Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Columbia, SC
Issued by NWS Columbia, SC
966 FXUS62 KCAE 030049 AFDCAE Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Columbia SC 749 PM EST Tue Dec 2 2025 .SYNOPSIS... Drier air filters into the forecast area tonight. High pressure brings cool and dry conditions Wednesday and Thursday. The next storm system approaches late Thursday or Thursday night with another period of moderate to potentially heavy rainfall on Friday. Unsettled weather may continue into the weekend. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 7 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... Key message(s): - A cold front has pushed through the area, with cool and dry conditions overnight. The cold front has pushed through the region as a quick moving low ejects northwest. Surface winds and winds aloft have shifted out of the west with notable dry air now pushing in above the residual wedge inversion. With some diurnal cooling now, a surface inversion will likely build back in overnight before the dry air can clear out all the low level moisture. So some lingering cloud cover will likely linger around through at least the early overnight hours, before dry advection clears things out by Wednesday morning. && .SHORT TERM /7 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... Key message(s): - Cool and dry weather expected Wednesday and Thursday. - The next storm system moves towards the region late Thursday or Thursday night. Wednesday and Wednesday Night: High pressure will be centered over the Ohio Valley at the start of the period, passing to the north of the FA Wednesday night. Cool and dry weather conditions are expected with forecast highs in the lower to mid 50s. Winds become light and variable at night and combine with mainly clear skies to allow temperatures to fall into the lower to mid 30s, with a few spots in the upper 20s. Thursday and Thursday Night: Southwesterly flow around departing high pressure will promote warm air and moisture advection. Clouds will increase through the daytime hours as the next storm system develops over the western Gulf, though any significant rain should hold off until after dark. It should be warmer on Thursday with highs in the mid to upper 30s. Rain chances increase as the night goes on with precipitation moving into the CSRA prior to daybreak. The clouds and rain limit cooling with lows ranging from the mid-30s to lower 40s. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Key message(s): - Another round of moderate to potentially heavy rainfall is expected on Friday. - Unsettled weather may continue through the remainder of the extended as temperatures remain below seasonal values. Rain is expected to overspread the FA on Friday as an area of low pressure emerges from the Gulf. Another period of moderate to potentially heavy rainfall is expected, though timing may be later in the day compared to today`s storm. Model guidance continues to remain divergent regarding the weather during the weekend and rain chances may continue into the remainder of the extended. Temperatures during the long term are likely to remain below normal as broad troughing holds strong across the eastern and central CONUS. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... Periodic MVFR/IFR restrictions through the night. A return to VFR everywhere is anticipated by Wednesday afternoon. IFR and MVFR conditions continue at this hour at most sites with a few breaking out to VFR. Satellite imagery trends and guidance indicates most locations will drop back down to at least MVFR for a period of time overnight, with brief IFR CIGS also possible particularly at AGS/DNL. Additionally, AGS/DNL may hold onto CIG restrictions longer than the other TAF sites on Wednesday, while most others gradually clear back to VFR by mid-morning. Winds through the period generally light and variable, though a NWLY component this evening will become more NELY early Wednesday morning. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...Mainly VFR Wednesday afternoon through Thursday. Restrictions possible again late in the week and this weekend, particularly Thursday night through at least Saturday morning. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...None. GA...None. && $$