Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Columbia, SC

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396 FXUS62 KCAE 050820 AFDCAE Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Columbia SC 420 AM EDT Wed Jun 5 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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A weak upper disturbance will move into the region today supporting scattered to numerous thunderstorms today. A cold front will move across the Southeast Thursday increasing chances for showers and thunderstorms. Drier air follows the front late this week into the weekend. Another cold front possible early next week, with rain potential increasing ahead of it late in the weekend.
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&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
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Some lingering showers persist across the forecast area early this morning aided by some weak shortwave energy. WV imagery and 500mb analysis reveal a stronger shortwave slowly moving through the TN Valley which will be the feature of interest today. Little overall change in the air mass from yesterday although PWATs are currently around 1.7-1.8 inches with surface high pressure centered offshore with southwesterly flow from the surface up through around 500mb. Weak warm and moist advection continues over the region today ahead of the approaching shortwave energy as the atmosphere destabilizes through the afternoon with SBCAPE values exceeding 1000 J/kg. PWAT values are forecast to rise to just below 2 inches which will support a heavy rain threat especially within a continued weakly sheared environment. Hi-res guidance shows convection initiated around 17z-19z and coverage is expected to be better than Tuesday aided by the shortwave energy moving in from the west. Went with higher pops into the low likely range late afternoon across the region. Forecast soundings exhibit a moist adiabatic look with the high atmospheric moisture and not unexpectedly, DCAPE values are modest around 400-500 J/kg but given the isolated severe storms from Tuesday cannot rule out isolated pulse severe once again today with damaging winds as the primary threat. Localized flooding also possible where storms train and in urban areas. Temperatures are again expected to rise into the mid and upper 80s to around 90 degrees for highs today. Convection may linger into the overnight hours as shortwave energy moves through the region but should wane after midnight with the noctural stabilization of the atmosphere. Low temperatures expected to be in the upper 60s to around 70 degrees.
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&& .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/...
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To start off the period, a cold front will still be located well west of the forecast area. Rainfall is expected to be very isolated early Thursday morning, but as the day progresses a strong upper shortwave trough will progress eastward towards the area. In addition, the surface cold front will also be pushing through the central Appalachians and then east of the mountains by Thursday evening. Eventually this cold front will move through the cwa late Thursday night. Pwat values remain relatively high through the day. Model soundings seem to indicate that there will be slightly less instability than previous days, and the best coverage may occur just ahead of the cold front later in the afternoon/evening. There will be an inverted-v temperature profile, which would indicate some wind potential. Overall severe threat still appears low, but could see a few sub-severe wind gusts and brief periods of heavy rain in any stronger storms that move through. Rain chances continue early Thursday night until the main cold front begins pushing drier air into the area. Temperatures will be dependent on the amount of cloud cover by the afternoon. NBM generally gives upper 80s to lower 90s, and did not stray much from those numbers. Lows in the mid to upper 60s.
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&& .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
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Drier air moves in behind the front early Friday morning. This dry air will continue through Saturday night as high pressure will be in control. Latest blends begin to bring isolated showers back for Sunday and Monday ahead of another approaching cold front. Rain chances may linger into Tuesday depending on the speed of the front. Blend keeps slight chance to chance pops into Tuesday. Temperatures continue slightly above normal.
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&& .AVIATION /08Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... VFR conditions generally expected over the 24 hr forecast period outside of showers or thunderstorms and possible morning stratus. Diminishing showers continue to slowly move through the region early this morning and may impact the terminals but not expecting restrictions in rainfall as it remains light. Cigs also remain VFR in the 5kft to 12kft range. Some stratus already developing in the Upstate and north GA with NBM and LAMP guidance suggesting this stratus will build eastward but uncertain if it will make it to the terminals or not. Decided to include a tempo for MVFR cigs around 1500 ft from 09z-13z with possible IFR vsbys in fog at AGS where recent rain may enhance fog threat, despite a 20 knot low level jet. Otherwise, expect another day similar to yesterday with afternoon scattered convection developing across the region with southwesterly winds picking up to around 7 to 10 knots and widespread cumulus clouds prior to convective initiation. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...Scattered afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms through Friday with intermittent CIG/VSBY restrictions possible. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...None. GA...None. && $$