Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Columbia, SC

Current Version |  Previous Version |  Text Only |  Print | Product List |  Glossary Off
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38
-- Highlight Changed Discussion --
-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --
881 FXUS62 KCAE 041824 AFDCAE Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Columbia SC 224 PM EDT Tue Jun 4 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Moisture increases across the Southeast through mid week leading to scattered convection each afternoon. 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. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
-- Changed Discussion --
Partly cloudy across the region early this afternoon with some debris clouds passing off to the east while the lower level cu field is beginning to develop. Morning showers have diminished (hence the debris clouds) and isolated showers and storms are beginning to develop. Temperatures have warmed into the mid and upper 80s with dewpoints in the upper 60s. This has given us 1500-2000 J/kg of SBCAPE already, according to the latest SPC mesoanalysis. Additional warming is expected for another couple of hours this afternoon with highs peaking in the upper 80s or around 90 closer to the coastal plain. Convection this afternoon and evening will be forced by an approaching shortwave as well as the typical summertime sea breeze front. The Bermuda high sitting offshore continues to send a continuous stream of low level moisture into the region on southeast surface flow. With winds aloft more south to southwest, additional moisture continues to advect into our area, as PWATs exceed 1.5" currently and should near 1.8"+ by later this evening. Expect a day similar to yesterday with scattered convection developing this afternoon during peak heating. Overall wind shear remains quite weak, so unorganized convection is expected with minimal severe threat. CAMs are in decent agreement with initiation around 18-19z, but confidence is lower regarding exact location of these cells. However, when the main shortwave moves through later this evening, there is much better model consensus of a decaying line of showers and storms (currently along the Alabama/Georgia border) pushing into the western Midlands/CSRA at or around 00-02z. The loss of daytime heating should stabilize things east of Columbia, and most of the models have this precip diminishing west of the I-20 corridor late tonight. Of note, the slower storm motion and high PWATs could provide intense rainfall rates and a possible localized flooding threat in vulnerable locations or if any storms train over the same area. CAMs have really focused best convection along and north of the I-20 corridor, so PoPs reflect this with higher values across the upper CSRA and western Midlands with a gradient to lower chances eastern Midlands. Convective debris clouds will likely delay radiational cooling tonight but temperatures eventually should fall into the upper 60s.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/...
-- Changed Discussion --
A few isolated showers or thunderstorms may still linger Wednesday morning, but the activity is expected to increase as we head into the afternoon as another shortwave disturbance moves across the region. Expect coverage to be similar or even higher than today as PWATs are expected to be around 1.75" Wednesday afternoon. Activity is anticipated to wane overnight ahead of another round of showers and thunderstorms on Thursday. A cold front moving toward the region will aid in keeping the PWATs elevated ahead of it, allowing scattered showers and storms again in the afternoon and evening. The severe threat for both days is minimal; however, a few of the stronger cells could produce wind gusts of 40 to 45 mph, especially on Thursday. The cold front is anticipated to move through the region late Thursday night/early Friday morning.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
-- Changed Discussion --
After the front passes, drier air is expected to move in behind it. That said there could be an isolated shower or storm over the eastern portions of the forecast area on Friday, depending on exactly where the front is located. Otherwise, dry conditions are expected for the weekend ahead of more activity possible early for the week ahead.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .AVIATION /18Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
-- Changed Discussion --
VFR conditions generally expected over the 24 hr forecast period. FEW-SCT clouds AOA 3kft MSL with cirrus above and developing SHRA/TSRA. Convection will generally be SCT in nature, but a better area of precip may impact AGS/DNL around 05/00Z. SFC winds southwest around 5 to 8 kts, with a few erratic gusts possible in/near SHRA/TSRA. Convective debris clouds through the evening may give way to some CIG restrictions late tonight due to abundant low level moisture. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...Scattered afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms through Friday with intermittent CIG/VSBY restrictions possible.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...None. GA...None. && $$