Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Sterling, VA
Issued by NWS Sterling, VA
518 FXUS61 KLWX 041427 AFDLWX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 927 AM EST Wed Nov 4 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... No changes this morning. && .KEY MESSAGES... - 1) Above normal temperatures continue with the first rain chances in two weeks Thursday and Friday. - 2) Cooler temperatures and mountain showers expected this weekend as another strong front crosses early next week. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1...Above normal temperatures continue with the first rain chances in two weeks Thursday and Friday. Broad high pressure over the western Atlantic will continue to maintain above normal temperatures and quiet conditions through this evening. Expect light winds out of the south and southeast (gusting 15-20 mph) yielding highs for most in the low to mid 70s. A few locations could punch into the upper 70s in the lee of Alleghenies and south/east of Washington, D.C. this afternoon given increased southerly flow. Mostly sunny skies to prevail giving way to increasing cloud cover during the afternoon and evening as the incumbent trough/front approach from the Ohio River Valley. After a 2+ week hiatus, rain chances return from the west late tonight into Thursday and Friday. This is largely due in part to the ridge of high pressure shunting east and an incumbent trough/front entering from the upper Great Lakes and Ohio River Valley. Model consensus continues to trend downward on widespread rain chances with this system given the bulk of the forcing north and west of the region. Most of the guidance has low pressure ejecting out of the northern Great Lakes into eastern Ontario with it`s associated cold front ejecting from the Ohio River Valley Thursday morning into Thursday afternoon. The front will stall along and east of I-95 Thursday night into Friday. Another area of low pressure will develop along the front down across the Carolinas riding north to the Delmarva and southern New England coast Friday afternoon into Saturday morning. As a result, expect the greatest rain chances along west of the Alleghenies and in areas along/east of I-95 with somewhat of a skip in between. Rainfall amounts will range between a quarter to a half an inch areawide through Friday with locally heavier totals along and east of I-95 (southern MD) as well as over the mountains. Highs will remain in the upper 60s and low 70s Thursday and Friday despite the added cloud cover (low 60s mountains). West to northwest flow may contribute to some downsloping east of the mountains leading to the warmer conditions. KEY MESSAGE 2...Cooler temperatures and mountain showers expected this weekend as another strong front crosses early next week. One upper level trough exits with a more potent one to follow toward the back half of the weekend into early next week. Upslope showers may linger over the mountains and in locations east of I-95 Saturday morning as the upper level trough/cold front push offshore. Weak high pressure will build from the south Saturday afternoon into Sunday ahead of a more pedant trough heading into the first half of next week. Once again the main forcing with this system will be up toward the Hudson Bay of Canada while the resultant surface fronts cross the region. Overall guidance has trended downward in precipitation with this system with any shower chances Sunday and Monday confined to the mountains. These areas have a better bet of precipitation given the terrain influence compared to the locations further east where any mentionable forcing is lacking. Broad 1020- 1022 mb high pressure builds back in from the southeastern US Monday into Tuesday with another cold front to follow by the middle of next week. Overall synoptic pattern turns zonal for much of next week. Seasonable temperatures are expected to return this weekend and into much of next week. Highs will settle back into the upper 50s and mid 60s (40s mountains). Overnight lows will fall back into the 30s and 40s. && .AVIATION /14Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... VFR conditions will continue through tonight outside of some patchy sub-VFR vsbys from fog this morning. Winds will remain out of the south and southeast with occasional gusts between 15-20 kts this afternoon and evening. High pressure pushing offshore and an incumbent cold front/trough from the west will yield in the uptick in winds this afternoon. Any patchy fog will occur through 13z/8am this morning before quickly burning off just beyond sunrise. The greatest confidence for fog will be at terminals along and east of I- 95, in particularly close to waters. VFR conditions continue into Thursday although brief sub-VFR reductions are possible at times with showers Thursday morning into Thursday afternoon. PROB30s will be added between 06-18z time window for the greatest coverage of showers as the front pushes across. Additional PROB30S/prevailing lines will be needed for rain chances Thursday night into Friday as the front stalls in the vicinity of the I-95 corridor terminals. South to southwesterly winds continue at less than 15 kts. Additional sub-VFR reductions are possible at times Friday into Saturday as a secondary trough of low pressure moves along the stalled front to the east of the corridor. Winds will shift to the west Friday and eventually northwest Friday night into Saturday. VFR conditions return Saturday into Sunday with another round of sub-VFR conditions late Sunday into Monday as a secondary cold front pushes through. && .MARINE... No marine hazards are expected through this morning. Winds will remain light out of the south and southeast as high pressure pushes offshore. By this afternoon into Thursday, expect the potential for southerly channeling due to the high offshore and incumbent trough from the northern Ohio River Valley. Confidence in this occurring is low with a focus over the middle and open waters. Low pressure and a strong cold front will work across the waters Thursday into Friday. Widespread showers and perhaps a few thunderstorms are possible Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon. Winds will remain around SCA levels both days with west to northwest gusts up to 20 kts. Weak high pressure returns Saturday before another strong front crosses late Sunday into Monday. This front will bring a greater likelihood of SCA conditions across the waters heading into early next week. && .LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... DC...None. MD...None. VA...None. WV...None. MARINE...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...EST AVIATION...BRO/EST MARINE...BRO/EST