


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wakefield, VA
Issued by NWS Wakefield, VA
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138 FXUS61 KAKQ 131102 AFDAKQ AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Wakefield VA 702 AM EDT Sun Jul 13 2025 .SYNOPSIS... An unsettled weather pattern continues into next week with scattered thunderstorms possible each day. Heavy rainfall and localized flooding will be possible into the mid week period before heat builds Thursday and Friday. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 330 AM EDT Sunday... Key Messages: - Showers and storms are expected again today, mainly west of the Chesapeake Bay. - Gusty winds and heavy rainfall will accompany the slow-moving convection this afternoon and evening with continued threat for localized flash flooding. Some fog and low stratus clouds are likely to fill in across the area toward sunrise, especially in areas that have seen significant rainfall over the last 24 hours. CAM guidance has struggled mightily over the last few days (to say the least) but the general consensus shows another day of scattered storms for the western 2/3 of the area. A weak front that moved in from the coast on Saturday continues to linger over the area and will likely serve as the focus for convection again this afternoon. Low level convergence along the front, combined with continued deep moisture and weak flow through the column, will result in the threat for heavy rainfall and flash flooding again today. PWATs of 1.75-2" remain entrenched across the region so any storms that fire this afternoon will pose a localized flooding risk. WPC has all but the immediate coast in a marginal ERO with a slight ERO along and west of a line from Mecklenburg county NNE to Caroline county in VA. Similarly, SPC has outlined a marginal risk of strong to severe wind gusts, generally along and west of the I-95 corridor. Forecast soundings show ample instability across the region with MLCAPE on the order of 2000-3000 J/kg by this afternoon. Very weak flow aloft argues for pulse type convection with very slow storm motions. Not much dry air aloft to support strong downdraft acceleration today but collapsing/water-loaded convection could result in locally strong wind gusts. Seasonably warm again today with high temperatures ranging from the mid 80s along the Eastern Shore coast to the upper 80s and low 90s for areas west of the weak frontal boundary. Heat indices generally in the upper 90s to low 100s this afternoon for areas west of the front. Some showers linger across the Piedmont after sunset before ending around midnight. Muggy and warm tonight with lows in the 70s. && .SHORT TERM /MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... As of 330 AM EDT Sunday... Key Messages: - A cold front approaches the region from the NW on Monday, resulting in greater coverage of showers and storms. A Flood Watch may be necessary for portions of the area. - Unsettled pattern continues into Tuesday with additional rounds of showers and storms as the front stalls NW of the area. Warm and humid again on Monday with greater coverage of showers and storms expected, mainly across the western 2/3 of the area. Sounding like a broken record here but we will again see ample instability and weak shear along with anomalously moist conditions, resulting in slow-moving showers and storms. Depending on how today plays out, a Flood Watch may be necessary for portions of the area as cumulative days of rainfall and soil saturation require less additional rainfall to flood. WPC has most of the area in a slight ERO with a marginal ERO from eastern North Carolina NE through Norfolk and into the Eastern Shore. The highest PoPs are focused west of the Chesapeake. SPC does not have a severe risk for the area on Monday but gusty winds will certainly be possible in water-loaded downdrafts. Showers and storms likely linger later into Monday evening and even the overnight hours as the focus for precip shifts east toward the coast. High temps range from the upper 80s along the coast to the low 90s inland. Lows again in the 70s. The front stalls west or NW of the area on Tuesday, bringing yet another day of showers and storms with heavy rainfall and gusty winds. More clouds through the day result in cooler high temps, generally in the mid 80s inland with upper 80s along the coast. Highest PoPs are favored over the Piedmont, tapering to chance along the coast. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... As of 330 AM EDT Sunday... Key Message: - Stagnant pattern continues mid to late week with daily shower and storm chances - Heat and humidity build late in the week with Heat Advisories possible. Rinse and repeat pattern continues Wed-Sat with storm chances each afternoon and evening. Upper ridging builds across the area Thursday and especially Friday, resulting in the potential for Heat Advisories. Rising heights aloft argue for lower convective coverage but have continued with the blended guidance in the extended forecast which maintains 30-50% PoPs (highest W). Highs generally in the upper 80s to low 90s Wednesday, increasing to the low/mid 90s on Thursday and Friday. Friday still looks to be hottest day of the forecast period. Heat indices 100-104F are likely Thursday with some areas of 105+F on Friday. Perhaps a touch cooler on Saturday with triple digit heat indices confined to the southern third of the area. && .AVIATION /12Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 700 AM EDT Sunday... Wide mix of flying weather out there this morning with IFR most widespread along US 58. All terminals become VFR over the next hour or two. Light and variable winds this morning become E or SE this afternoon. Showers and storms are possible again this afternoon but low confidence in coverage precludes mention in the TAF for now. Outlook: Another round of isolated to scattered afternoon-late evening tstms are expected to recur each day into early next week, along with the potential for early morning fog/stratus. && .MARINE... As of 330 AM EDT Sunday... Key Messages: - Benign marine conditions continue outside of local influences from afternoon and evening thunderstorms. High pressure is centered near Nova Scotia early this morning and extends SW toward the northern Mid-Atlantic coast. A trough is located inland over the Piedmont, with weak low pressure well E of the VA coast. The wind is primarily E 5-10kt early this morning, with seas ~2ft, and waves 1ft to occasionally 2ft in the Ches. Bay. Additionally, patchy marine fog is possible early this morning. A similar pressure pattern continues today into this evening with the wind becoming SE and generally remaining 5-10kt, although a later aftn/evening diurnal increase to 8-12kt is expected in the Ches. Bay. High pressure retreats E of the Canadian Maritimes later tonight into Monday. Meanwhile, subtropical high pressure rebuilds off the Southeast coast through the middle of the week. This will allow the wind to become S to SW 5-10kt early in the week, with a mid-aftn to early evening sea-breeze influenced shift to SSE Monday and Tuesday. The pressure gradient tightens Wednesday night into Thursday as low pressure tracks NE of the Great Lakes into the St. Lawrence Valley. This will potentially bring SCA conditions in a SW wind, with the best chc in the Ches. Bay. The wind diminishes by Friday as the pressure gradient relaxes due to a weakening front dropping to the region. Seas will mainly be ~2ft through Tuesday and then 2-3ft by Wednesday, with 1ft to occasionally 2ft waves in the Ches. Bay. Seas build to 3-4ft (2-3ft nearshore) by Wednesday night and Thursday, with 2-3ft waves in the Ches. Bay. Aftn/evening showers/tstms will have limited coverage over the marine area today, with higher chances during the aftn/evening hours Monday through Wednesday. The main hazards with tstms will be brief strong wind gusts, frequent lighting, and reduced vsby in heavy rain. && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...None. NC...None. VA...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...RHR NEAR TERM...RHR SHORT TERM...RHR LONG TERM...RHR AVIATION...RHR MARINE...AJZ/NB