Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Columbia, SC

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937 FXUS62 KCAE 131021 AFDCAE Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Columbia SC 621 AM EDT Thu Jun 13 2024 .SYNOPSIS... High pressure remains over the area for the end of the week, allowing dry conditions to persist through Friday. Moisture will begin gradually increasing late Saturday with isolated afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms returning Sunday into next week. Hot temperatures are expected throughout much of the forecast period. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
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An upper trough currently moving over the Southeast is bringing some mid-level cloud cover to the forecast area this morning. Expect this trough to continue moving eastward today and tonight. Meanwhile, surface high pressure remains over the area, but an offshore low will likely cause winds to be around 10 mph across the area. A seabreeze front is also anticipated to bring some shower potential to the low country this afternoon; however, the chance for showers to reach the eastern extent of our forecast area is very low (<10%). Otherwise, fair conditions can be expected today. Skies become mainly clear overnight, which could allow some fog to develop near bodies of water. Highs are expected to be a few degrees warmer than Wednesday, with temperatures reaching the upper 80s to lower 90s. Overnight lows are forecast to be in the mid 60s to around 70.
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&& .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... On Friday the upper level trough will be passing through New England with the upper level ridge building into much of the central and SE US. At the surface a weak and diffuse boundary will be moving toward the area from the north and become increasingly weak and diffuse as it moves through the forecast area Friday evening and overnight. Well offshore will be another boundary with a weak area of low pressure expected to move from off the GA Coast to the Carolinas Friday evening then accelerate into the Atlantic Basin as the surface boundary crosses the area Friday night. Model soundings continue to show a subsidence inversion in the mid levels which along with 850 to 500 mb lapse rates below 6.0 C/Km will continue suppressing cumulus development with no convection anticipated. With the upper ridge building over the region temperatures will be climbing with afternoon high temperatures reaching the mid 90s for most locations. Although the air mass will be slightly drier than normal corresponding heat index readings are expected to remain several degrees below criteria with upper 90s for most areas. With this being the first event with temperatures and heat index values climbing toward 100 continue to urge those outdoors to take frequent breaks and hydrate well. Saturday will see little change across the region as high pressure over the Great Lakes begins moving eastward and will be centered over New England Saturday night. The upper ridge axis will be centered just west of the forecast area by Sunday night allowing high temperatures to range from the low 90s along the NC border to the upper 90s in the southern Midlands and CSRA. With a touch more moisture on Saturday heat index values will also rise a few degrees with readings in the mid to upper 90s in the northern Midlands and low 100s from the central Midlands through the CSRA. This again will be slightly below criteria so do not expect any heat headlines attm however strongly encourage those that will be outdoors to take frequent breaks and hydrate well. The subsidence inversion will be weakening on Saturday however with dry air expected to remain in the mid levels with light northerly to northwesterly winds lending a bit of downsloping any potential for convection would be in the eastern Midlands. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... The upper level pattern over the eastern Pacific and western US will be highly amplified through the first part of the long term resulting in a high amplitude ridge building over the eastern US. This will result in a slow progression of the upper levels with a deep trough over the western US and large ridge over the eastern US through much of next week. At the surface the high pressure will migrate from off the New England coast Sunday into the NW Atlantic by Tuesday and Wednesday. This will put a ridge of high pressure over the area and turn winds to easterly to southeasterly and advect moisture into the region. The main moisture plume will remain over the western and central Gulf States so expect to see chances of diurnal convection with pops remaining at slight chance to low chance. Temperatures through the long term will remain in the low to mid 90s with heat index readings in the mid 90s to around 100. && .AVIATION /10Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
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VFR conditions expected through the 24 hours TAF period. Mid-level clouds are expected to linger over the area through late morning or early afternoon before scattering out. The typical fair weather cumulus field at 5-7 kft is also expected to develop with daytime heating. Northeast winds of 5-10 kts are expected through around 00z before becoming light and variable to calm. OGB could see some wind gusts in the 15-19 kt range this afternoon due to an offshore low. Skies are anticipated to clear overnight. The clear skies and light to calm winds tonight could result in fog at the fog-prone AGS and OGB near daybreak tomorrow. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...No significant restrictions are expected through Saturday. Shower and thunderstorm chances increase Sunday and Monday but current confidence on restrictions is low.
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&& .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...None. GA...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM... SHORT TERM... LONG TERM... AVIATION...