Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Charleston, SC

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518 FXUS62 KCHS 200541 AFDCHS Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston SC 141 AM EDT Mon May 20 2024 .SYNOPSIS... High pressure will build in from the north tonight and persist through most of this week. A series of upper level disturbances will impact the area next weekend. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/...
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Pronounced short-wave has progressed out of the Georgia outer waters along with the bulk of remaining convection, although isolated showers along the western edge of the circulation continue to rotate down through the coastal waters, skirting the Georgia coast. Quite a bit of lower cloud cover along the northern and western edge also remains across a good portion of the forecast area, but with drier air/clearing skies slowly working in from the north. Remaining showers should pull away from the Georgia coast over the next few hours. Lower cloud cover might be a bit more problematic based on satellite trends. Sky cover and pops were tweaked to reflect current trends.
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&& .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Deep layered ridging will occur Monday through Wednesday, bringing dry weather and warming temperatures. There will be weak cold advection on Monday as the surface high remains to the north. This will keep highs in the lower 80s, except upper 70s near the coast where a decent sea breeze will develop. The surface high will shift off the coast Monday night as the upper ridge continues to build. Increasing thicknesses Tuesday into Wednesday will produce a warming trend with highs in the mid 80s Tuesday and upper 80s Wednesday. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... Deep layered ridging will continue Wednesday night through Friday, with above normal temperatures continuing. A series of shortwaves will then impact the area late Friday afternoon through early next week, bringing scattered showers and thunderstorms. && .AVIATION /06Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
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KCHS/KJZI/KSAV: MVFR to VFR cloud cover will persist at the terminals through the overnight, with gradual N-S clearing and return to VFR conditions by morning. VFR conditions then persist through the day Monday but with SCT to perhaps BKN "heating of the day" Cumulus develop late morning and persisting through the afternoon. Turning clear Monday evening. Extended Aviation Outlook: VFR.
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&& .MARINE... Tonight: The cold front will push south of the southern waters this evening. Northeast winds will dominate through the night with speeds generally 15-20 kt. Observations off the lower South Carolina coast show gusts 25-27 kt, but these may be convectively driven and not necessarily representative of prevailing conditions. The gradient will tighten a bit overnight, so gusts to 25 kt could become common if the gradient tightens more than expected. Conditions were held below Small Craft Advisory levels for now. Seas will build 2-4 ft, except 3-5 ft in the South Santee-Edisto Beach nearshore zone. Monday through Friday: Monday and Monday night, a decent NE gradient is expected as high pressure remains to the north. A few 25 kt wind gusts are possible in the coastal waters, and seas could briefly reach 6 ft over GA offshore waters. The gradient will relax by Tuesday as the surface high moves east and winds turn to the SE. A more typical summer wind pattern will set up for mid to late week with daily sea breezes along the coast. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... The combination of rising astronomical tides with the upcoming Full Moon and moderate NE winds will cause tides to be elevated early this week. Minor flooding is possible with the evening high tides Monday through Wednesday along the South Carolina coast. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && $$