


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wakefield, VA
Issued by NWS Wakefield, VA
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572 FXUS61 KAKQ 122332 AFDAKQ AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Wakefield VA 732 PM EDT Sun Oct 12 2025 .SYNOPSIS... A coastal low tracks north toward the area this afternoon and evening, with a secondary low developing offshore of the DelMarVa coast late tonight/early Monday morning. The low lingers just offshore Monday, before pulling away Tuesday as high pressure builds to our northwest. Dry and seasonable weather returns and prevails for the middle and end of next week. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM MONDAY MORNING/... As of 320 PM EDT Sunday... Key Message: - The coastal storm impacts the region through tonight, bringing rain, wind, and moderate to major tidal flooding. - Weather conditions will slowly improve late tonight through early Monday. Afternoon weather analysis shows a 996mb coastal low pressure system just off the coast of SE NC. While to the north a strong 1034mb high pressure is centered over northeastern Canada. Over the course of the day the storm has slowly nudged north with the pressure gradient staying consistent across the area. Winds have slightly under performed across the High Wind Warning areas. Therefore the high wind warning has been able to be canceled. However, it they been replaced by Wind Advisories as winds are sustained between 20 to 35 mph with some gusts nearing 50 mph. Light rain showers and clouds have continued to move across the area. These clouds and showers have caused temperatures to stay cool across the area. As of 3pm temperatures are in the low to middle 60s inland and upper 60s along the coastline. Throughout tonight the low is expected to occlude along a stationary warm front located over the coastal waters. However, given the recent trends in the models and real time analysis it is looking like the low will take a little longer to occlude than previously thought. Once this low occludes it will weaken slightly causing the pressure gradient to weaken and allowing winds to lighten. As of this update the wind advisories for VB/NC are allowed to expire later this evening. While across portions of the Peninsulas and Eastern Shore winds will decrease by early Monday morning. Light rain showers will continue across the area tonight with showers possible ending across the west by early Monday morning. However, not much QPF is expected with these light showers. Around.1- .2" of QPF is expected across VA/NC. While across the Eastern Shore QPF totals will be near .25" with some locally higher amounts possible. Temperatures will not drop much tonight as clouds and showers continue with lows in the middle to upper 50s. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... As of 320 PM EDT Sunday... Key Messages: -Chances of showers continue across the Eastern Shore Monday. - Drier conditions return Tuesday as the low finally exits. The upper level pattern for Monday consists of an upper level low over southern NE and NY with a trough over the SE. This will allow for the coastal low at the surface to linger off the coast. This will allow Pops to remain in the forecast primarily across the MD/VA Eastern shore and far SE VA along the coast. Pops remain between 30 to 40 percent through the day across the that area with them increasing to 50 to 60 % later in the day Monday as the low occludes and the new low finally develops. For the rest of the area dry conditions should prevail under cloudy skies. Perhaps some light drizzle is possible with the low- level saturation profiles based off of model soundings. High temperatures for Monday will remain cool with highs in the lower to middle 60s. By early Tuesday the a upper level trough will move into the area to help move the coastal low out of the area. A the coastal low exits the area clearing will begin to the west as drier air enters the region. Skies will remain partly cloudy to the west and mostly cloudy to the east. This will allow for a split in high temperatures. Along and west of I-95 highs will be in the lower 70s while to the east temperatures will remain in the upper 60s. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... As of 320 PM EDT Sunday... Key Messages: - Dry and seasonable weather returns to the area by the end of next week. - Potential increases for patchy frost Thursday night. The overall Synoptic pattern going into next week is very optimal for dry and seasonable weather to return to the area. A tall ridge will be centered over the portions of the Great Lakes region with a trough located just off the NE Coast. This pattern favors sfc high pressure N and NW of the area with mostly dry conditions. Temperatures will be a bit warmer on Wednesday ahead of a dry cold front. Highs will be in the low 70s across VA/NC and upper 60s across the MD Eastern Shore. Then by Thursday the dry cold front will push through the area helping to bring in much cooler air. Highs Thursday will be in the low to middle 60s. By Thursday night temperatures will plummet into the low 40s with the possibility of upper 30s the far NW and across the MD Eastern Shore and the far NW. The 12 GEFS has increased probabilities to 80-90% of temperatures falling below 40 degrees across the mentioned areas. With the models continuing to trend cooler and with very light to calm wind inland the potential for frost increases across these areas. By Friday high pressure will be centered over the area keeping the area dry and cool with highs around the middle 60s. && .AVIATION /00Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... As of 732 PM EDT Sunday... Degraded flight conditions continue this evening, with lowered VIS due to light to moderate rain at all terminals aside from RIC. CIGS have been hovering between low-end MVFR and IFR at all sites over the past few hours. All sites will likely drop to IFR tonight, with some sites potentially seeing periods of LIFR CIGs. Rain will continue through early tomorrow morning, though SBY will see light rain through the TAF period. There is some uncertainty as to if the IFR CIGS lift any during the day tomorrow, so have not included improving conditions (aside from improving VIS as the rain lets up) due to this uncertainty. Winds will gradually decrease tonight, with gusts of 25-30 kts expected over the next few hours, followed by gusts of between 20-25 kts (~25 kts at the coastal terminals) tomorrow. The wind direction will back from the NE to N tonight, with winds becoming more NW at ECG tomorrow. Outlook: MVFR/IFR CIGs, elevated winds, and light showers will continue to be possible through into Monday night as low pressure lingers offshore. Improving conditions are expected by Tuesday and especially Wednesday. && .MARINE... As of 345 PM EDT Sunday.. Key Messages: - Strong low pressure lingers off the Carolina coast through tonight. - All Storm Warnings have been converted to Gale Warnings. Regardless dangerous marine conditions continue into tonight. - Winds remain elevated Monday through Wednesday as the low is slow to move away from the region, with high pressure gradually building in from the NW. 998 mb low pressure off the southern NC coast has become occluded and is nearly stationary. A stationary front extends to the NE of this low with some pressure falls modeled along this boundary, but well E of the Delmarva coast, and another area of low pressure has been slow to develop. The pressure gradient remains strong and this is resulting in a gale force ENE wind for much of the area. However, with a lack of strong pressure falls locally storm force wind is no longer expected and all Storm Warnings have been converted to Gale Warnings. The low gradually begins to lift NNE tonight with some reorganization possible off the Delmarva coast. Given this, the pressure gradient will slacken and the wind will diminish SSE to NNW, with the strongest wind lingering in the middle of the Ches. Bay by early Monday morning. Therefore, Gale Warnings end later this evening for the Currituck Sound and nrn NC coastal waters, later tonight for the remaining coastal waters, mouth of the Bay, and lower James River, and Monday morning for the remainder of the Ches. Bay. Seas are primarily 12-15ft and occasionally up to 20ft and this should continue through tonight. Waves in the Ches. Bay are mainly 4- 6ft, with 6-10ft in the mouth of the Bay. With a broader/elongated coastal low by Monday, the progression through the region will be prolonged into Tuesday and potentially Wednesday as drier air moves in as sfc high pressure builds in from the NW. N winds should remain in high- end SCA levels during that period, with a period of marginal gale conditions possible Monday night into midday Tuesday (dependent on how close the low is to the coast). The gradient finally starts to relax Thursday with improving marine conditions. Seas are forecast to peak in the 15-20 ft range (sig wave height), with occasional waves up to 25+ ft. Sig Waves in the Chesapeake Bay range between 5-8 ft, with 9-10 ft possible at the mouth of the bay. As winds decrease next week, so will the seas, but only gradually. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... As of 345 PM EDT Sunday.. The current high tide cycle has just passed for the ocean and is gradually working its way up through the Ches. Bay and tidal rivers. Moderate to major flooding has occurred and is expected to occur over the next few hours. Some locations have likely received their highest high tides in a few years, and potentially up to 10 years. The highest anomaly is not expected to reach Cambridge. Additional flooding is likely into at least Monday (possibly Tuesday), with the slower progression of coastal low pressure, though exact water levels become more uncertain given the potential for winds to diminish somewhat and to become northwesterly as the low moves away from the coast. A strong flood tide has resulted in a response in the tidal anomaly at Bishops Head, and the Coastal Flood Advisory has been upgraded to a warning for potential moderate flooding at Crisfield and Bishops Head. The following high tide will be the lower astronomical with nuisance to minor tidal flooding expected for these locations late tonight/early Monday morning. Additional flooding at these sites is possible early next week. && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...Coastal Flood Warning until 11 PM EDT this evening for MDZ021>023. Wind Advisory until 4 AM EDT Monday for MDZ024-025. Coastal Flood Warning until 8 AM EDT Monday for MDZ024-025. High Surf Advisory until 6 PM EDT Monday for MDZ025. NC...High Surf Advisory until 6 PM EDT Monday for NCZ102. Coastal Flood Warning until 6 AM EDT Monday for NCZ102. VA...Wind Advisory until 4 AM EDT Monday for VAZ099-100. Coastal Flood Warning until 8 AM EDT Monday for VAZ099-100. High Surf Advisory until 6 PM EDT Monday for VAZ098>100. Coastal Flood Warning until 10 AM EDT Monday for VAZ075>078- 521-522. Coastal Flood Warning until 9 AM EDT Monday for VAZ082>086-089- 090-093-095>098-518-520-523>525. Wind Advisory until midnight EDT tonight for VAZ084-086-523. Wind Advisory until 10 PM EDT this evening for VAZ095-097-098- 525. MARINE...Gale Warning until 10 AM EDT Monday for ANZ630>632. Gale Warning until 10 PM EDT this evening for ANZ633-658. Gale Warning until 4 AM EDT Monday for ANZ634-638-650-652-654- 656. Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM EDT Monday for ANZ635>637. && $$ SYNOPSIS...HET/SW NEAR TERM...HET SHORT TERM...HET/SW LONG TERM...HET/SW AVIATION...HET/NB MARINE...AJZ/LKB TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...