Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Sterling, VA

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000 FXUS61 KLWX 181907 AFDLWX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 307 PM EDT Thu Apr 18 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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Low pressure will track well to our north on Friday, causing a cold front to move through Friday night into Saturday. Thereafter, high pressure will return for the remainder of the weekend into early next week.
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&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
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A stationary boundary continues to extend from Baltimore County southward to St. Mary`s County. Flow is out of the east to the east of the boundary, and out of the northwest to the west of the boundary. Easterly flow has maintained a marine influence to the east of the boundary thus far, keeping conditions cooler (in the 60s). Low clouds are finally starting to burn off, which should allow for a few hours of stronger daytime heating this afternoon. Further west, temperatures have climbed into the upper 70s and lower 80s beneath mostly sunny skies. In those same locations, winds are gusting to around 15-25 mph out of the northwest. As we move into tonight, flow at low-levels will turn easterly. This will lead to an increasing marine influence, with low clouds developing later tonight. Low temperatures tonight will be in the upper 40s and lower 50s for most.
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&& .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/...
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Upper troughing will move over the Great Lakes tomorrow, while an associated area of low pressure tracks toward Hudson Bay. The system`s cold front will trail to the southwest across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, making slow eastward progress through the day. Warm advection will ensue at low-levels in advance of the system`s cold front, but will have little upper support to work with as the primary trough tracks well to our north. As a result, showers will be possible at times, but much of the day should remain dry. Showers will overspread areas to the west of the Blue Ridge tomorrow morning, before progressing further east tomorrow afternoon. Showers will continue to be possible through much of tomorrow night until the system`s cold front clears the area. Cold/dry advection behind the system`s cold front will lead to dry conditions and increasing sunshine on Saturday. High temperatures are forecast to reach into the mid 60s to lower 70s for most, and winds will be breezy out of the northwest, with gusts of 20-30 mph common during the afternoon hours.
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&& .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
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By the end of the weekend, a frontal boundary will be situated across the southeast with high pressure across the heart of the CONUS. As a low continues to move along the front, expect a chance for an isolated shower late Sunday with most areas remaining dry. Highs will top out in the 50s to low 60s for most, with upper 40s to low 50s in the mountains. Continued mostly dry conditions will persist through the start of the workweek high pressure influencing the region. Temperatures will be at or just below normal heading into Tuesday with a slight warming trend through the early week. By midweek, a low pressure system will approach from the Great Lakes and bring rain chances for the area by late Tuesday into Wednesday as a cold front passes by. Thunderstorm chances remain low given the lack of instability across the area during this time. Slightly below average temperatures will persist through the remainder of the week.
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&& .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
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Conditions are now VFR at all terminals. Winds are northwesterly this afternoon at the majority of the terminals, with gusts of 15-20 knots common. However, MTN and BWI remain out of the east. Winds will turn easterly at all terminals overnight. This will lead to a marine influence and low ceilings building back into the area tonight. Some improvement back to MVFR is expected tomorrow, but chances for showers will also increase tomorrow afternoon into tomorrow night. Sub-VFR conditions will likely continue through the first half of tomorrow night until a cold front moves through. Behind the front, VFR conditions and northwesterly winds are expected. Gusts of 20-30 knots may be possible in northwesterly flow on Saturday. VFR conditions are expected with winds mainly out of the northwest Sunday into Monday. No really credible rain chances are expected for the terminals.
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&& .MARINE...
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A few sporadic gusts are nearing 20 knots near shore over the Tidal Potomac and the widest waters of the bay adjacent to southern Maryland. A Marine Weather Statement is in effect for those locations through 4 PM. Winds over the waters will turn northerly this evening and then pick up out of the east overnight. Small Craft Advisories are in effect for most waters this evening through the first half of the overnight. Winds will be light out of the east tomorrow morning, before turning light out of the south to southeast tomorrow afternoon. A cold front will cross over the waters tomorrow night, causing winds to turn out of the northwest. Small Craft Advisory conditions appear likely in northwesterly flow on Saturday. Sub-SCA winds are expected Sunday into Monday with gusts 10 to maybe 15 knots at times, especially Sunday.
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&& .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
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Tidal anomalies will hold steady or trend down slightly today with a brief period of northerly winds. Easterly winds develop tonight then become southerly Friday, which will result in rising anomalies. The greatest chance for minor flooding will be along sensitive shoreline (Annapolis, Straits Point, DC SW Waterfront) with the Friday and Friday night high tides, although it may be close in other locations. Water levels will drop on Saturday in gusty northwest postfrontal flow.
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&& .LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... DC...None. MD...None. VA...None. WV...None. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 6 PM this evening to midnight EDT tonight for ANZ530>533-538>542. Small Craft Advisory from 8 PM this evening to 2 AM EDT Friday for ANZ534-537-543. && $$ SYNOPSIS...KJP NEAR TERM...KJP SHORT TERM...KJP LONG TERM...ADM AVIATION...KJP/ADM MARINE...KJP/ADM TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...ADS

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