407  
FXUS61 KAKQ 040508  
AFDAKQ  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA  
108 AM EDT SUN MAY 4 2025  
   
SYNOPSIS  
 
A COLD FRONT REMAINS TO OUR WEST THROUGH THE WEEKEND.  
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED  
LATE TODAY INTO SUNDAY. SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES WITH  
UNSETTLED CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE EARLY NEXT WEEK IN  
ASSOCIATION WITH A SLOW MOVING/CUTOFF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM.  
SHOWER CHANCES LIKELY LINGER THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY.  
 
 
   
NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/  
 
AS OF 855 PM EDT SATURDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGE:  
 
- SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS MOVE EASTWARD AND BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD  
LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY.  
 
LATEST ANALYSIS SHOWS THE UPPER TROUGH CLOSING OFF AS OF THIS  
WRITING, WITH THE UPPER LOW CENTERED OVER THE MID MISSISSIPPI  
RIVER VALLEY, WITH THE ATTENDANT SFC LOW OVER E KY. SEVERAL  
SPOKES OF SHORTWAVE ENERGY ARE EVIDENT IN THE SSW FLOW ALOFT  
LIFTING FROM THE E TN VALLEY INTO THE NORTHEAST AND SOUTHERN NEW  
ENGLAND. SHOWERS AND T-STORMS DEVELOPED EARLIER THIS EVENING,  
LIFTING NNE ALONG THE PRE-FRONTAL SURFACE TROUGH IN THE LEE OF  
THE HIGHER BLUE RIDGE TERRAIN. LATEST CAM GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO  
SLOWLY DEVELOP SHOWERS OVER THE NEXT 2-4 HOURS OVER THE VA  
PIEDMONT, SPREADING EAST TO THE I-95 CORRIDOR BY ~06Z LATE THIS  
EVENING AND HEADING TOWARD THE COAST TOWARD SUNRISE SUNDAY, AND  
POPS ACCORDINGLY INCREASE THROUGH 06Z INLAND, BETWEEN 06-09Z FOR  
THE I-95 CORRIDOR, AND ALONG THE COASTAL PLAIN AND EASTERN  
SHORE AFTER 09-12Z/SUNDAY. MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS  
EXPECTED AS THE LINE MOVES EAST AND IS ENHANCED BY INCREASING  
PW VALUES LIFTING ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT AND TOWARD THE COAST  
BY SUNRISE. TEMPERATURES REMAIN MILD TONIGHT WITH LOWS IN THE  
LOW TO MID 60S.  
 
 
   
SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/  
 
AS OF 340 PM EDT SATURDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
- WIDESPREAD MODERATE RAINFALL TRANSLATES TOWARD THE COAST SUNDAY  
MORNING.  
 
- ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY AFTERNOON, SOME  
OF WHICH COULD BE STRONG TO SEVERE.  
 
THE UPPER LOW WON'T MOVE MUCH ON SUNDAY WITH THE MAIN JET CORE WELL  
TO THE NORTH IN CANADA. DEEP SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL KEEP MOISTURE  
STREAMING INTO THE REGION. LATEST GUIDANCE SHOWS THE OVERNIGHT SLUG  
OF MOISTURE MOVING OFFSHORE BY LATE MORNING OR EARLY AFTERNOON.  
DON'T EXPECT TO SEE MUCH SUNSHINE ACROSS THE AREA, BUT TEMPERATURES  
RISE INTO THE MID 70S WITH ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND STORMS LIKELY BY  
THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. SHEAR WILL NOT BE OVERLY STRONG AT  
~25 KT BUT SHOULD ALLOW FOR A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS BEHIND THE  
MORNING COASTAL ACTIVITY. SPC HAS MAINTAINED A MARGINAL RISK  
(1/5) OVER INLAND AREAS. GUSTY WINDS ARE THE MAIN THREAT WITH  
MARGINAL SHEAR AND POOR LAPSE RATES LIKELY TO LIMIT THE LARGE  
HAIL THREAT. PW WILL REMAIN HIGH BUT NOT EXPECTING WIDESPREAD  
FLOODING ISSUES. HOWEVER, URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS COULD  
SEE SOME MINOR FLOODING IF STORMS ARE ABLE TO TRAIN OVER THE  
SAME SPOTS TOMORROW AFTERNOON. PRECIP WILL BE FAVORED OVER THE  
EASTERN HALF OF THE AREA BY TOMORROW EVENING/OVERNIGHT WITH LOWS  
RANGING FROM THE UPPER 50S W TO THE LOW/MID 60S E.  
 
