Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Mt. Holly, NJ

Current Version |  Previous Version |  Graphics & Text |  Print | Product List |  Glossary On
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
-- Highlight Changed Discussion --
-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --
425 FXUS61 KPHI 180753 AFDPHI Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ 353 AM EDT Tue Jun 18 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
-- Changed Discussion --
Surface high pressure southeast of New England will slide south on Wednesday and will remain anchored offshore into next weekend. A cold front will pass through the region early next week.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
-- Changed Discussion --
Hot and dry conditions will persist through the today and this evening as a broad dome of high pressure aloft will control our weather pattern through the rest of the week. The 500mb 594dm high is currently centered over the VA/NC border but will continue to push to the north through the rest of the week. With the offshore surface high remaining offshore, south to southwesterly winds will push 925 mb temps into the 21-24 deg C range across the region. Those temps will end up supporting max temps this afternoon 2-4 degs F warmer today than yesterday. Thus max temps today are anticipated to be well into the low 90s across the region except for the shore were max temps should be in the low to mid 80s. Dew points be slightly lower than what we`d typically expect for low to mid 90s temps. This leads to Heat Index values ranging between 95-99 this afternoon. Given that this is early season heat, the Heat Risk for today should be in the Minor category for DelMarVa and portions of southern NJ, and Moderate for much of the I95 corridor and areas north and west. This supports the impact based heat advisory for today and we urge anyone who is sensitive to heat to make plans to find effective cooling and maintain hydration. For more heat safety tips, please visit weather.gov/safety/heat or heat.gov There will be little relief overnight with temps only expected to fall into the mid 60s to low 70s overnight.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/...
-- Changed Discussion --
Almost 600 dam 500 mb high will be over the Northeast on Wednesday as 1030 mb surface high pressure will be some 500 or so miles east of Nantucket Island. 850 mb temperatures will range from 16C to 18C, which yields surface high temperatures in the low to mid 90s across most of northern New Jersey and southeast Pennsylvania, and generally in the upper 80s for Delmarva and southern New Jersey. These high temperatures have trended cooler by a couple of degrees compared to previous forecast. In addition, humidity levels will not be quite as high, as surface dew points will generally be in the lower 60s. This results in max heat index values in the low to mid 90s. Although these values may fall just short of Heat Advisory criteria, it will be the second day of several days of prolonged heat and humidity, so the effects of the heat will be exacerbated. Will go ahead and convert the Excessive Heat Watch that was in effect for Wednesday to a Heat Advisory for most of New Jersey, southeast Pennsylvania, and northern Delaware. On Thursday, the 500 mb high slides south into the Mid-Atlantic while the offshore surface high slides to about 600 miles or so southeast of Atlantic City. Winds shift to more of a southwest flow compared to Wednesday, and this will tap into somewhat warmer and more humid air. Both high temperatures and surface dew points will be a few degrees higher on Thursday compared to Wednesday. Max heat index values will be in the mid to upper 90s for most of the area, and around 100 for portions of the I-95 corridor in New Jersey. Will keep the Excessive Heat Watch in effect. Some shortwave energy passing through Pennsylvania and central New York may touch off some afternoon showers and thunderstorms in the southern Poconos. Will cap PoPs at slight chance. At night, Wednesday night will generally be in the mid to upper 60s, and it will be muggy with patchy fog developing away from the urban centers. Thursday night will be warmer and a bit more humid with lows in the upper 60s to low 70s.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
-- Changed Discussion --
500 mb high sags into the Midwest and Gulf Coast states on Friday, and then down into the Southern Plains on Saturday. Meanwhile, offshore surface high becomes a Bermuda high through the weekend. As a result, hot and weather continues through the weekend. The heat and humidity build into the region for the end of the week and weekend. Highs on Friday will be in the mid to upper 90s, possibly touching 100 along the I-95 corridor. With surface dew points in the upper 60s to around 70, max heat index values will range from 100 to as high as 110. On Saturday and Sunday, highs will be a few degrees cooler, generally in the low to mid 90s, but surface dew points will now climb into the lower 70s. This will keep max heat index values from 100 to 105. Will go ahead and extend the Excessive Heat Watch into Sunday. Several mid-level disturbances will pass north of the region Friday and Saturday, and this may touch off afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. Will follow the NBM and keep PoPs capped at chance, mainly for the northern areas. Cold then then approaches and passes through the region late Sunday and Sunday night. This will touch off scattered showers and thunderstorms across most of the area, which may linger into Monday. Monday turns, well, it is hard to say "cooler" as highs will be in the upper 80s to around 90, which are still above normal. So the best way to say it will be, "Not as hot".
