mid 80s, lows in the lower 60s. Shower and thunderstorm chances increase by the weekend, as a cold front approaches and may stall across the area by Sunday. Temperatures remain locked in where they have been.
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&& .AVIATION /06Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
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VFR continues at all terminals, but as winds drop off during the next few hours expected periods of MVFR/IFR fog developing at inland sites. Expect boundary layer winds at coastal terminals will keep any fog that develops MVFR and very short lived. Any visibility restrictions will end by 14Z as boundary layer winds and mixing dissipate any fog. Sea breeze will lead to enhanced southeast winds for coastal terminals in the afternoon. Extended Outlook...VFR will dominate. MVFR/IFR visibility possible each morning around daybreak. Shower/thunderstorm impacts at all terminals possible Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday evening.
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&& .MARINE...
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Through Tonight...Surface high off the coast maintains southerly flow today and tonight. Sea breeze will lead to enhancement of winds nearshore with a bit more of an onshore component. Nearshore gusts of 15-20 kt will be possible in the afternoon and early evening before the sea breeze circulation breaks down. Seas will run 2-3 ft with occasional 4 ft away from shore. Seas will be a mix of an easterly swell and a southerly wind wave. Tuesday through Friday...SSW to SW winds at 5-10kts are accompanied with 2-3ft seas through Wednesday. Shortwave trough aloft moves offshore Wednesday night, allowing winds to veer westerly, then northerly by Thursday morning, then ESE Thursday afternoon through Friday. Seas steadily drop down to 1-2ft.
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&& .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...ILM NEAR TERM...III SHORT TERM...IGB LONG TERM...IGB AVIATION...III MARINE...III/IGB