Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Mt. Holly, NJ

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327 FXUS61 KPHI 100756 AFDPHI Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ 356 AM EDT Fri May 10 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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Multiple waves of low pressure will affect the area today through Sunday bringing a generally unsettled weather pattern. High pressure builds south of the Mid-Atlantic region Sunday night into Monday. Another area of low pressure may affect the area with more unsettled weather by the middle of next week.
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&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/...
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As of early this morning, low pressure was centered near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay along an associated east to west oriented frontal boundary and instability gradient. Meanwhile in the upper levels a slow moving positively tilted long wave trough was centered near the eastern Great Lakes. The combination of these features will continue to bring multiple waves of rain and showers to the area through the day today. There has even been some thunder over southern Delmarva where there exists some elevated instability. The threat for thunder will actually decrease though heading into the day today as the lingering instability will be shunted more to our south. As we head into the day today, the first wave of rain/showers will move off the coast but there will be additional waves moving through bringing more rain as the upper trough slowly progresses towards the region keeping positive vorticity advection situated over the area. This will tend to keep the surface low anchored near the coast of Virginia much of the day while high pressure builds in to the north and east over the Canadian Maritimes. This will keep the area in periods of rain with the heaviest and steadies likely occuring over eastern PA into NJ closest where the strongest PVA will be. The gradient between the high to the north and the low to the south will also lock in brisk east/northeast winds that will increase to 15 to 20 gusting upwards of 25 to 30 mph as we get into the day today. This will add to the rawness of the day with highs for most areas remaining stuck in the 50s (in the Poconos it may not get out of the 40s). As we go into tonight, the upper trough finally sweeps eastward off the coast taking the surface low with it. This will bring the steadier rain to an end through the evening from west to east but there may be some patchy lingering drizzle into the overnight under a low overcast. Total rain amounts by this time should be generally in the .50 to 1.0 inch range except some higher totals of up to 1.25 inches possible over the southern Poconos into NW NJ. This isn`t expected to cause any major hydro concerns. Otherwise, some clearing may finally occur towards dawn Saturday as the winds turn more northerly. It will be a chilly night with lows mostly in the 40s and even some upper 30s possible in the southern Poconos. For Saturday, we`ll get a brief respite in the unsettled weather as shortwave ridging builds in. In fact most areas should also see a little sun as the low stratus should start to break up before clouds increase again by late day ahead of the next system. The daytime hours should stay mainly dry though with just a slight chance for some late day showers over our far western zones from Berks County into Lehigh Valley. Expect highs mostly in the low to mid 60s except 50s near the coast and over the southern Poconos.
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&& .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...
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The unsettled weather pattern will continue through Sunday. By Saturday evening, the next wave of low pressure will arrive out of the Great Lakes, increasing chances for showers, particularly west of the Philly at night, and centered more on Philly during the day Sunday. Showers continue to move into the region Sunday (PoPs 55-65 percent) with lows again in the mid- upper 40s. Highs will be cooler on Sunday, with 50s to near 60 common. Main change this evening was to slow the arrival and departure of precip and increase PoPS a bit, with more likelies Saturday night into Sunday, but nothing above 10 percent during the day Saturday.
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&& .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... A brief period of dry weather is expected beginning Sunday night and continuing into Monday as high pressure briefly builds to the south of the Mid Atlantic region. This dry weather will only be brief as chances will begin to increase Tuesday night into Wednesday as a storm system approaches from the southwest. && .AVIATION /07Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
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The following discussion is for KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY and surrounding areas... Through today...Periods of rain and drizzle with cigs lowering to MVFR or lower through the predawn hours. All sites should then be IFR by 12z. Rain/drizzle continues through the day with IFR generally predominating accept some improvement to low MVFR possible by late day. East/northeast winds increasing to around 10 to 15 gusting at times 20 to 30 knots. Moderate confidence. Tonight...Steadier rain ends in the evening but lingering low stratus and some drizzle. This should keep conditions mainly low MVFR or IFR at least through the evening. Some improvement will be possible by the overnight as northerly winds start to bring in drier air. Northeast winds around 10 knots shifting to northerly and diminishing to 5 knots overnight. Moderate confidence. Saturday...Low stratus still possible early in the day with sub VFR conditions but improvement to mainly VFR by late morning. Northerly winds 5 to 10 knots shifting back to east then southeast by late day. Moderate confidence. Outlook... Saturday night-Sunday...Sub-VFR conditions probable (50-60 percent chance) at times through the period with chances (40-50 percent) for showers. Sunday night-Tuesday...VFR conditions expected through Monday. Sub- VFR conditions with chances for showers return late Tuesday.
