Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wilmington, NC

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368 FXUS62 KILM 071021 AFDILM Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 621 AM EDT Tue May 7 2024 .SYNOPSIS... The area will remain between an inland trough and Atlantic high pressure into Thursday with unseasonably warm and humid conditions expected. Scattered convection across the area this morning will lift NE of the region by midday. Limited convection expected Wed however by late in the week, a cold front accompanied by strong convection will move through late in the work week. High pressure will follow bringing drier and cooler conditions into the upcoming weekend. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Ongoing scattered showers with isolated tstorms will be traversing roughly the northern 1/2 of the ILM CWA this morning. This in response to the mid-level s/w trof pushing across. Will includes POPs in the low to mid chance categories specifically for this pcpn. Otherwise, the s/w trof lifts E to NE of the FA by midday taking the convection threat with it. Meanwhile, with highs in the mid to upper 80s today, lower 80s at the beaches, expect a sea breeze to develop and push not too far inland as flow aloft will become W to NW. Have indicated a low chance for convection along this sea breeze. Upper ridging to dominate later today thru tonight with associated subsidence keeping convection at bay tonight. Sfc pressure gradient should tighten-some this aftn and remain thru tonight, keeping winds active across the FA which should be enough to keep fog potential to a minimum tonight. Lows tonight to remain closer to summer-like with upper 60s to lower 70s commonplace. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... The heat wave peaks on Wednesday with all places away from the immediate coast topping 90. The mid level ridge axis will be just offshore but it will still act to suppress all but isolated convection. There will be quite a bit of instability but with little to no forcing and fairly high LFC`s (approaching 5kft) once again convective coverage should be minimal. The pattern starts to change on Thursday as a trough digs into the Great Lakes pushing a cold front in our direction. This will lead to a mainly late day increase in shower and storm coverage as well as possibly their intensity. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... One last day of showers and storms on Friday before front moves through and dry air arrives. Guidance is trending a bit stronger with the mid level wave driving the front possibly offering a severe weather threat. The pattern shift is complete by Saturday with the main upper trough in the East, allowing much cooler and drier air to spill into the area. Expect a weekend with seasonable highs in the mid to upper 70s and lows in the mid 50s...much cooler than the mid week period but actually quite close to normal. A secondary cool front may push through on Monday. Any guidance showing precip with its arrival looks highly suspect. && .AVIATION /12Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
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Mainly VFR thru the pre-dawn hrs, except inland terminals may see periodic MVFR from convection associated with a mid-level s/w trof passage thru midday. Included VCSH/VCTS unless pcpn looks imminent and requires prevailing conditions. This mid- level disturbance exits the area by early this aftn, leaving subsidence aloft in its wake. Have indicated convection along the sea breeze across the coastal terminals later this morning thru the aftn. Winds become WSW to SW 10 kt this morning and should increase 10-15 kt during the aftn/evening then only slowly diminish to 5 to 9 kt during the overnight. Extended Outlook...Looking at VFR dominating Wed into early Thu with limited/isolated convection. Threat of more widespread strong convection and periodic flight restrictions later Thu into early Fri ahead of a CFP. Clearing later Fri with VFR dominating thru Sat with high pressure prevailing.
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&& .MARINE... Through Tonight...Sfc high centered offshore from the SE States Coast, will get slide slightly further E and S this period. At the same time, sfc trof across the central Carolinas becomes better established while frontal systems remain across the Mid- Atlantic States. This will result in a dynamic sfc pressure pattern conducive of SW to WSW wind directions. A tightening sfc pg will also be active resulting in 10-15 kt speeds increasing to around 15 kt today, with a 15 to 20 kt range to occur tonight. Seas generally in a 2 to 4 ft range with a few 5 footers. SSE-SSW wind waves at 5 second periods to dominate with an underlying small 10+ second period Easterly swell. Wednesday through Saturday Night...Southwesterly flow typical of the warm season in place early in the period as high pressure sits off the coast. The persistence of the fetch will add swell energy to the wind waves and by Thursday we may attain SCA criteria. Cold front moves through later Friday leading to veering winds that will also abate in speed. The swell will persist but also lessen. Wind gets all the way around to the north on Saturday before backing kicks in as another weak boundary approaches from the NW. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...DCH NEAR TERM...DCH SHORT TERM...MBB LONG TERM...MBB AVIATION...DCH MARINE...DCH/MBB