Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wilmington, NC

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676 FXUS62 KILM 281951 AFDILM Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 351 PM EDT Fri Jun 28 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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Bermuda high pressure will dominate again as a lingering front retreats northward with increasing heat through the weekend. Another cold front will bring scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms from late Sunday into Monday. Relatively cooler and drier conditions will arrive behind the front on Tuesday with a warming and moistening trend through the midweek period.
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&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/...
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Increased subsidence and dry air aloft will keep convection isolated through this evening and will dissipate as the sun sets and heating of the day drops off. Bermuda high pressure will once again dominate as weakening frontal boundary drifts back north as warm front and easterly winds veer to the south. This will reinforce the heat and humidity over the area through Saturday. Ridging aloft with increasing heights and plenty of dry air and subsidence through the mid to upper levels will keep diurnal localized convection limited again on Sat, mainly associated with local effects such as sea breeze and farther inland along the Piedmont trough. Onshore flow will keep dew points in the low 70s today, recovering into the mid 70s overnight. Lows tonight will be in the low to mid 70s. Boundary layer winds will be light tonight with patchy fog and low clouds possible mainly near daybreak with plenty of sunshine thereafter. Temps will reach into the low to mid 90s on Sat and the heat index values should remain just below Heat Advisory thresholds, but the heat and humidity will be on the increase over the weekend.
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&& .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
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Saturday night should remain uneventful from a significant weather standpoint with the ever present inland trough and Bermuda High Pressure in place. Mid level height falls along with an accompanying front will change things Sunday into Monday. These features will bring likely to categorical pops in time probably more enhanced Sunday afternoon and early evening. A second and probably smaller uptick will occur Monday midday. Overall it looks like the best chance for decent/widespread rainfall in a while. All but unbearable dewpoints Sunday will probably prompt yet another heat related headline.
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&& .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
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The front that comes across earlier takes its time moving through if it ever really does thus pops remain mainly southern areas for a day or two. Precipitable water values really drop off later Wednesday into Thursday leading to an unusual period of of little to no pops. Recovering moisture along with the inland trough and sea breeze warrant a muted increase in pops for late in the period. Should see a break in heat related headlines for the most part.
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&& .AVIATION /18Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... VFR will continue through most of the period. Left out thunderstorms in the TAFs with ridge aloft producing dry air and subsidence limiting convection today. This does not mean that a thunderstorm may not get close enough for a VCTS as sea breeze boundary pushes inland with easterly onshore push but, overall isolated. Any convection will dissipate with loss of heating after sunset. Fog or low clouds possible tonight mainly 07z through 13z with strato cu developing after 14z. Extended Outlook...VFR should prevail outside of periodic MVFR/IFR during diurnal showers/thunderstorms plus spotty morning low clouds/fog. && .MARINE...
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Through Saturday...Bermuda high pressure will dominate again into this weekend with easterly winds becoming southerly as a lingering frontal boundary retreats north as a warm front. E to SE up to 15 kts will become S through Sat with seas less than 3 ft with a chop in the afternoon sea breeze. An easterly swell around 2 ft and 9 seconds will mix in. Saturday night through Tuesday...South to southwesterly winds of 10-15 knots will be in place for the first couple of days followed by a somewhat brief period of light northerly flow in the wake of a front later Monday. After this a weak return flow will develop and will be probably enhanced by the sea breeze. Significant seas will be 2-4 feet.
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&& .FIRE WEATHER... Increased fire concerns are present across most of the area due to low fuel moistures and current drought conditions. There are a couple of chances of rainfall over the next week, with potentially moderate rain late Sunday through Monday night, but is not expected to be enough to alleviate dry conditions. While the forecast, namely RH, remains above criteria for any NWS products, extra caution should be used, especially with the upcoming holiday. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...ILM NEAR TERM...RGZ SHORT TERM...SHK LONG TERM...SHK AVIATION...RGZ MARINE...SHK/RGZ FIRE WEATHER...ILM