657
FXUS61 KAKQ 310537
AFDAKQ

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
137 AM EDT Fri May 31 2024

.SYNOPSIS...
An upper trough will track across the region overnight,
bringing an increase in clouds and a few passing showers over
south central VA and northeast NC. Otherwise, pleasant and less
humid conditions are expected through Saturday. A weak trough
will bring an increase in clouds and a slight chance of showers
and thunderstorms Sunday.

&&

.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/...
As of 135 AM EDT Friday...

Key Message:

- Scattered showers and isolated storms continue to move SE
  across SE VA/NE NC overnight.

A shortwave trough continues to push through tonight with
scattered showers and isolated storms across SE VA/NE NC. These
showers and storms will continue to push SE over the next
several hours with clearing conditions expected by sunrise.
Temps as of 130 AM ranged from the mid 50s NW (under clear
skies) to the upper 50s to lower 60s SE (where cloud cover is
thickest). As clouds thin overnight and winds become light/calm,
expect temps to become chilly as they drop into the mid-upper
40s W to the mid 50s E (upper 50s to around 60F along the
coast).

&&

.SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY/...
As of 300 PM EDT Thursday...

Key Messages:

- Continued pleasant with temperatures still cooler than normal
  for Friday. Comfortably cool Friday night with lows in the
  40s inland to low 50s at the coast.

- Warming temperatures but remaining dry for Saturday.

- A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms returns Sunday.

Surface high pressure builds across the region Friday into
Saturday as the upper trough shifts offshore and an upper ridge
builds across the Ohio Valley. Very pleasant and sunny Friday
with highs in the mid 70s and dewpoints dropping into the upper
30s to mid 40s. Comfortably cool Friday night/early Saturday
morning with lows ranging from the mid/upper 40s W to the lower
to mid 50s along the coast. The airmass modifies Saturday with
highs warming into the upper 70s to lower 80s. Still sunny and
pleasant with dewpoints in the upper 40s to lower 50s.

Surface high pressure remains over the area Saturday night,
before shifting offshore Sunday. Low temperatures will mainly be
in the mid 50s to lower 60s Sunday morning, followed by highs
of 80-85F Sunday. The upper ridge builds across the region, but
does break down slightly later Sunday as a shortwave trough
tracks across the top of the ridge. A warm front will also lift
into the region as the high moves offshore. PW values increase
but still remain near normal. PoPs for showers/tstms have been
maintained at 20% or less at this time. However, some of the
12z/30 guidance does suggest higher rain chances across the
north.

&&

.LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/...
As of 300 PM EDT Thursday...

Key Messages:

- Gradually warming trend continues from Monday through the
  middle of next week.

- Low rain chances continue with typical late day and evening
  showers and thunderstorms possible both Monday and Tuesday,
  with an increased chance Wednesday and Thursday.

A slight chc of showers/tstms lingers across northern portions
of the area Sunday night. Otherwise, mild with lows in the 60s
late Sunday night into early Monday morning. Ensemble guidance
depicts zonal flow early next week with mainly dry conditions
outside of a limited chc of afternoon/evening showers/tstms. A
warming trend commences with high temperatures in the lower to
mid 80s toward the coast, and mid to upper 80s inland. EPS/GEFS
depict weak troughing developing across the Mid-Atlantic
Wednesday/Thursday with an increase in PW anomalies. Therefore,
there is an increased chc of afternoon/evening showers/tstms by
Wednesday and Thursday. More humid with highs remaining in the
lower to mid 80s toward the coast and the mid to upper 80s
inland. Lows will mainly be in the 60s during the early to
middle portion of next week.

&&

.AVIATION /06Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
As of 135 AM EDT Friday...

A shortwave trough continues to push through tonight with
scattered showers and isolated storms across SE VA/NE NC. These
showers and storms will continue to push SE over the next
several hours with clearing conditions expected by sunrise. CIGs
remain mainly VFR with the CU (generally 4000-6000 ft). However,
VIS may briefly drop to IFR/MVFR at ECG over the next hour or so
as a storm moves through. A few gusts to 20 kt will also be
possible with this convection. Outside of convection, winds were
generally N 3-7 kt. Clouds clear by sunrise with sunny skies
expected through the day Fri apart from a few high-based CU near
the coast. N winds increase to 5-10 kt Fri morning, increasing
again to ~10 kt with gusts 15-20 kt from late morning into the
afternoon. High pressure builds in Fri night with calm winds and
clear skies expected.

High pressure spreads across the region Friday night through
Saturday, before sliding offshore Sunday through Tuesday.
Primarily dry and VFR conditions are expected to prevail
Thursday night through Tuesday. The only exception is a slight
chc of showers/tstms Sunday as a weakening system tracks N of
the area.

&&

.MARINE...
As of 245 PM EDT Thursday...

Key Messages:

- All Small Craft Advisories have been discontinued.

- Another brief N surge of 15 to 20 knots is possible Friday
  morning as high pressure builds in from the NW.

Sfc high pressure is centered across the western Great Lakes
this aftn, with sfc low pressure off the southern New England
coast. N to NW winds are averaging 10-15 kt this aftn over the
local waters, with seas 2-3 ft (except locally 3-4 ft off NC).
Waves are 1-2 ft in the Bay. Winds will tend to drop off a bit
this evening.

As high pressure starts to builds in from the NW overnight into
Fri, N winds again increase to ~15 kt+ with gusts to 20 kt+
with the highest winds expected from about 4 am through ~10 am.
Local wind probs have a 20-40% chc for 18 kt sustained winds in
the Bay (which is less than what occurred earlier today when
the probs were >60%). Expect that there will be a short duration
of gusts to 20-25 kt but confidence in this lasting long enough
to warrant headlines is low. Decided to not issue any SCA
headlines for now and will allow next shift to assess (at the
very least we will probably need to issue an MWS for a short
duration surge Friday morning). Either way, this should be a
low- end SCA event if it does occur, with sub- SCA conditions
returning Fri aftn and beyond. Winds will generally be light
Saturday as the sfc high settles over the region, with a
southerly flow developing Sat night/Sunday as the sfc high
shifts off the coast. Sub-SCA conditions continue through the
middle of next week, with seas 2-3 ft and waves 1-2 ft or less.

&&

.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
As of 200 PM EDT Thursday...

NNE winds have led to 3-4 ft waves along NC Beaches and with
low tide expected early this evening have raised Moderate rip
risk for NC OBX Currituck through 8 pm this evening (low rip
risk elsewhere). It will be close again Friday (southern VA/NE
NC beaches) as another northerly surge could bring waves ~3ft
nearshore, but for now stayed with Low rips all zones Friday.

&&

.AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MD...None.
NC...None.
VA...None.
MARINE...None.

&&

$$

SYNOPSIS...AJZ/MAM
NEAR TERM...RMM
SHORT TERM...AJZ
LONG TERM...AJZ
AVIATION...RMM
MARINE...LKB
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...