119
FXUS61 KAKQ 180755
AFDAKQ

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
355 AM EDT Wed Sep 18 2024

.SYNOPSIS...
Low pressure located over the Carolinas will weaken today. The
low will continue to weaken and move offshore tomorrow into
Friday. A backdoor cold front potentially drops south across the
region Friday night through Saturday. High pressure builds north
of the area this weekend into early next week.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
As of 300 AM EDT Wednesday...

Key Messages:

- Additional showers and thunderstorms develop today, bringing the
potential for locally heavy rainfall.

This morning, weakening low pressure is located over eastern TN.
Meanwhile, ~1022mb high pressure remains centered off the New
England coast. A stationary front is draped just south of the
forecast area. Still seeing scattered rain showers over the region,
with the highest coverage over the MD Eastern Shore and across our
northwestern counties. Some of the showers have been heavy at times,
prompting a couple of Flood Advisories just north of Richmond over
Henrico County. Expect for the best rain chances to continue to
focused over the northern half of the area through the morning
hours, though with plenty of moisture around, a light rain
shower and/or drizzle cannot be ruled out for anywhere in the
forecast area. The abundance of moisture will also allow for
patchy fog to develop over the next couple of hours, with the
best chances for fog across south central Virginia and northeast
North Carolina. Visbilities could drop to 1-2SM at times, with
locally heavier patches that could potentially drop visbilities
to less than 1SM.

Low pressure will continue to move gradually to the northwest and a
new coastal low begins to form to our northeast. It will be another
unsettled day with additional showers and thunderstorms (best
thunderstorm chances across the southern half of the area) expected
to develop during the late morning and early afternoon hours and
continue into the evening. Any showers today may produce locally
heavy rainfall, with WPC highlighting much of the area in a Day 1
Marginal ERO. It will also be another day with little in the way of
sunshine, with mostly cloudy to overcast skies expected throughout
the day. Temperatures today will range from the lower 70s across the
NW, to the lower 80s SE. Rain chances decrease overnight, with only
a slight chance for an isolated shower. Additional fog or low clouds
are also possible tonight. Lows tonight drop back into the lower 60s
NW to upper 60s SE.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...
As of 330 AM EDT Wednesday...

Key Messages:

- Decreasing rain chances Thursday and Friday

As the coastal low lifts further to the NE on Thursday, expect a
drier day compared to today with even some partial clearing
(especially west) late in the day. Still, isolated to scattered
afternoon showers or storms will be possible, with the best chances
across far southern Virginia into northeast North Carolina (30-40%
PoPs). High temperatures on Thursday will generally be in the upper
70s area-wide and low temperatures will range from the upper 50s to
lower 60s. Sunshine returns Friday with temperatures warming into
the upper 70s to around 80. A backdoor cold front pushes south into
the area later Friday into Friday night, bringing a slight chance
for an afternoon shower (mainly across the MD Eastern Shore). Low
temperatures Friday night range from the upper 50s to the lower 60s.

&&

.LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
As of 330 AM EDT Wednesday...

Key Messages:

- Drier and cooler weather arrives this weekend into early next
week.

Aloft, a tall upper level ridge builds well into Canada and
Greenland with an upper level trough along the East Coast this
weekend into early next week. At the surface, low pressure lingers
off the Mid Atlantic coastline through the weekend, gradually
shifting south Sunday into early next week. Meanwhile, high pressure
remains centered in Quebec through Saturday before dropping south
into New England by Monday. Cooler weather is expected by Sunday and
especially Monday, with highs only in the low to mid 70s. Overnight
lows will generally be in the 50s away from the coast. Given the low
off the coast, coastal areas can expect breezy conditions with gusts
to 25-30 mph this weekend into Monday along with greater cloud cover
and humidity. Additionally, cannot rule out a few isolated showers
along the coast (15-25% PoPs).

&&

.AVIATION /08Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
As of 210 AM EDT Wednesday...

Widespread IFR CIGs across the region early this morning. IFR to
patchy LIFR CIGs are expected at all sites through this morning,
before a gradual improvement to MVFR CIGs by this afternoon. In
addition to low CIGs, VSBYs are also expected to fall this
morning and generally range from 2-4SM with DZ/BR. VSBYs may
drop to less than 2SM at times across portions of south central
Virginia where more widespread fog is expected to develop.
Occasional showers continue through the night, with the highest
chances across the northern half of the area (impacting SBY).
Showers and thunderstorms develop late this morning through this
afternoon, with the highest coverage still expected to be inland
and away from the coast. Winds average 5-10 knots out of the NE
through the period. Additional IFR/MVFR CIGs (and potentially
VSBYs) are possible tonight into early Thursday morning.

