Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Charleston, SC

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076 FXUS62 KCHS 192346 AFDCHS Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston SC 746 PM EDT Sun May 19 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 MONDAY MORNING/...
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Mesoanalysis and radar data suggest the cold front is approaching the I-16 corridor with a narrow band of showers associated with it. The front will continue to meander south this evening and should be south of the Altamaha River by an hour or so after midnight. Near term pops were adjusted to reflect current radar trends with 20-30% pops clustered near and south of the front. Most of the area has been solidly worked over, but an isolated tstm or two could still occur until the vorticity maximum noted just offshore pulls farther away. Drier air will slowly advect in from the north through the night. Lows will range from the lower 60s inland to the upper 60s/near 70 at the beaches.
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&& .SHORT TERM /6 AM MONDAY 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 /00Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
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20/00z TAF Discussion: KCHS/KJZI/KSAV: The risk for tstm impacts have ended. A few showers will meander around KSAV through about 01z until the front clears that terminal. MVFR cigs will prevail at all terminals this evening with cigs slowly mixing out to VFR after midnight. VFR will then dominate through 00z Tuesday. Extended Aviation Outlook: VFR.
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&& .MARINE...
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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.
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&& .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. && $$