456  
FXUS61 KAKQ 020112  
AFDAKQ  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA  
912 PM EDT FRI AUG 1 2025  
   
SYNOPSIS
 
 
COOLER TEMPERATURES EXPECTED BEHIND A SEASONALLY STRONG COLD  
FRONT. DRY WEATHER WITH LOWER HUMIDITY AND COOLER THAN NORMAL  
TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND AND INTO  
EARLY NEXT WEEK.  
 

 
   
NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SATURDAY MORNING/
 
 
AS OF 855 EDT FRIDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
- COOLER, DRIER AIR FILTERS IN TONIGHT WITH BELOW AVERAGE  
TEMPERATURES.  
 
- A FEW LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS SOUTHERN VA AND  
NE NC.  
 
A RATHER THICK LOW CLOUD DECK REMAINS OVER THE AREA THIS  
EVENING, PER LATE-DAY VISIBLE AND NIGHTTIME SATELLITE IMAGERY.  
DESPITE THE AREA BEING IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT, A RATHER  
MOIST AIRMASS IS STILL IN PLACE (PWATS 1.5-2.1", HIGHEST S) AS  
NE ONSHORE FLOW PERSISTS. STILL, DRIER AIR IS SLOWLY FILTERING  
IN AND SHOULD EVENTUALLY REINFORCE OVER THE FORECAST AREA THIS  
WEEKEND. HIGH PRESSURE CURRENTLY CENTERED OVER THE WESTERN GREAT  
LAKES REGION ALSO CONTINUES TO BUILD IN BEHIND THE FRONT. THE  
RESULTANT PRESSURE GRADIENT IS LEADING TO GUSTY WINDS ALONG THE  
COAST, WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 20-25 MPH THIS EVENING. TEMPS  
ARE ALSO ON THE COOLER SIDE FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...IN THE UPPER  
60 N/NW TO MID 70S S/SE. RADAR ALSO SHOWS SOME VERY LIGHT RAIN  
OR DRIZZLE, BUT THIS IS NOT WIDESPREAD ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL  
OBSERVATIONAL SITES.  
 
OVERNIGHT, CLOUD COVER WILL BEGIN TO SCATTER OUT FROM N TO S.  
TEMPERATURES WILL DROP INTO THE MID/UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S,  
MAKING FOR QUITE A COMFORTABLE START TO AUGUST. A FEW LOWER 60S  
ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE NW, ESPECIALLY IF SKIES CAN CLEAR SOME.  
ISOLATED-SCATTERED SHOWERS REMAIN POSSIBLE IN SE VA/NE NC, BUT  
WILL LIKELY BE LIGHTER IN NATURE. VERY LIMITED INSTABILITY AND  
COOLER TEMPS WILL LIMIT THE THREAT FOR THUNDER.  
 

 
   
SHORT TERM /6 AM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/
 
 
AS OF 313 PM EDT FRIDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
- COOLER, BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND.  
 
- DECREASING RAIN CHANCES THIS WEEKEND AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO  
THE AREA.  
 
THE FRONT WILL HAVE DROPPED SOUTH OF OUR AREA BY SATURDAY MORNING,  
AND A DRIER, COOLER AIRMASS WILL BE WORKING ITS WAY FROM N TO S AS  
HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO BUILD INTO THE REGION. THE ATMOSPHERE  
WILL STILL HAVE SOME MOISTURE IN THE LOWER TO MID LEVELS IN SE VA/NE  
NC AND INCREASED FLOW. THIS COMBINATION WILL LIKELY KEEP SHOWERS IN  
THE FORECAST IN THIS AREA ON SATURDAY BEFORE THE BULK OF THE DRIER  
AIR MAKES IT TO THAT AREA. CONVECTION WILL BE VERY LIMITED AS ALL OF  
THE MEAGER INSTABILITY AVAILABLE WILL BE WASHED OUT BY MID-MORNING.  
HIGH PRESSURE WILL SLIDE FURTHER EAST AND TAP INTO THE COOLER  
CANADIAN AIR. THIS AIRMASS WILL NOT GET OVERLY MODIFIED, WHICH WILL  
CONTINUE TO BRING LOWER HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURES TO THE REGION.  
HIGH TEMPERATURES BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WILL ONLY REACH AROUND  
80F INTO THE LOWER 80S. DEW POINTS WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE INTO THE  
LOWER TO MID 60S BY TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND REMAIN THERE THROUGH  
SUNDAY, MAKING FOR A VERY PLEASANT EARLY AUGUST WEEKEND TEMPERATURE-  
WISE. GUSTY NE WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT, ESPECIALLY  
FOR COASTAL AREAS. GUSTS COULD REACH 25-30 MPH, WITH INLAND GUSTS  
AROUND 15-20 MPH.  
 

 
   
LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/
 
 
AS OF 313 PM EDT FRIDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
- COOLER BELOW AVERAGE TO SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES OUTLOOKED THROUGH  
LATE WEEK.  
 
- MOSTLY DRY CONDITIONS WITH RETURNING MOISTURE AND INCREASING  
RAIN CHANCES BY MID WEEK.  
 
THE EXPANSIVE HIGH WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY SLIDE EASTWARD AND PUMP  
IN A COMFORTABLE AIRMASS, WITH DEW POINTS IN THE 60S EXPECTED  
THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. BY TUESDAY, THE HIGH WILL START TO SHIFT  
OFFSHORE, WHICH WILL LEAD TO A MORE MODIFIED AIRMASS. INCREASING  
MOISTURE IS EXPECTED BY TUESDAY AS AN UPPER TROUGH THAT WILL EXTEND  
FROM THE GREAT LAKES THROUGH THE SE US BRINGS IN DEEPER ATMOSPHERIC  
MOISTURE TO THE REGION FROM THE GULF. AT THE SAME TIME, GUIDANCE IS  
SUGGESTING THAT A WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE COULD DEVELOP OFF THE  
CAROLINA COAST ALONG THE STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THIS COULD  
ENHANCE THE MOISTURE MOVING INTO OUR AREA. AS THE TROUGH SWINGS  
THROUGH OUR AREA WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, INCREASED RAIN AND  
THUNDER CHANCES ARE POSSIBLE. HAVE MAINTAINED CHANCE POPS FOR NOW.  
TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN AT OR BELOW THE CLIMATOLOGICAL NORM FOR  
EARLY AUGUST, WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 80S AND LOWS IN THE  
LOWER TO MID 60S MONDAY THEN INCREASING TO THE MID-UPPER 60S TUESDAY  
THROUGH THURSDAY (LOWER 70S IN AREAS ALONG THE COAST).  
 

 
   
AVIATION /01Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/
 
 
AS OF 740 PM EDT FRIDAY...  
 
WIDESPREAD BKN/OVC MVFR CIGS ARE PRESENT ACROSS THE AREA THIS  
EVENING, WITH LOCALIZED PATCHES OF IFR CIGS AS WELL. EXPECT  
SIMILAR CONDITIONS THROUGH TONIGHT, HOWEVER, SKIES SHOULD BEGIN  
CLEARING SOME (ESPECIALLY N) AFTER 06Z. PATCHY LIGHT RAIN OR  
DRIZZLE IS ALSO POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY FOR CENTRAL AND SE VA AND  
NE NC, AND THIS COULD BRIEFLY REDUCE VSBY TO MVFR THRESHOLDS. FOR  
SATURDAY, FURTHER CLEARING IS POSSIBLE BUT EXPECT SCT-BKN LOW-  
LEVEL CLOUDS (HIGH-END MVFR OR LOW-END VFR CIGS) TO PERSIST  
THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE BEST CHANCE FOR FULL CLEARING  
WOULD BE AT SBY. NE WINDS REMAIN 5-10 KT INLAND AND 10-15 KT  
NEAR THE COAST TONIGHT. WINDS INCREASE AGAIN LATE SATURDAY  
MORNING AND AFTERNOON WITH NE WINDS 10-15 KT AND GUSTS 20-25 KT  
(HIGHEST COASTAL TERMINALS).  
 
OUTLOOK: PREDOMINANTLY VFR PREVAILS SATURDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY  
NEXT WEEK AS DRIER AIR FILTERS IN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT, BUT NE  
WINDS REMAIN ELEVATED ALONG THE COAST INTO SUNDAY.  
 

 
   
MARINE
 
 
AS OF 330 PM EDT FRIDAY...  
 
- SMALL CRAFTS ADVISORIES IN EFFECT THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEKEND.  
 
- STRONG N TO S LONGSHORE CURRENT TOMORROW ACROSS ALL BEACHES.  
 
AFTERNOON WEATHER ANALYSIS SHOWS TWO HIGH PRESSURES. THE FIRST ONE  
LOCATED ACROSS THE MIDWEST AND THE SECOND ONE LOCATED OFF THE COAST  
OF FLORIDA. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT FROM THESE TWO SYSTEMS HAVE BEGUN  
TO TIGHTEN ALLOWING WINDS TO PICK UP BEHIND THE PASSING COLD FRONT.  
WINDS THIS AFTERNOON ARE OUT OF THE NNE BETWEEN 15 TO 20 KT WITH  
GUSTS UPWARDS OF 25KT. THESE WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGH  
THE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING AS THE COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS  
MOVES IN FROM THE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM TO THE NORTH. THERE COULD BE  
BRIEF PERIODS OF 30KT GUSTS AND PERHAPS A FEW ISOLATED 35KT GUSTS.  
THESE POTENTIAL 35KT GUSTS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BRIEF AND SHORT  
LIVED. A HIGH END SCA IS IN PLACE TILL SUNDAY MORNING. HOWEVER, SOME  
OF THESE LOCATIONS MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING AS  
WINDS WILL POTENTIALLY REMAIN ELEVATED.  
 
WAVES THIS AFTERNOON ARE ALREADY BETWEEN 2 TO 3 FT ACROSS THE BAY  
AND 4 TO 6 FT NORTH OF THE VIRGINIA/ NORTH CAROLINA BORDER WHILE TO  
THE SOUTH WAVES ARE BETWEEN 3 TO 4FT. THESE WAVES WILL CONTINUE TO  
INCREASE TO 3 TO 5 FT ACROSS THE BAY AND 5 TO 7 POTENTIALLY EVEN 8  
FT WAVES ACROSS THE OCEAN THIS EVENING. THESE SEAS WILL REMAIN  
ELEVATED THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING BEFORE SLOWLY DIMINISHING. SCA  
CONDITIONS LIKELY PERSIST FOR THE LOWER BAY, LOWER JAMES, CURRITUCK  
SOUND, AND COASTAL WATERS WELL INTO SUNDAY WITH NE WINDS 15-20KT  
LINGERING, AND SEAS ONLY SLOWLY SUBSIDING (FORECAST TO REMAIN ABOVE  
5 FT INTO MONDAY).  
 
A MODERATE RIP CURRENT RISK CONTINUES TO REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR ALL  
BUT THE NC BEACHES TODAY. CONTINUES TO A HIGH RISK FOR THE WEEKEND,  
WITH A STRONG LONGSHORE CURRENT, SHORT PERIOD, CHOPPY SEAS, AND  
NEARSHORE SEAS OF 4-5 FT N AND 6-7 S WITH STRONG NE WINDS. IT MAY  
TECHNICALLY BE SOMEWHAT MARGINAL FOR NORTHERN BEACHES GIVEN THE  
WIND/WAVE DIRECTION NOT AS CLOSE TO SHORE NORMAL AS THE SOUTHERN  
AREAS, SO WILL WORD ACCORDINGLY IN THE SRF.  
 

 
   
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING
 
 
AS OF 900 PM EDT FRIDAY...  
 
TIDAL ANOMALIES HAVE RISEN TO 1-1.75 FT ABOVE NORMAL DUE TO THE  
ELEVATED NE WIND, ELEVATED SEAS, AND FLOOD TIDE AT THE MOUTH OF  
THE BAY. EXPECT ANOMALIES TO CONTINUE TO RISE OVER THE NEXT  
24-36 HOURS AS NE WINDS PERSIST AND SEAS BUILD A BIT MORE ACROSS  
THE SE VA/NE NC COASTAL WATERS. ALSO, THE CBOFS IS FORECASTING  
SUCCESSIVE FLOOD TIDES WITH NO EBBING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING.  
WHILE NOTHING MORE THAN NUISANCE TIDAL FLOODING IS EXPECTED  
THROUGH THE HIGH TIDE CYCLE TONIGHT/SAT AM...SOME SITES COULD  
SEE MINOR TIDAL FLOODING DURING THE HIGH TIDE SATURDAY  
AFTN/EVENING. THE HIGHEST CHC OF MINOR FLOODING IS FROM  
LEWISETTA TO TAPPAHANNOCK ALONG THE TIDAL POTOMAC/RAPPAHANNOCK  
RIVERS AS WELL AS THE BAY SIDE OF THE MD EASTERN SHORE.  
STATEMENTS AND/OR ADVISORIES MAY BE NEEDED FOR SAT AFTN/EVENING.  
WATER LEVELS ARE FORECAST TO LEVEL OFF/FALL A BIT LATER THIS  
WEEKEND AS NE WINDS/SEAS SUBSIDE A BIT, THOUGH NUISANCE  
FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE SUNDAY AFTN/EVENING WITH THE HIGHER OF  
THE TWO ASTRONOMICAL TIDES.  
 

 
   
AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
MD...NONE.  
NC...NONE.  
VA...NONE.  
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR ANZ630-631-  
635>637.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR ANZ632>634-638-  
654-656-658.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR ANZ650-652.  
 

 
 

 
 
SYNOPSIS...HET/KMC  
NEAR TERM...SW/NB  
SHORT TERM...KMC/NB  
LONG TERM...NB  
AVIATION...SW  
MARINE...HET/LKB  
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...AKQ  
 
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