Outlook: Unsettled conditions continue Thursday and Friday, but
confidence in the timing and extent of any flight restrictions
remains low. Gradually improving conditions are expected
Saturday into Sunday.

&&

.MARINE...
As of 345 AM EDT Wednesday...

Key Messages:

- Small Craft Advisories linger into the evening for the
  coastal waters due to elevated seas.

- Another round of Small Craft Advisory conditions appears
  increasingly likely this weekend into early next week.

A weak area of secondary low pressure is forming along the SE coast
this morning while high pressure remains anchored to the N. Winds
remain onshore, but a relaxing pressure gradient has allowed for
diminishing winds overnight. Latest obs indicate winds generally at
10-15kt. Seas are slow to diminish given onshore flow. Early morning
buoy obs show 5-6ft seas. Remaining SCAs in the bay will be allowed
to expire early this morning. Low pressure will shift the NE through
this evening as high pressure wedges in behind it. Winds will shift
to the NE this morning, remaining breezy over the upper bay and
northern coastal waters at ~15kt. Elsewhere, winds will be 10-15kt
today. Seas S of Cape Charles Light should drop back to 3-4ft this
afternoon, allowing the SCA there to end. Northern waters will be
slower to diminish, so SCAs will likely last into late tonight.
Winds shift to the N at 5-10kt across all waters overnight. These
conditions continue through Thurs evening as low pressure lingers
offshore Thurs and high pressure remains overhead. SCAs may have to
be extended for the northernmost zones for 5ft seas. However, it
looks marginal so far with 5ft seas only hanging on out near 20nm.

The offshore low looks to stick around through at least half the
weekend with high pressure wedged in behind it. Northerly winds
continue Fri, becoming at little breezier at 10-15kt by the
afternoon. SCAs are likely to return for at least northern coastal
waters Fri afternoon as seas build back toward 5-6ft. Low pressure
potentially retrogrades slightly Sat, leading to a tighter pressure
gradient and higher winds. NE winds increase to 15-25kt Sat (highest
over northern waters). Hazardous marine conditions likely continue
through Sun.

&&

.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
As of 350 AM EDT Wednesday...

Astronomical tides will continue to increase with the approach
of the next full moon. Higher astro tides along with prolonged
onshore flow will lead to nuisance to low- end minor tidal
flooding across much of the area along the bay and tidal rivers
through the end of the week. Have extended CF Advisories
through the morning high tide cycle tonight for much of the bay,
and adjacent tributaries. Have also extended the coastal flood
statement for the Eastern Shore given levels hitting minor flood
thresholds at Bishop`s Head, but remaining under flood
thresholds other nearby sites.

Additional advisories/extension of Advisories will likely be
needed through the end of the week and into the weekend due to
extended periods of onshore flow and high astro tides. Low end
moderate flooding is possible at particularly vulnerable spots
(Bishop`s Head, Oyster), but otherwise staying within minor
flood thresholds so far. However, a building flood tide
Saturday into Saturday night does bring the potential for tide
levels reaching moderate Coastal Flood Thresholds (best chances
northern coastal zones and lower bay) for tide cycles over the
upcoming weekend.

&&

.AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MD...None.
NC...None.
VA...Coastal Flood Advisory until 5 PM EDT this afternoon for
     VAZ075-077.
     Coastal Flood Advisory until 2 PM EDT this afternoon for
     VAZ076-078-085-522.
     Coastal Flood Advisory until 11 AM EDT this morning for VAZ084-
     086-089-090-093-095>100-523>525.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 4 AM EDT early this morning for
     ANZ632-634.
     Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM EDT Thursday for ANZ650.
     Small Craft Advisory until 1 AM EDT Thursday for ANZ652-654.
     Small Craft Advisory until 1 PM EDT this afternoon for ANZ656-
     658.

&&

$$

SYNOPSIS...AJB
NEAR TERM...AJB
SHORT TERM...AJB
LONG TERM...AJB/RMM
AVIATION...AJB
MARINE...AM
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...