445  
FXUS61 KAKQ 161108  
AFDAKQ  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA  
708 AM EDT WED JUL 16 2025  
   
SYNOPSIS  
 
HIGH PRESSURE PREVAILS OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST TODAY THROUGH  
THURSDAY BRINGING INCREASINGLY HOT AND CONTINUED HUMID  
CONDITIONS. CHANCES OF MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING  
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TODAY WITH LESS COVERAGE  
EXPECTED BY THURSDAY. REMAINING HOT AND HUMID FRIDAY WITH AN  
INCREASED CHANCE OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS AS A  
WEAK FRONT DROPS INTO THE REGION.  
 
 
   
NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/  
 
AS OF 345 AM EDT WEDNESDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
- AN UNSETTLED PATTERN CONTINUES TODAY BUT WITH LESS COVERAGE OF  
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.  
 
GOES WATER VAPOR CHANNELS DEPICT UPPER RIDGING BUILDING INTO  
THE MID-ATLANTIC IN THE WAKE OF A SHORTWAVE TROUGH THAT IS NOW  
OFFSHORE, WHICH WAS RESPONSIBLE (WHEN COMBINED WITH DEEP RICH  
MOISTURE) FOR SHOWERS/TSTMS WITH HEAVY RAIN LATER SUNDAY INTO  
SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. THERE IS STILL POTENTIALLY A SUBTLE  
BOUNDARY LINGERING OVER CENTRAL VA EARLY THIS MORNING. WARM AND  
HUMID WITH TEMPERATURES/DEWPOINTS IN THE LOWER/MID 70S, WITH  
SOME PATCHY FOG OVER THE PIEDMONT.  
 
A (CONVECTIVELY INDUCED) SHORTWAVE TROUGH LIFTS NW OF THE  
REGION TODAY ACROSS WV/WESTERN PA WITH THE UPPER RIDGE AXIS IN  
VICINITY OF THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST. MEANWHILE, PW VALUES REMAIN  
>2" (130-140% OF NORMAL). SHOWERS/TSTMS SHOULD DEVELOP ACROSS  
THE HIGHER TERRAIN, WITH THE GENERAL CONSENSUS AMONGST THE CAMS  
TO DIP THIS ACTIVITY SE TOWARD CENTRAL VA AND SE MD BY LATER  
THIS AFTN AND EVENING, WITH SOME EARLIER DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE  
WESTERN SHORE OF THE CHES. BAY AND SE VA. CONVECTIVE COVERAGE  
SHOULD BE LESS THAN YESTERDAY. HOWEVER, THERE ARE MANY AREAS  
VULNERABLE TO HEAVY RAIN AND THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE AREA IN IN  
A MARGINAL RISK FOR EXCESSIVE RAINFALL. AN ISOLATED STRONG TSTM  
IS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE NW COUNTIES WITH A MARGINAL SEVERE RISK  
(FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS) ON THE 'DOORSTEP' OF THE LOCAL AREA.  
SEASONALLY HOT AND QUITE HUMID WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE  
UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S WITH HEAT INDICES IN THE UPPER 90S TO  
AROUND 100F. ANY LINGERING SHOWERS/TSTMS SHOULD DISSIPATE LATER  
THIS EVENING. OTHERWISE, WARM AND HUMID WITH LOWS IN THE MID TO  
UPPER 70S.  
 
 
   
SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/  
 
AS OF 345 AM EDT WEDNESDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
- HEAT AND HUMIDITY BUILD THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WITH HEAT  
ADVISORIES POSSIBLE.  
 
THE UPPER FLOW BECOMES WESTERLY THURSDAY WITH 850MB  
TEMPERATURES RISING TO 19-21C. THIS SHOULD SUPPORT HIGHS IN THE  
LOWER TO MID 90S, WITH DEWPOINTS REMAINING IN THE MID 70S DURING  
PEAK HEATING DUE TO RECENT WET CONDITIONS. THIS SHOULD YIELD  
HEAT INDICES IN THE 100-105F RANGE W TO 105+F E. HEAT ADVISORIES  
WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED FOR AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE AREA,  
ESPECIALLY ALONG AND E OF THE I-95 CORRIDOR. A SHORTWAVE TROUGH  
SLIDES ACROSS THE NORTHERN MID- ATLANTIC LATER THURSDAY  
AFTERNOON, AND THIS COULD TRIGGER A FEW SHOWERS/TSTMS ACROSS THE  
NORTHERN TIER OF THE AREA. THERE WILL BE A LITTLE MORE SHEAR  
THURSDAY, SO ANY TSTMS COULD BECOME MORE ORGANIZED AND POSE AT  
LEAST A MARGINAL SEVERE THREAT. WARM AND HUMID THURSDAY NIGHT  
WITH LOWS IN THE MID TO UPPER 70S.  
 
