Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wilmington, NC
Issued by NWS Wilmington, NC
616 FXUS62 KILM 061139 AFDILM Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 639 AM EST Fri Mar 6 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... Patchy dense fog will impact travel across the area this morning, but conditions will be highly variable. A Special Weather Statement has been issued for patchy dense fog through 9 AM EST. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1) Warm and muggy with fog at night over land for the next several nights and sea fog that could last through both night and day. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1...Warm and muggy with fog at night over land for the next several nights and sea fog that could last through both night and day. KEY MESSAGE 1 DESCRIPTION... Bermuda High to act as a heat and moisture pump over the next several days. For today and tomorrow the mid level ridge to its west will suppress any precip development. On Sunday the ridge flattens and this opens the area up to rain chances, though with little forcing there will not be enough to put a dent in the drought. Also the increase in cloud cover could temper the fog possibilities. Similarly a slight turn to a more offshore wind could end the sea fog late Sunday or Monday as the Atlantic high moves east and a weak Piedmont trough develops. Mid level ridging returns for the middle of next week. && .AVIATION /12Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Patchy fog (some dense) continues to plague all terminals this morning. Sea fog and low stratus are impacting the Grand Strand terminals. Restrictions are likely to continue until around 14Z. Some stratus may follow the dissipating fog through mid morning, especially inland. Skies clear by late morning and early afternoon. With a similar air mass in place as yesterday, sea fog is not expected to impact the Grand Strand terminals until late this evening. Widespread fog and its associated restrictions are expected again late tonight. Extended Forecast... VFR conditions are expected for much of the extended period, but periods of fog could bring late night/early morning restrictions and sea fog could advect into the Grand Strand terminals through the weekend. && .MARINE... Through Tonight... A summer-like pattern continues through the weekend. Light southerly winds will keep seas around 2-3 feet. Sea fog continues to be the primary concern through tonight. Satellite and web cams show patchy fog across the nearshore waters and some of this could be dense for periods of time. A Marine Dense Fog Advisory has been issued for all nearshore waters through noon Friday. Saturday through Tuesday... Bermuda High to be the main weather- maker through most of if not all of the entire period. An east-west elongation of the high into the Southeast will keep wind speeds rather tempered, never above the 10-15 kt range, which will foster a 3 to occasionally 4 ft wave especially when there is constructive interference with a SE swell, most of which remains well to our south. The larger weather story will continue to be sea fog in the very near term, possibly being pushed out to sea by weak over-land trough veering the marine flow just enough. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...None. SC...None. MARINE...Dense Fog Advisory until noon EST today for AMZ250-252-254-256. && $$ WHAT HAS CHANGED...21 KEY MESSAGES...MBB/21 DISCUSSION...MBB/21 AVIATION...21 MARINE...MBB/21