Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wilmington, NC

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923 FXUS62 KILM 050612 AFDILM Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 212 AM EDT Sun May 5 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Scattered showers and thunderstorms will occur this weekend due to several upper level disturbances, diurnal heating, and the daily sea breeze. Dry high pressure will build overhead by Wednesday with well above normal temperatures likely during the middle and late portions of next week. Rain chances increase towards the end of next week due to an approaching frontal system. && .UPDATE... No big changes necessary from the previous forecast with this update. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TODAY/... Mid level convergence and accompanying moisture axis currently inland (aiding ongoing showers) will shift eastward towards the coast overnight as ridging off to the east begins to move southward. This will lead to widespread PWATs over 1.6" across the FA for Sunday. Will see showers move onshore across northeast SC overnight, spreading northward into Cape Fear region by morning. Well above normal low temps tonight in the mid 60s due to clouds and showers. Despite increased cloud coverage tomorrow morning with ample low level moisture, there should be enough sunshine tomorrow afternoon to lead to another day of diurnal convection, including coastal counties this time along sea breeze. High temps around 80F Sunday. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... Unsettled weather continues through the short term period. Moisture advection picks up Mon ahead of the next shortwave. The higher PWATs paired with the more saturated soils due to continued rain could support the threat of some localized heavier downpours. The shortwave will move offshore by Tues morning with ridging building in behind it. Lingering instability and moisture support continued scattered showers and storms through the day Tuesday. Highs in the low to mid 80s with lows in the mid 60s. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... Quiet but hot weather through midweek as the ridge amplifies aloft with drier mid level air and subsidence. Highs will increase into the 90s with decent humidity. Still no heat advisory concerns with the current forecast. Current forecast is 2 deg off the record high for Wilmington NC Wed, but high clouds might make it hard to get any warmer. High clouds look to also be overhead Thurs aftn, so didn`t go as high as the NBM with highs. An approaching cold front increases rain chances towards the weekend, the frontal passage currently expected sometime Saturday. && .AVIATION /06Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
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VFR will dominate the pre-dawn hrs but VCSH will be highlighted at appropriate terminals based on latest 88D displays. Looking at eventual MVFR ceilings and VCSH threat by and after daybreak Sun across all terminals. Will indicate prevailing -shra but at only 6sm prevailing vsby. Will introduce a prob30 for a TSRA threat, during the mid to late morning thru mid to late afternoon across appropriate terminals. Have included vrb15g25 kt wind threat within the prob30 tsra threat. Will continue the vcsh threat after sunset and thru the evening for just the coastal terminals. Inland terminals should see cloud improvements to mid and upper levels. Winds generally SE-SSE 4 to 6 kt early this morning, becoming/increasing to SSE-S 6 to 10 kt during daylight Sun and diminish to 5 kt or less after sunset. Extended Outlook...Scattered convection will bring periodic visibility and ceiling restrictions Mon into Tue. Otherwise, looking at VFR dominating outside the pcpn and becoming the mainstay late Tue thru Thu.
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&& .MARINE... Through Sunday...Onshore flow strengthens a bit tonight into Sunday as offshore high pressure shifts southward, with SSE winds around 10- 15 kts and some sea breeze enhancement closer to the coast Sunday afternoon. Scattered showers, with isolated thunderstorms, will move in from the south across coastal waters after midnight and continue through early Sunday before diminishing. 2 ft seas this evening increase to 3 feet by morning as SE wind wave builds, with weak E swell persisting. Sunday Night through Thursday...SW flow 10-15 kts expected through the period, with mild enhancement in the winds during the afternoons due to the sea breeze. Seas 2-3 ft increasing to 3-5 ft through Wed into Thurs due to an increasing southerly wind wave (3-5 ft at 5- 6 seconds) and a weaker long period swell from the ENE. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...ILM UPDATE...MAS NEAR TERM...VAO SHORT TERM...LEW LONG TERM...LEW AVIATION...DCH MARINE...VAO/LEW