UNSETTLED PERIOD CONTINUES MONDAY WITH THE UPPER LOW STILL ANCHORED  
TO OUR WEST. SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL AGAIN BE A POSSIBILITY THROUGH  
THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LOWER COVERAGE OF SHOWERS/STORMS WILL  
ALLOW TEMPS TO RISE INTO THE UPPER 70S AND LOW 80S INLAND (MID 70S  
EASTERN SHORE). WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED BUT  
AREAS OF MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL ACCOMPANY THE SHOWERS  
AND STORMS. LOWS OVERNIGHT WILL AGAIN BE IN THE 50S W TO LOW 60S  
E.  
 
 
   
LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/  
 
AS OF 340 PM EDT SATURDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGE:  
 
- DRYING OUT A BIT LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY.  
 
- ANOTHER SYSTEM POTENTIALLY BRINGS THE CHANCE FOR ADDITIONAL  
SHOWERS AND STORMS LATER IN THE WEEK.  
 
THE STUBBORN UPPER LOW FINALLY BEGINS TO LIFT NORTHWARD ON TUESDAY  
WHICH SHOULD ALLOW THE DEEP MOISTURE FEED TO BE DISPLACED TOWARD THE  
COAST BEFORE MOVING N. WILL MAINTAIN CHANCE TO LIKELY POPS FOR  
COASTAL AREAS TUESDAY MORNING AND THEN CHANCE POPS FOR THE NORTHERN  
HALF OF THE AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON. SOME COOLER AND DRIER AIR  
MOVES INTO THE REGION, KEEPING TUESDAY NIGHT MOSTLY DRY WITH LOWS IN  
THE 50S. MOSTLY DRY WEDNESDAY WITH HIGHS BACK INTO THE UPPER 70S AND  
LOW 80S. FLOW ALOFT BECOMES ZONAL AS THE UPPER LOW MOVES OFFSHORE  
AND THE NEXT UPPER LOW TAKES SHAPE OVER THE ARKLATEX. HIGH PRESSURE  
OVER THE NORTHERN MID-ATLANTIC LIKELY WEDGES SOUTH AND WEST AHEAD OF  
THE INCOMING MOISTURE FROM THE SW, WHICH MAY LEAD TO A PERIOD OF  
COOLER THAN NORMAL TEMPS AS WEAK CAD SETS UP. CHANCE FOR RAINFALL  
RETURNS THURSDAY INTO THE WEEKEND BUT CONFIDENCE IN THE DETAILS IS  
LOW.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /05Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/  
 
AS OF 110 AM EDT SUNDAY...  
 
VFR CONDITIONS ARE NOTED ACROSS ALL TAF SITES EARLY THIS  
MORNING. FURTHER TO THE WEST SHOWERS CONTINUE TO REMAIN BUT ARE  
CONTINUING TO NUDGE SLIGHTLY EAST. ACROSS NE NC SOME SHOWERS  
HAVE INITIATED BUT SHOULD NOT BRING ANY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS TO  
ECG. S ~10 KT EARLY THIS MORNING WITH THE TERMINALS CLOSER TO  
THE COAST HAVING AN OCCASIONAL GUST UPWARDS OF 20 KT. LATEST  
CAMS CONTINUE TO SHOW A BROKEN LINE OF SHOWERS MOVING INTO THE  
RIC AREA BY ~06-08Z/2-4 AM LATE TONIGHT, REACHING THE EASTERN  
TERMINALS (PHF, ORF, SBY, ECG) CLOSER TO 10-13Z (6-9AM). WHILE  
SOME EMBEDDED THUNDER IS POSSIBLE AROUND AND JUST BEFORE  
SUNRISE, MEAGER INSTABILITY SHOULD KEEP DEEPER CONVECTION IN  
CHECK OVERNIGHT. LOCAL VSBY RESTRICTIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE  
HEAVIER SHOWERS. PERIODS OF MVFR/IFR CIGS ARE EXPECTED TO BE  
MORE WIDESPREAD IN THE HEAVIER SHOWER LATE TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY.  
 
