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916
FXUS62 KMHX 270751
AFDMHX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC
351 AM EDT Thu Jun 27 2024

.SYNOPSIS...
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A weak cold front will move into the region today and stall just
south of the area tonight. High pressure then builds in behind
this feature from the north late week and into the weekend with
another front approaching late Sunday through Monday. High
pressure once again builds over the area from the north on
Tuesday.
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&&

.NEAR TERM /TODAY/...
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As of 330 AM Thu...Key Messages for today:
1) The combination of hot temperatures (highs in the low to mid
90s) and high humidity levels (dewpoints in the 70s) will result
in dangerous Heat Index values around 105 degrees from late
morning through the afternoon.

2) The atmosphere will become very unstable this afternoon
resulting in the development of scattered to numerous showers
and thunderstorms (especially this afternoon east of Highway
17). Some of the storms could become severe with damaging wind
gusts and hail to around 1" the main threats. Torrential
downpours could lead to localized flooding in poor drainage
areas.

Active weather is on tap for the next 18 hours as a weak cold
front moves into eastern NC this afternoon then stalls just
south of the area overnight. Ahead of the front deep southerly
flow will continue to usher a hot and humid airmass into the
Carolinas. Just how how it gets today has become a little more
uncertain as the 00Z MOS has come in cooler with highs
especially the ECMWF (upper 80s to lower 90s). This may be
resulting from the models thinking that debris clouds associated
with weakening convection currently over VA will overspread the
area and linger reducing heating. The NBM is the warmest temp
guidance (low to mid 90s) and was used in this forecast package
and resulted in peak Heat Index values around 105 degrees this
afternoon. Decided to not expand the Heat Advisory north where
clouds will be most likely to persist and produce slightly
cooler high temps.

This morning the models are in pretty good agreement in bringing
the convection currently over VA southeast across the northern
portion of the area (mainly north of Highway 264) this morning
with an ending time around 15Z. Then the atmosphere will become
increasingly buoyant this afternoon with ML CAPES around 2500
J/kg resulting in scattered to numerous showers and
thunderstorms. Shear will be a little weaker than Mon around 20
kt. The lack of shear may be compensated by water loaded
downdrafts as PW values are forecast to exceed 2". Expecting
multi-cell clusters capable of producing damaging wind gusts
and marginally severe hail to around 1". In addition torrential
downpours will lead to localized poor drainage flooding. The
high res models are indicating the potential for 2-3" rainfall
amounts in persistent downpours. Storms should begin to blossom
17-19Z with the best coverage expected east of Highway 17.
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.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT/...
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As of 330 AM Thu...The strongest convection should be winding
down by 00Z with any lingering shower and thunderstorm activity
ending by midnight as the front sags southward and drier
northerly flow develops across the area. Could see patchy fog as
skies clear and winds becalm calm. Lows are projected to be in
the upper 60s to lower 70s inland and warmer low to mid 70s in
the beach communities.
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&&

.LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
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As of 330 AM Thurs... Once again the heat and humidity will be the
main story in the long term to start as high pressure ridging builds
overhead this weekend. Heat related impacts will be a threat
most afternoons through Sunday, with the most oppressive heat
potential both Saturday and Sunday. Scattered diurnal activity
is expected Friday through Sunday, with better chances for
precip arriving Sunday night and into Monday as another front
moves in. Expecting dry conditions from Tuesday into the end of
the period.

Friday... No significant changes to the forecast as a cold front
will be pushing offshore Fri morning and stalling. Behind this
front a marginally cooler/drier airmass will try to build in but
will not be very successful as humid conditions will persist
through the day. Scattered shower and thunderstorm activity will
be possible Friday afternoon as some instability and forcing
from sea/river/sound breezes will be in place across ENC and as
a result have kept SChc to CHc PoPs across the region with the
highest chances over the coastal plain.

