Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Charleston, SC

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441 FXUS62 KCHS 091451 AFDCHS Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston SC 1051 AM EDT Sun Jun 9 2024 .SYNOPSIS... High pressure will remain across the region today. A cold front is expected to sweep across the forecast area on Monday. The pattern is expected to turn more unsettled mid to late next week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
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Mid morning update: Full on sunny skies dominate at the moment although there is some higher cloud cover that will be pressing into the northern part of the forecast area as we go through the day. That might have some impacts on temperatures. But temperatures are already running around 5 degrees warmer than this time Saturday. Middle to upper 90s forecast highs appear on track...cooler near the coast of course. Previous discussion... At sunrise, visible satellite images showed a patch of stratus and fog across portions of the SC Lowcountry. A few locations observations across the SC Lowcountry observed visibility less than an half a mile. Ongoing 12Z KCHS sounding indicated that the llvl moisture associated with the stratus was around 5 mbs thick. It is anticipated that the stratus and fog will dissipate within the first two hours of daylight this morning. Thinning debris cirrus may arrive from the northwest by mid-morning, with waves of cirrus passing over the forecast area through the rest of the afternoon. By this afternoon, few to scattered cumulus with bases above 6 kft should develop by noon. Weak high pressure should remain across the CWA today. A cold front is timed to move from the Southern Appalachians this morning to over the Fall Line by late this afternoon. As a result, sfc winds will remain from the west through this afternoon. However, recent runs of the HRRR indicates that a sea breeze should remain pinned along the coast through mid-afternoon, then slowly drifting inland late this afternoon. Forecast soundings this afternoon show an inversion centered at H7, with weak instability capped by around 100 J/kg of CIN. Given the strong June insolation, west winds, late sea breeze, high temperatures are forecast to range in the mid to upper 90s this afternoon. In fact, the KCHS high temperature could challenge the record high of 99 degrees set in 1986. Heat index values are forecast to peak between 100-103 across the coastal counties. Tonight, a cold front is forecast to reach the coast by 6Z, pushing across most of the coastal waters by daybreak Monday morning. High resolution guidance indicates that showers and thunderstorms will develop across the western Carolinas, along and ahead of the cold front, this afternoon. These thunderstorms should track southeast, outpacing the cold front. Based on the latest HREF, indicates that the convection will arrive after sunset with weakening updrafts. The forecast will feature SCHC for showers and thunderstorms. The SPC convective outlook for tonight shows a Marginal Risk across portions of the SC Lowcountry. The late arrival of the convection and poor environment, no severe weather is expected at this time. Low temperatures should range from the low 70s inland to the mid to upper 70s along the coast.
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&& .SHORT TERM /MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Monday, a H5 trough will amplify across the southern Appalachians and Deep South during the daylight hours. A frontal wave is expected to develop along the old cold front across southern GA Monday afternoon. As the frontal wave develop, CAPE across extreme SE GA may build to 1000-1500 J/kg along with weak shear. This environment could support loosely organized clusters of thunderstorms across SE GA. HREF indicates that SE GA will have a 10-30 percent chance for updraft strength in excess of 30 m/s. One or two of these thunderstorms may produce damaging wind gusts. In addition, PW values may build to 1.7-1.8 inches in the vicinity of the frontal wave, supporting heavy downpours. The forecast will indicate the greatest coverage along the coast of GA and portions of the SC coast. Storms should gradually push over the coastal waters Monday evening. High temperatures may range from the upper 80s across inland GA/SC to the mid 90s across SE GA. Showers and thunderstorms should push east through the night as the mid-level trough ripples over the region. Low temperatures should range in the upper 60s to low 70s. Tuesday and Wednesday, mid-level ridging should increase across the forecast area. At the sfc, weak high pressure is forecast to remain centered over the Mid West to Mid Atlantic. There appears to be enough moisture across the region to support diurnal isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms each day. Temperatures should remain slightly above normal. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... The long term appears unsettled with low confidence with the details of the forecast. Generally, long term guidance indicates that a plume of deep moisture will linger across the Southeast U.S. during the late week. Global models indicate that sfc low pressure may develop over the Gulf of Mexico, however, guidance has tremendous spread. Generally, the forecast will feature diurnal PoPs for showers and thunderstorms each day. Temperatures should range around normals. && .AVIATION /15Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... Tonight: Prior to the 12Z TAFs, visible satellite images showed a patch of stratus and fog across portions of the SC Lowcountry. Recent observations from KCHS and KJZI indicated at least LIFR conditions for ceilings and low visibilities. Ongoing 12Z KCHS sounding indicated that the llvl moisture was around 5 mbs thick. It is anticipated that the stratus and fog will dissipate over KCHS and KJZI by 13Z. VFR conditions expected to continue through the rest of the TAF period. A cold front is expected to sweep across the KCHS and KJZI tonight, winds veering from NW by 9Z. The front is expected to stall near KSAV late tonight as a frontal wave develops across SE GA. Extended Aviation Outlook: The chance for convection and periodic flight restrictions increases Monday through Thursday. && .MARINE... The sfc pattern will support southwest across the marine zones today, speeds between 10-15 kts. Seas should remain between 1-2 ft today. Tonight, a cold front is forecast to reach the coast by 6Z, pushing across most of the coastal waters by daybreak Monday morning. As the front approaches, SW winds may surge with gusts around 20 kts. Winds are time to veer from the northwest during the pre-dawn hours. Seas are forecast to build to 2-4 ft during the wind surge ahead of the cold front. Extended Marine: A weak area of low pressure may track along the front, across portions of the waters on Monday. Winds are forecast to remain 10 kts or less with 1-2 ft seas. However, clusters of thunderstorms may track across the waters Monday afternoon and night. High pressure should build across the region Tuesday into Wednesday. Unsettled weather may develop Thursday and could linger into the late week. Conditions are expected to remain below Small Craft Advisory criteria. && .CLIMATE... Record High Temperatures June 9: KCHS: 99/1986 && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && $$ NEAR TERM...NED/Adam SHORT TERM...NED LONG TERM...NED AVIATION...NED MARINE...NED