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&& .MARINE...
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Winds/seas ramping up through this morning and we are now expecting a period of Gale conditions today for most of our ocean zones off the coast of NJ. The exception will be our northern zone off the coast of Monmouth County. Elsewhere, widespread Small Craft Advisory conditions. These conditions will start to improve by late day but still expect it to remain at Small Craft Advisory levels through Saturday over our ocean zones, mainly due to seas. Outlook... Sunday through Tuesday...Overall, mainly sub-SCA conditions expected through Monday. Stronger winds may bring SCA conditions back late Monday into Tuesday.
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&& .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... The new moon occurred Tuesday, May 7th, and this is resulting in high astronomical tides. As a front settles to our south, an onshore flow will develop and strengthen some through the end of the week, peaking Friday into Friday night. While the astronomical tides will be gradually lowering as we get farther away from the new moon, the onshore flow should increase the surge values at least some. With this combination, widespread minor tidal flooding is again expected with the high tide tonight into early Friday morning for the Atlantic coastal zones, the Delaware Bay, and the tidal Delaware River. As a result, the Coastal Flood Advisories remain in effect for these areas. With the peak onshore flow leading up to the Friday night high tide cycle, guidance continues to support potential for moderate tidal flooding for portions of Atlantic coastal New Jersey and Delaware, as well as Delaware Bay with the Friday night to early Saturday morning high tide cycle. The Coastal Flood Watch was expanded to include southeastern Burlington and Ocean Counties. As of the 5 PM Thursday forecast update, our confidence is highest that coastal Sussex (DE) and Cape May Counties are the most likely locations to see moderate coastal flooding impacts Friday night, thus the Coastal Flood Watch was upgraded to a Warning for those two counties. Elsewhere within the Coastal Flood Watch area, there is somewhat lower confidence that moderate tidal flooding impact will be experienced. Thus, the Watch remains in effect. Regardless, widespread minor tidal flooding is expected within the Watch area and adjacent areas of the Atlantic coast of New Jersey, Delaware Bay, and the tidal Delaware River with the Friday night to early Saturday morning high tide cycle. Examination of tonight`s observed water levels and surge values and additional guidance will be used to determine which areas will need to be upgraded to a warning or to an advisory for Friday night. The Friday night high tide cycle looks to be the peak of the coastal flooding impacts area-wide, but additional minor coastal flooding is forecast with the evening/overnight high tide Saturday night into early Sunday. Flooding is not expected at this time for our Maryland zones along the Chesapeake through Saturday. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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PA...Coastal Flood Advisory until 6 AM EDT early this morning for PAZ070-071-106. NJ...Coastal Flood Watch from this evening through late tonight for NJZ020>022-025>027. Coastal Flood Warning from 8 PM this evening to 4 AM EDT Saturday for NJZ023-024. Coastal Flood Advisory until 6 AM EDT early this morning for NJZ017>019. DE...Coastal Flood Watch from this evening through late tonight for DEZ002. Coastal Flood Warning from 8 PM this evening to 4 AM EDT Saturday for DEZ003-004. MD...None. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 1 PM EDT this afternoon for ANZ430- 431. Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM EDT Saturday for ANZ450-454- 455. Gale Warning until 5 PM EDT this afternoon for ANZ451>453.
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&& $$ SYNOPSIS...AKL/Fitzsimmons/OHara NEAR TERM...Fitzsimmons SHORT TERM...MJL/RCM LONG TERM...MJL AVIATION...Fitzsimmons/MJL/OHara/RCM MARINE...Fitzsimmons/MJL/OHara/RCM TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...