Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Raleigh/Durham, NC

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426 FXUS62 KRAH 151050 AFDRAH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Raleigh NC 650 AM EDT Tue Jul 15 2025 .SYNOPSIS... Sub-tropical high pressure will extend from near Bermuda to the Carolinas throughout the week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 600 AM Tuesday... Updated the forecast to beef POP significantly from Davidson to Wake and Franklin Counties were moisture pooling was occurring on the southern edge of the H925 to H850 front. PWs were in excess of 2 inches from near RDU into SE VA. There was also lingering instability in this region with moisture convergence at the surface due to previous southward moving outflows. CAMS are finally picking up on some of the convection especially around the Triangle, which should persist a few hours this morning during the rush. Slow moving storms will pose an isolated flash flood threat around portions of the Triangle. Isolated flash flooding will be possible again this afternoon and evening with the region in a marginal (level 1 of 4 risk) of excessive rainfall. Antecedent wet ground will result in easier and quicker flash flood potential with the heavier downpours, especially over the western and northern Piedmont. The Triad area appears most vulnerable to potential isolated flash flooding this afternoon and evening. Even though all of our region is in the marginal risk of excessive rainfall, the NW Piedmont has the higher probabilities of additional thunderstorms today per most guidance and the latest CAMS. This region is also the wettest with the past few days bringing plenty of heavy rain events. Greensboro was already approaching 8 inches of rain for the month and it is not even half over yet. This is already double the monthly 30 year average. In addition, Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop again this afternoon and linger well into the evening. The focus will be on the western and northern Piedmont locations where basin averages of around 1 inch can be expected QPF wise. However, some locations will likely top 2-3 inches locally. This would produce additional flash flooding. The heaviest rains are not expected to be widespread, limiting the potential scope of the flash flooding to mainly localized or urban areas. To the east and south, widely scattered storms are expected with locally 1+ inch of rain. The instability is expected to be less today than in previous days limiting the severe damaging wind threat. However, an isolated damaging wind gust with the stronger cores. Highs will generally be 87-92. Lows tonight should be 70-75. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... As of 340 AM Tuesday... Lower chance of PM storms, but remaining hot and humid. The highest moisture levels will gradually shift a bit west and north on Wednesday with the upper ridge building in the southeast U.S. from off the SW Atlantic. This should limit the convection to widely scattered PM activity. The highest probabilities will be along the SE Coastal Plain (sea breeze) and tucked up along the Blue Ridge. Highs will be a few degrees warmer with partly to mostly sunny afternoon skies (90-95). Lows generally in the lower to mid 70s. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 400 AM Tuesday... * Hot temperatures, probably a degree or three higher than NBM ones used to populate the current official forecast, will remain anomalously warm and well in the 70s each night and yield Moderate to Major HeatRisk through the forecast period. * Only very localized outflow relief from the heat may briefly grow in coverage Sat, when diurnal convection may attain maximum coverage in cntl NC A sub-tropical anticyclone will progress from the swrn N. Atlantic to the Southeast through the weekend, with perhaps some minimally decreasing heights across the srn Middle Atlantic Sat-Mon, when the models hint that a weakness may develop between the center of that ridge and another forecast to progress across the sub-tropical N. Atlantic. Such a solution would cause mid-level flow to assume a more wnwly component and direct shortwave impulses and/or MCV into at least the nrn half of NC by Sat. At the surface, high pressure will span from near Bermuda to the South Atlantic coast, with varying degrees of troughing on its wrn/nwrn periphery, in the lee of the srn and cntl Appalachians, and also a daily sea breeze. A convective outflow-reinforced front may briefly settle across VA and perhaps nern NC on Sat, as the aforementioned flow aloft veers and introduces the possibility of very weakly falling heights aloft. The increasingly-influential, subsident ridging aloft will tend to suppress diurnal convection away from the Blue Ridge/terrain forcing, Piedmont trough, and sea breeze, and related small outflows through at least Fri - with probably only scattered coverage along those features. Sat will offer the relative highest probability of diurnal convection, when the aforementioned outflow-reinforced front will probably make its closest approach. It will otherwise remain hot and humid, with high temperatures generally a couple of categories above average and low temperatures two to three categories above average. && .AVIATION /12Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
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As of 650 AM Tuesday... Scattered showers and storms may persist over portions of the region through 12z-14z, before finally dying off. The RDU area will have the higher chances of showers/storms. Otherwise, generally VFR conditions will give way to the development of IFR to LIFR stratus at many locations. This stratus will lift out between 13z and 14z. Expect another chance of showers/storms this afternoon and evening, with the higher probabilities from the Triad to the Triangle between 18z and 05z. Outlook: Sub-tropical high pressure over the western Atlantic will favor a typical summertime regime of scattered PM convection and patchy late night and early morning fog/stratus through late week.
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&& .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Badgett/MWS NEAR TERM...Badgett SHORT TERM...Badgett LONG TERM...MWS AVIATION...Badgett