WHILE THE FIRST ROUND OF SHOWERS TAPERS OF BETWEEN 14-18Z,  
ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO FIRE UP IN THE MID  
TO LATE AFTERNOON HOURS, BUT DISCERNING THE TIMING AND LOCATION  
OF THESE SHOWERS IS RATHER LOW CONFIDENCE AT THIS TIME, AND  
SHRA/TSRA WORDING HAS BEEN HELD OUT FOR NOW FOR THE END OF THE  
TAF PERIOD.  
 
OUTLOOK: SUB-VFR CIGS/VSBY POSSIBLE LATE TOMORROW NIGHT INTO  
MONDAY MORNING. UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN WITH PERIODIC FLIGHT  
RESTRICTIONS EXPECTED FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MIDWEEK.  
 
 
   
MARINE  
 
AS OF 249 PM EDT SATURDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
- SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE CHESAPEAKE BAY,  
CURRITUCK SOUND, YORK AND JAMES RIVERS, AND THE NORTHERN COASTAL  
WATERS THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING LOW  
PRESSURE SYSTEM.  
 
- SUB-ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE FAVORED EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH WEAK LOW  
PRESSURE EXPECTED TO REMAIN INLAND.  
 
HIGH PRESSURE HAS SHIFTED FURTHER OFFSHORE THIS AFTERNOON AS A  
SURFACE TROUGH SLOWLY APPROACHES THE REGION FROM THE WEST. WINDS  
THIS MORNING IN THE LOWER BAY PEAKED AT 18-20 KTS WITH GUSTS UP TO  
25 KTS, BUT HAVE SINCE BACKED OFF A FEW KNOTS THIS AFTERNOON. WAVES  
ARE GENERALLY AROUND 2 FT. THE COASTAL WATERS ARE SEEING WINDS OF 15  
TO 20 KTS WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 KTS, AND SEAS OF 3 TO 4 FT. AS THE LOW  
PRESSURE SYSTEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE TROUGH NEARS OUR AREA THIS  
EVENING, THE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN AND WINDS WILL INCREASE IN  
RESPONSE. WINDS IN THE COASTAL WATERS WILL REACH AROUND 20 KTS, WITH  
SOME AREAS BRIEFLY SEEING 20-25 KTS. SEAS WILL BUILD TO 4 TO 5 FT N  
OF CAPE CHARLES OVERNIGHT DURING THIS SURGE. WINDS IN THE BAY WILL  
PEAK AT AROUND 20 KTS AND SEAS WILL BUILD TO 2-3 FT, WITH SEAS OF UP  
TO 3-4 FT POSSIBLE IN THE MOUTH OF THE BAY. SCAS ARE IN EFFECT  
FOR MOST ZONES THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT, WITH THE EXCEPTION  
OF THE RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AND THE COASTAL WATERS SOUTH OF CAPE  
CHARLES.  
 
THE GRADIENT WILL START TO RELAX EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, DROPPING  
WINDS DOWN TO AROUND 10-15 KT BY SUNDAY NIGHT. A SURFACE TROUGH IS  
FORECAST TO AMBLE AROUND THE MID-ATLANTIC THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF  
THE WEEK, WHICH WILL BACK WINDS TO THE SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH. BY  
TUESDAY NIGHT, WINDS WILL START TO VEER TO THE SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST AS  
HIGH PRESSURE BRIEFLY BUILDS IN AHEAD OF ANOTHER APPROACHING FRONT.  
SUB-SCA CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH AT LEAST MID-NEXT WEEK AFTER  
TONIGHT'S SURGE. SEAS ARE FORECAST TO GENERALLY BE 3-4 FT, WITH  
WAVES IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY GENERALLY 1-2 FT.  
 
 
   
AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
MD...NONE.  
NC...NONE.  
VA...NONE.  
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EDT EARLY THIS MORNING FOR  
ANZ630>632-634-650-652-654.  
 
 
 
 
 
SYNOPSIS...RHR  
NEAR TERM...MAM/RHR  
SHORT TERM...RHR  
LONG TERM...RHR  
AVIATION...HET/MAM  
MARINE...AJZ/NB  
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