Slightly cooler temperatures expected Friday behind the front as
high temps get into the upper 80s to low 90s, but with humidity
sticking around, it will feel like its about 95 to 100 F
outside.

Saturday through Monday... The heat and humidity return in full
force this weekend as high pressure ridging restrengthens over
the area. High temps will generally range from the upper 80s
along the immediate coast and OBX to the mid to upper 90s across
the Coastal Plain. Combined with the high humidity across ENC
heat indices will reach 100 to potentially 110 this weekend.
With lows only getting down into the 70s each night, there will
not be much relief overnight either resulting in an increased
threat for excessive heat.

Otherwise diurnally driven showers and storms will be possible
on Sat with increased precip chances on Sunday afternoon through
Monday with the approach of a cold front. This cold front will
track across the region on Monday with the precip threat
gradually ending from northwest to southeast Mon night. Given
the forecasted cloudcover and precip chances on Mon temps will
also be lower with Highs only getting into the 80s.

Tuesday through midweek...Behind this front next week the heat and
humidity looks to break finally with dry conditions and near normal
temps expected.
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&&

.AVIATION /07Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
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SHORT TERM /through Tonight/...
As of 330 AM Thu...A period of mainly MVFR ceilings is expected
through about 14Z this morning then our attention turns to the
potential for scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms
this afternoon. Some of these storms could become severe with
winds gusts to 50 kt, large hail and torrential downpours and
occasional sub VFR conditions. Most of this activity will be
east of the TAF sites by 00Z. The combination of wet soils and
radiational cooling could result in patchy fog formation with
sub VFR conditions after 6Z as winds become calm.

LONG TERM /Friday through Monday/...
As of 345 AM Thurs... Diurnally driven shower and thunderstorm
activity is forecast across ENC on Fri and Sat with some
periods of sub-VFR conditions possible each afternoon and
evening. Another cold front will arrive late Sun and bring an
increased chance of sub-VFR conditions through Monday before VFR
conditions potentially return on Tuesday.
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&&

.MARINE...
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SHORT TERM /through Tonight/...
As of 330 AM Thu...SCAs continue for the sounds and northern
waters through 12Z. SSW winds continue 10-20 kt, gusting to 25
kt across the northern waters and sounds early this morning.
These winds are forecast to diminish to 10-15 kt gusting to 20
kt around 12Z this morning and continue through the afternoon.
Tonight winds will diminish to around 10 kt then become NE
behind the weak cold front forecast to cross the waters
overnight. Seas will be 2-4 ft today and 2-3 ft tonight.

Strong thunderstorms develop this afternoon into early evening,
with strong winds above 34 kt and hail possible.

LONG TERM /Friday through Monday/...
As of 345 AM Thurs... Decent boating conditions forecast
through Sat before a cold front tracks across our waters Sun
night into Monday bringing widespread shower and thunderstorm
activity as well as elevated winds and seas.

As a ridge of high pressure gradually builds in from the north on
Fri, northeast to easterly winds at 5-15 kts and 2 to 4 ft seas will
persist across our waters Fri into Fri night. As high pressure
ridging gradually slides offshore winds will turn to a SE`rly
direction on Sat. Winds will continue to gradually turn Sat
night into Sun to a SW`rly direction while also increasing to
10-20 kts as a cold front approaches from the west bringing our
next threat for unsettled conditions across the waters Sun
night into Mon. Seas will remain around 2 to 4 ft through the
rest of the period, though would not be shocked to see some 5 ft
seas near the Gulf Stream waters Sun night into Mon as the
front track across the area.
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&&

.MHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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NC...Heat Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 5 PM EDT this
     afternoon for NCZ045>047-080-081-090>092-094-193>195-198-
     199.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 7 AM EDT this morning for AMZ131-
     135-150-152-230-231.
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&&

$$
SYNOPSIS...MHX
NEAR TERM...JME
SHORT TERM...JME
LONG TERM...RCF
AVIATION...JME/RCF
MARINE...JME/RCF