Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wilmington, NC

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000 FXUS62 KILM 171957 AFDILM Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 357 PM EDT Wed Apr 17 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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Above normal temperatures will continue through Friday. A few light showers are possible overnight, but more substantial rain chances arrive on Friday as a cold front moves across the area. The front stalls in the area for the weekend, maintaining elevated rain chances.
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&& .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
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A steady stream of mid and high level moisture will continue across the area through Thursday morning. A bit of a consensus warrants some slight chance pops in and around 0600 UTC overnight otherwise it should be dry. Clouds may not be a prevalent or as thick Thursday when compared to today so high temperatures should reach the middle to perhaps even upper 80s. Lows tonight should be in the lower to middle 60s.
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&& .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...
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Brief post-frontal high pressure on Thursday night will slide offshore on Friday. A cold front approaches the area on Friday with increasing moisture. Warm ahead of the front with highs in the upper 80s to near 90. Marginal instability could produce showers and isolated thunderstorms, but dry air in the low levels should limit coverage. A storms could produce breezy outflow, but severe weather is not anticipated. Diurnal convection comes to an end by Friday evening. The front will crawl eastward overnight keeping overnight lows mild: low to mid 60s expected.
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&& .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
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Crawling front stalls near or just offshore on Saturday. Showers near the coast on Saturday will develop near the frontal boundary and should remain light. Developing low on Sunday will see showers spread inland, becoming intense Sunday evening as a shortwave out of the SW bolsters the existing energy. The combination of rain and northerly flow from high pressure to our north will keep temperatures well below normal. A period of heavy rain is possible Sunday night into early Monday as the low intensifies. A secondary shortwave will moves across the region late Monday into Tuesday. The surface boundary will still be in place and this impulse is expected to spark the development of a second low pressure system. This fast-moving low will bring a brief period of rain as dry air works into the deepening low. Brief high pressure on Tuesday will precede another potential cold front on Wednesday. High temperatures just below climo on Tuesday will warm ahead of the approaching system for Wednesday.
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&& .AVIATION /19Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
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Conditions will be somewhat similar to last night with high clouds, light winds, and a bit of boundary layer wind. VFR conditions are expected with the caveat of some brief ground fog. I addressed this with similar timing of this morning`s observations and MVFR conditions. Extended Outlook... VFR is expected through the period.
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&& .MARINE...
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Through Thursday... A somewhat modest southwest flow basically ten knots or less will increase slightly overnight to at best 15 knots or so for a few hours. With essentially a summer like pattern in place (Bermuda High Pressure) speeds drop back once again to around ten knots later Thursday. Significant seas will be 2-3 feet with perhaps a few four footers. Thursday Night through Monday... Light southerly flow continues through the remainder of the week before variable low pressure and a weak cold front bring variable winds on Saturday. As the cold front shifts offshore late Saturday into Sunday and low pressure develops along the front, winds increase to 15-20 knots. Deepening low Sunday night into Monday could see winds increase further with seas building to around 6 feet, mainly in the NC waters.
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&& .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...ILM NEAR TERM...SHK SHORT TERM...21 LONG TERM...21 AVIATION...SHK MARINE...SHK/21

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