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .AVIATION /07Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
-- Changed Discussion --
The following discussion is for KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY and surrounding areas. Through 12z.. VFR with light southerly flow. Today...VFR. South to southwesterly winds becoming occasionally gusty mid afternoon. Tonight...VFR. Light southerly flow. Outlook... Wednesday through Thursday...VFR. Friday through Saturday...Predominantly VFR, but scattered SHRA/TSRA possible each afternoon and evening.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .MARINE...
-- Changed Discussion --
No marine headlines expected through Tuesday night. South winds 10 to 20 knots this afternoon. Winds will gust around 20 knots, especially right along the beaches and in the backbays. Farther offshore, there will likely be enough of an inversion to limit mixing and stronger gusts. Outlook... Wednesday through Saturday...Winds and seas should generally stay below SCA criteria. However, winds on northern NJ ocean waters will increase to 15 to 20 kt and gusts may approach 25 kt each afternoon. Rip Currents... Through Wednesday, southerly winds of 10-20 mph along the coast with some enhancement from sea breeze circulations. Breaking waves in the surf zone are forecast to be around 2 feet, however there looks to be some longer period swell energy rolling in. Given the southerly wind component intersecting more of the New Jersey coast, went with a MODERATE risk for the development of dangerous rip currents both Tuesday and Wednesday for all locations except Monmouth county where like the Delaware Beaches the winds will be more parallel and therefore a LOW risk. Rip currents occur often in the vicinities of jetties and piers. Utilize any guarded beaches if venturing out into the water. For specific beach forecasts, visit weather.gov/beach/phi
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .CLIMATE...
-- Changed Discussion --
Record high temperatures Tuesday. Location Record High (6/18) Philadelphia, PA 96/1957 Allentown, PA 95/2018 Reading, PA 97/1957 Mount Pocono, PA 88/1957 Trenton, NJ 96/1957 AC Airport, NJ 95/2014 AC Marina, NJ 94/2014 Wilmington, DE 95/1957 Georgetown, DE 97/2014 Record high temperatures Wednesday. Location Record High (6/19) Philadelphia, PA 100/1994 Allentown, PA 96/1994 Reading, PA 95/1929 Mount Pocono, PA 86/1929 Trenton, NJ 96/1994 AC Airport, NJ 96/1994 AC Marina, NJ 93/1952 Wilmington, DE 100/1994 Georgetown, DE 96/1952 Record high temperatures Thursday. Location Record High (6/20) Philadelphia, PA 98/1931 Allentown, PA 100/1923 Reading, PA 101/1923 Mount Pocono, PA 89/2012 Trenton, NJ 98/1923 AC Airport, NJ 95/2012 AC Marina, NJ 90/1908 Wilmington, DE 97/2012 Georgetown, DE 98/2012 Record high temperatures Friday. Location Record High (6/21) Philadelphia, PA 99/1923 Allentown, PA 100/1923 Reading, PA 99/1923 Mount Pocono, PA 90/1953 Trenton, NJ 97/1923 AC Airport, NJ 97/1988 AC Marina, NJ 94/2012 Wilmington, DE 98/2012 Georgetown, DE 99/2012 Record high temperatures Saturday. Location Record High (6/22) Philadelphia, PA 100/1988 Allentown, PA 95/1941 Reading, PA 96/1921 Mount Pocono, PA 90/1908 Trenton, NJ 99/1988 AC Airport, NJ 100/1988 AC Marina, NJ 92/1949 Wilmington, DE 98/1988 Georgetown, DE 97/2012 Record high temperatures Sunday. Location Record High (6/23) Philadelphia, PA 97/1888 Allentown, PA 95/1965 Reading, PA 96/1908 Mount Pocono, PA 90/1908 Trenton, NJ 97/1894 AC Airport, NJ 98/1988 AC Marina, NJ 91/1909 Wilmington, DE 100/1894 Georgetown, DE 100/1988
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
-- Changed Discussion --
PA...Heat Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 6 AM EDT Thursday for PAZ054-055-060>062-070-071-101>106. Excessive Heat Watch from Thursday morning through Sunday evening for PAZ054-055-060>062-070-071-101>106. NJ...Heat Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 6 AM EDT Thursday for NJZ001-007>010-012-013-015>020-027. Excessive Heat Watch from Thursday morning through Sunday evening for NJZ001-007>010-012-013-015>020-027. DE...Heat Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 6 AM EDT Thursday for DEZ001. Excessive Heat Watch from Thursday morning through Sunday evening for DEZ001. MD...None. MARINE...None.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& $$ SYNOPSIS...MPS NEAR TERM...Deal SHORT TERM...MPS LONG TERM...MPS AVIATION...Deal/MPS MARINE...Deal/MPS CLIMATE...MPS