Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wilmington, NC

Current Version |  Previous Version |  Graphics & Text |  Print | Product List |  Glossary On
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
-- Highlight Changed Discussion --
-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --
190 FXUS62 KILM 060631 AFDILM Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 155 AM EDT Mon May 6 2024 .SYNOPSIS... The area will remain between an inland trough and Atlantic high pressure with warmer than normal temperatures through mid week. A cold frontal passage will then bring cooler and drier weather for late week and this weekend. && .UPDATE... Early evening convection has dissipated. Latest hi-res guidance is downplaying chance for showers to advect onshore late tonight, and latest radar trends reflect a SW trajectory with the current activity well off the NE SC coast. Therefore have lowered PoPs for late tonight. but activity should begin to blossom by mid-morning Monday. Could see patchy fog develop after midnight, particularly in areas that received rainfall this afternoon/evening, but with a light southerly wind stirring, confidence remains somewhat low. Have cancelled the Coastal Flood Advisory for downtown, as water levels topped out just below flooding thresholds. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/... Low pressure over the Great Lakes and trailing front will lift off to the northeast and will help to push trough eastward as shortwave exits the coast this evening. This will combine with loss of heating. Therefore expect rain chances to diminish into tonight. A weak ridge will build up through the Southeast into early Mon and therefore expect the possibility of a few showers over the coast toward morning and possibility of fog or low clouds, mainly where rain fell, but otherwise mainly quiet overnight. Temps will remain in the mid 60s for lows most places. Expect thunderstorm activity to pick up into Mon aftn as another shortwave approaches from the west. Greatest lift and axis of moisture will be over the I-95 corridor by mid to late aftn on Mon with pcp water values up to 1.7 inches. This will shift eastward through the area into early evening. High temps for Mon will be in the low to mid 80s. Issued a Coastal Flood Advisory for minor coastal flooding along the Cape Fear River withing a couple of hours surrounding high tide this evening which will occur around 830 pm. && .SHORT TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... Highlights: *Much above normal temps *Little to no severe storm/flood risk Confidence: *Moderate to High Details: High pressure offshore and an inland trough will prevail at the surface along with periodic weak disturbances aloft. This will keep it warm and muggy with some showers and storms at times, especially Tuesday afternoon/evening during peak heating. Temps will be on an upswing, staying well above normal, with mid to upper 60s generally each night (warmest Tuesday night) and mid to upper 80s for highs Tuesday. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... Highlights: *Much above normal temps through at least Thursday; possible record high at Wilmington Wednesday *Possible elevated risk of severe storms Thursday Confidence: *Low to Moderate through Friday *Moderate to High Friday night through Sunday Details: High pressure centered offshore along with a trough inland should prevail until a cold front moves through later in the work week, although timing of this frontal passage is uncertain as the latest guidance suggests it will be earlier than previously thought. Given the mostly zonal flow aloft, there is some uncertainty regarding timing of shortwaves, and thus the rain/cloud coverage which will impact temps to some extent. Cooler and drier weather will then move in after the cold front passes later in the week and continue over the weekend. The warmest temperatures this period should be Wednesday and Thursday when they`ll be near 90 for highs. No records are expected to be reached, although could come the closest at Wilmington on Wednesday (92 degrees). Heat indices should stay mostly in the mid 90s or less so no Heat Advisories are anticipated. Temps should fall Friday as a cold front approaches, possibly even more so than currently forecast depending on the timing of the frontal passage. && .AVIATION /06Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
-- Changed Discussion --
Bermuda high pressure will keep a moist southerly-southwesterly, around 5 kt increasing to around 10 kt during daylight Mon) flow through Monday. May see convection drift onshore overnight or fire- up and affect the immediate coast daytime Mon morning. Sea breeze should push inland-some by the afternoon ending the threat at the coastal terminals but will see convective debris clouds. Inland, diurnal heating and yest another upper s/w trof to fire convection thru the aftn and into the evening. Will identify shra time line but keep VCTS to highlight the ltg threat at the terminals. Extended Outlook...Scattered convection will bring periodic visibility and ceiling restrictions Tue. Otherwise, looking at VFR dominating late Tue into Thu with limited convection. Flight restrictions possible later Thu into Fri from convection ahead of a strong cold front. Clearing later Fri with VFR dominating.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .MARINE... Through Monday... Southerly winds will continue over the waters with S-SE winds shifting to a more S-SW direction into Mon. Sea breeze will back winds and produce increasing gusts each aftn. Seas will remain around 3 to 4 ft, dominated mainly by short period wind waves. Monday night through Friday...The local waters will remain between Atlantic high pressure and an inland trough maintaining southerly winds until a cold front moves through, possibly on Friday. Should see elevated winds/seas through the period with winds gusting to near Small Craft Advisory levels (25+ kt) at times, especially each afternoon/evening due to the sea breeze. Seas should mostly stay below 6 ft but could reach SCA levels briefly on Thursday ahead of the approaching cold front. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...ILM UPDATE...CRM NEAR TERM...RGZ SHORT TERM...RJB LONG TERM...RJB AVIATION...RGZ/CRM MARINE...RJB/RGZ