Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Raleigh/Durham, NC

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000 FXUS62 KRAH 251750 AFDRAH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Raleigh NC 150 PM EDT Thu Apr 25 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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High pressure will dominate the eastern United States through the weekend.
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&& .NEAR TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/...
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As of 150 PM Thursday... Surface high pressure is currently centered over southeastern Ontario. Multiple runs of the HRRR and NAM nest have shown a sea breeze developing along the coastline with some showers moving inland from the breeze, and more recent runs have shown some isolated showers making their way as far inland as Sampson and Wayne Counties. Have added a slight chance of showers to southern/eastern portions of those counties during the late afternoon into the early evening, although the rest of the forecast will be dry. Winds will generally be out of the northeast through the next 24-30 hours, and it appears that the moist flow off the Atlantic Ocean will bring a good amount of low clouds into the region overnight, some of which are now beginning to move onshore around Norfolk. The insulating effect of the clouds should generally balance out the cold advection from the northerly flow, leaving overnight temperatures similar to last night`s values, ranging from the mid 40s to the mid 50s. Skies should be mostly cloudy around sunrise on Friday, with some partial clearing occurring by late morning across southern and eastern portions of the forecast area. However, mostly cloudy skies are likely to remain for much of the day from Raleigh to the north and west. High temperatures will be slightly cooler on Friday compared to today, with highs ranging from the mid 60s to the mid 70s.
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&& .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT/...
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As of 345 AM Thursday... A band of Fgen, WAA, and saturation will spread enewd and across cntl NC between 00Z-12Z Sat, during which time the associated lift may sufficiently deepen the combined saturated layer to support patchy light rain over the nw NC Piedmont. A slight chance of rain has been introduced there Fri night to account for this possibility.
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&& .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... As of 400 AM Thursday... A mid/upr-level anticyclone and ridge will build across and offshore the South Atlantic states through Monday. A weak shortwave trough will then briefly weaken the ridge as it migrates across the ern US Tue-Tue night, followed by a re-strengthening and retrogression of the sub-tropical ridge across the lwr MS Valley and Deep South during the middle of next week. At the surface, cP high pressure will continue to migrate swd along and just offshore the Middle and South Atlantic coasts through early next week. As the high drifts swd and steadily modifies, it will direct seasonably mild ely flow across cntl NC Sat and much warmer sswly flow Sun-Wed. A pre-frontal/lee trough and following cold front will then accompany the aforementioned shortwave trough over the ern US late Tue-Wed. Associated probability of showers/storms should be diurnally-maximized with the pre-frontal/lee trough, which will likely move across the srn Middle Atlantic Piedmont and Coastal Plain Tue afternoon and evening, with dry conditions in cntl NC until that time. It appears at this time that the synoptic cold front may not reach cntl NC, and instead only the pre-frontal trough and perhaps outflow will do so and settle across the forecast area by Wed morning. As such, continued well above temperatures are likely to persist Wed, as will a slight chance of diurnal convection given the presence and proximity of the lee trough and outflow that may linger from Tue afternoon-evening convection. && .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
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As of 150 PM Thursday... TAF period: Diurnal cumulus is sprouting over much of the forecast area, although it appears that all cloud bases are VFR. At this time think that all sites should remain VFR through midnight. After midnight, northeasterly flow will allow low-level saturated air to move into the region, and MVFR cigs are expected to spread across all terminals between 06Z-10Z. Think there should be a few hour period of IFR cigs around sunrise at RWI, but think that ceilings will remain MVFR elsewhere (although guidance has been trending lower). These clouds will begin to lift by mid-morning so that RDU/FAY/RWI will rise to VFR conditions by the end of the 18Z TAF period, but INT/GSO should still have restrictions. Wind will be relatively steady state through the 24 hours out of the northeast at 5-10 kt for all sites. Outlook: Restrictions will likely persist at INT/GSO Friday afternoon, then restrictions appear likely to extend back southeast across the rest of the terminals Friday night into Saturday morning. After this, conditions should be VFR. In addition, a chance of rain cannot be ruled out at INT/GSO Friday night, with another chance of rain possible Tuesday afternoon at INT/GSO. Otherwise conditions should be dry.
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&& .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Green NEAR TERM...Green SHORT TERM...MWS LONG TERM...MWS AVIATION...Green

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