Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Blacksburg, VA

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656 FXUS61 KRNK 131809 AFDRNK Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 209 PM EDT Thu Jun 13 2024 .SYNOPSIS... High pressure remains in the area through tonight. A front tracks through the mid-Atlantic Friday, before high pressure works in again for the weekend. Temperatures remain several degrees above normal each day. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/... As of 116 PM EDT Thursday... Key Message: 1) Warm and more humid today and Friday. Isolated storms possible. Humidity starting to creep up as are temperatures, but still close to normal for mid June. 12z RNK sounding continues to show moisture in the 850-700 layer evidenced by scattered to broken clouds at that level. PWATS have closed in on an inch. Forecast soundings showing temperatures warming enough to break the cap. A shortwave tracking across the Ohio Valley should reach the mountains by late afternoon. Appears enough low level moisture convergence and differential heating to produce isolated showers and storms. High-res models vary with little to none on some and more coverage on others. Looks like a case where a few storms pop up this afternoon along/near the Blue Ridge, then shift east into the foothills/piedmont by later in the day. Again overall coverage is isolated so most stay dry and warm with mostly to partly sunny skies. Any showers/storms fade this evening leaving behind mostly clear skies. Could have some fog in the valleys across our mountain counties overnight into dawn. Friday, a front tracks southeast toward the area, with the 5h pattern suggest weak forcing. At the moment, the models in general agreement in meager storm chances so kept pops on the low side, with widely scattered coverage by late afternoon over the mountains/foothills. A little more west/northwest flow should allow temperatures to creep up to around 90 in Piedmont and Roanoke/Southern Shenandoah Valleys, with 80s in the mountains, which for most will be about 5 degrees above normal. Confidence in the near term is high, except on storm coverage/pops. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
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As of 1245 PM EDT Thursday... Key Message: 1. Mostly dry and warm weekend. Upper and sfc ridging is progged to build into the area in the wake of the near term fropa. The subsident airmass should allow for mostly dry and warmer conditions for the weekend. Afternoon max temps look to make it to the low to mid 80s for many locations Saturday and Sunday. The sfc high slides more east of the area for Sunday and the low level fetch shifts south to SE allowing some higher dewpts to advect northward under the upper ridge. We may get some isolated convective development in the southwest for Sunday afternoon but most of the area should stay largely suppressed. Forecast confidence is high.
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&& .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
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As of 120 PM EDT Thursday... Key Message: 1. Warmer temps into the work week with continued mostly dry conditions. Most of the work week should be under a lingering pattern as the aforementioned sfc high continues to stay centered off the east coast and the upper ridge persisted across the eastern CONUS with some northward drifting. Some of the warmest temps of the year look to be reached in the afternoons as a result with many locations getting into the upper 80s to low 90s. Daytime heating combined with some enhanced moisture trapped under the cutoff ridge could allow for slight chances of diurnally driven shower and thunderstorm potential across some of the mountains. The mornings could have patchy fog potential especially for locations that receive precip from any previous PM development. Forecast confidence is high.
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&& .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 122 PM EDT Thursday... Mainly VFR expected through the 24 hour valid TAF. This afternoon we may see isolated showers/storms mainly at KBCB/KROA, so have VCSH and VCTS briefly based on radar/high res model trends. Winds will be mainly out of the south to southwest under 10kts. Fog at LWB and perhaps BCB late tonight down to IFR especially if it rains nearby or at the site. Forecast confidence is high. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK... VFR anticipated through Monday. Exceptions...chance of storms Friday afternoon and evening that may bring sub-VFR, especially for BLF/LWB. In addition, morning fog will be possible in mountain and river valleys. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...None. NC...None. WV...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...SH/WP NEAR TERM...WP SHORT TERM...AB LONG TERM...AB AVIATION...SH/WP