Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Sterling, VA

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455 FXUS61 KLWX 300123 AFDLWX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 923 PM EDT Sat Jun 29 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Low pressure will move across the Great Lakes region tonight. A cold front will then push through on Sunday. A strong area of high pressure settles over the area Monday and Tuesday before drifting offshore the second half of the week. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING/...
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Multiple waves of convection are noted on radar as of 9pm. One wave is sliding across southeast Pennsylvania. On the southwest flank or side of this wave, there are a few strong thunderstorms that need to be monitored as they could move close to Cecil County. The second wave of heavier showers and intense thunderstorms are noted from northwest Carroll County to northern Frederick County in Virginia. This appears to be the most intense wave. Main threats are downpours, lightning and possible damaging wind gusts. An isolated tornado or two can`t ruled out given the amount of wind shear in the lower levels. The third wave is moving across western Maryland and parts of northeast West Virginia. This wave has mainly moderate to heavy rain with a few thunderstorms on the south end near Grant County in West Virginia. We will closely monitor all of this convection as there still appears to be considerable instability and wind shear across our northern half of our region. Additional activity could develop farther south and west than these waves, but without daytime heating, they could lose their punch. Patchy fog may develop in areas where it rained during this evening. Lows will be very mild, in the 70s outside of the higher elevations, and potentially remaining near 80 in the urban centers.
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&& .SHORT TERM /6 AM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
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Previous discussion... Some residual showers are possible to start off the morning, with some cloud cover possibly lingering into the core heating period. However, do think there should be enough breaks to allow ample heating of the boundary layer amidst a very moist airmass with mid 70s dew points across the region. Guidance tends to reveal some showers and thunderstorms developing with daytime heating in the Noon to 2pm timeframe and along and east of the Blue Ridge. Highs could reach the lower to middle 90s, but up to 5 degrees may need to be subtracted in some areas if trends continue for increasing or thickening clouds. Still not confident that a Heat Advisory will be needed on Sunday. Another round of strong to severe thunderstorms will likely develop during the afternoon. The culprit is a seasonably strong cold front which arrives during the peak in the diurnal heating cycle. Forcing aloft is more pronounced than the previous day, although the better height falls are confined to northern portions of the Mid-Atlantic. Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms are possible, especially east of the Blue Ridge. The Storm Prediction Center has maintained a broad Slight Risk for this area. Damaging wind gusts are the most likely threat. Precipitable water values in excess of 2 inches will result heavy rain rates, but progressive storm motions will limit the flood threat. The eastward progressing cold front reaches the Chesapeake Bay during the evening hours before settling into the coastal Atlantic by late Sunday night. Shower activity should come to an end as winds shift to northwesterly in the wake. While most see lows in the 60s, many can expect temperatures in the 50s to the west of the Blue Ridge. A strong dome of surface high pressure advances from the Upper Midwest toward the Great Lakes. A seasonably cool air mass arrives on Monday with 850-mb temperatures falling to around 10-12C. The well-mixed boundary layer yields dry adiabatic profiles down to the surface. This favors high temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s which is around 5 to 10 degrees below average for early July. Expect plenty of sunshine with northerly winds gusting up to 20 mph. Cooler nighttime conditions push into locations to the east with lows in the upper 50s to mid 60s east of the Blue Ridge. This is accompanied by clear skies as the surface high is positioned over the northeastern U.S.
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&& .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... High pressure on Tuesday will bring mostly dry conditions across the area with highs in the low to mid 80s for the lower elevations and mid to upper 70s for the mountains. A low pressure centered across the central Canadian provinces will begin moving further east on Wednesday, with an associated warm front and cold front affected the local area Wednesday into Thursday. The front may eventually stall across the northeast, allowing increased chances for showers and thunderstorms for the remainder of the work week and even into the early part of the weekend. Highlighting the Fourth of July, the aforementioned cold front will likely be just off to the west of the area but a warm, moist airmass ahead of it may increase chances for some strong to severe thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours. Still some uncertainty with this system but given there will be more outside presence during that day, it warrants a bit more attention as we head into the holiday period. Temperatures for the remaining long- term stay hot into the low to mid 90s with heat indices approaching triple digits Thursday through the start of the weekend. && .AVIATION /01Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
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Heavy showers and thunderstorms are and will continue to move over MRB terminal for another hour or so. Additional showers and thunderstorms could reach our northeastern terminals shortly before midnight but uncertain as to how much punch they will have when it comes to damaging winds and lowering ceilings. MVFR would be more probable at MRB overnight depending on rainfall intensity or perhaps some patchy fog. Sunday brings another potential active weather day, all ahead of an approaching cold front. Right now the afternoon to early evening would be the most likely timing of thunderstorms. These storms appear more likely than this evening and will pose a threat of strong wind gusts and heavy rain. Any convective activity should diminish by later in the evening with northwesterly flow ensuing in the wake. For Monday, VFR conditions are expected with northerly gusts up to 15 to 20 knots. VFR conditions are expected Tuesday into early Wednesday before isolated showers and thunderstorms return Wednesday afternoon and could lead to instances of sub-VFR conditions. Southeasterly winds on Tuesday will turn more southerly by Wednesday with afternoon gusts 10 to 15 knots at times.
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&& .MARINE...
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Small Craft Advisory remains in effect for most waters early this evening with southerly gusts up to 20 knots. The stronger winds will gradually contract to the main channel tonight. Some convective potential later in the evening or even early overnight may require Special Marine Warnings. However, confidence is low at this time of strong storms reaching the waters. Small Craft Advisories may be need to be extended into early Sunday for the mid bay, but will become more likely for all waters behind a cold front late Sunday into Monday. In between, strong to severe thunderstorms could impact the waters during the afternoon to early/mid evening. Special Marine Warnings become likely with this activity before the convection pushes off to the east overnight. No marine hazards are expected Tuesday with high pressure nearby. SCA winds may return Wednesday afternoon ahead of incoming showers and isolated thunderstorms.
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&& .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
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A Coastal Flood Advisory for Annapolis remains in effect. Havre de Grace and DC SW Waterfront will also be close to minor flood stage. Winds shift to more southwesterly Sunday afternoon, allowing for tidal anomalies to fall slightly, and then more drastically with northwest winds behind a cold front Sunday night.
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&& .LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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DC...None. MD...Coastal Flood Advisory until 4 AM EDT Sunday for MDZ014. VA...None. WV...None. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM EDT Sunday for ANZ530>534-537- 539>541-543. Small Craft Advisory until 1 AM EDT Sunday for ANZ538-542.
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&& $$ SYNOPSIS...ADS NEAR TERM...ADS/KLW SHORT TERM...ADS LONG TERM...ADM AVIATION...KLW/ADM MARINE...KLW/ADM TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...ADS