A MORE SUBSTANTIAL TROUGH AND COLD FRONT PUSH FROM THE GREAT  
LAKES TO THE NORTHEAST THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. A MILDER AND  
DRIER AIRMASS WILL REMAIN WELL N OF THE REGION, BUT THE  
ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT IS PROGGED TO DROP INTO THE LOCAL AREA  
FRIDAY. THIS WILL INTERACT WITH AN AIRMASS WITH PW VALUES >2"  
AND MID 70S SURFACE DEWPOINTS. THEREFORE, INCREASED COVERAGE OF  
SHOWERS/TSTMS IS POSSIBLE BY FRIDAY. THE PRIMARY THREATS WILL BE  
LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND ISOLATED STRONG WIND GUSTS AS 30-35KT OF  
500MB FLOW COULD RESULT IN BETTER STORM ORGANIZATION. CONTINUED  
HOT AND HUMID, WITH 105+F HEAT INDICES FORECAST ACROSS SE VA  
AND NE NC WHERE HEAT ADVISORIES MAY EVENTUALLY BE NEEDED.  
 
 
   
LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/  
 
AS OF 345 AM EDT WEDNESDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGE:  
 
- GENERALLY SEASONAL TEMPERATURES AND HUMIDITY THIS WEEKEND INTO  
EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH DAILY CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND  
THUNDERSTORMS.  
 
THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK WILL GENERALLY FEATURE AN  
UPPER RIDGE CENTERED IN VICINITY OF THE SOUTHEAST COAST WITH  
DISTURBANCES ROTATING AROUND THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE  
RIDGE. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO LINGER OVER THE REGION SATURDAY  
ALLOWING FOR AFTERNOON/EVENING SHOWERS/TSTMS. THE FRONT MAY LIFT  
NE OF THE AREA BY SUNDAY, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN HOTTER  
TEMPERATURES AND LESS CONVECTIVE COVERAGE. GENERALLY UNSETTLED  
WITH SCATTERED CONVECTION INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. SEASONALLY HOT  
AND HUMID EARLY NEXT WEEK, BUT THE 16/00Z EPS/GEFS EACH  
RETROGRADE THE RIDGE TO THE WEST AS LOWER 500MB HEIGHTS DEVELOP  
OVER NEW ENGLAND AND ATLANTIC CANADA, WHICH COULD GENERALLY  
RESULT IN HIGHS IN THE MID/UPPER 80S TO NEAR 90F.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /11Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/  
 
AS OF 705 AM EDT WEDNESDAY...  
 
HIGH PRESSURE IS CENTERED OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST AS OF 11Z.  
PRIMARILY VFR, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DEVELOPING IFR STRATUS AT  
AND AROUND RIC. THE WIND IS LIGHT OUT OF THE SSW. LIFR STRATUS  
LINGERS AT RIC AND THAT SHOULD LIFT TO MVFR BY 12-13Z. ANY MVFR  
CIGS AFTER 12Z, MAINLY FOR RIC, SBY, AND PHF ARE EXPECTED TO  
LIFT BY 14Z. SCATTERED SHOWERS/TSTMS ARE EXPECTED ONCE AGAIN  
WEDNESDAY AFTN, BUT WITH LESS COVERAGE THAN PREVIOUS DAYS.  
CONTINUED PROB30 GROUPS FOR TSTMS (19-23Z) FOR ALL SITES BUT  
ECG. THE WIND IS EXPECTED TO BE SW 8-12KT WITH A FEW GUSTS TO  
20KT THIS AFTN. ANY SHOWERS/TSTMS DIMINISH THIS EVENING, WITH  
MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS WEDNESDAY NIGHT.  
 
MAINLY VFR THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. A LOWER SHOWER/TSTM  
COVERAGE IS FORECAST THURSDAY, WITH A HIGHER CHC FRIDAY/SATURDAY  
AS ANOTHER FRONT DROPS INTO THE REGION.  
 
 
   
MARINE  
 
AS OF 240 AM EDT WEDNESDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
- SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR THE CHESAPEAKE  
BAY AND LOWER JAMES RIVER FROM TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY  
MORNING.  
 
- GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS PERSIST THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT BEFORE  
BENIGN MARINE CONDITIONS RETURN FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND.  
 
SW FLOW PREVAILS ACROSS THE WATERS THIS MORNING WITH STRONG BERMUDA  
HIGH PRESSURE OFFSHORE. WIND SPEEDS THROUGH TODAY WILL GENERALLY BE  
10-15 KT, WITH A FEW GUSTS TO 20 KT POSSIBLE LATER THIS AFTERNOON  
AND EVENING. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT AS  
THE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS WITH LOW PRESSURE MOVING WELL N OF  
THE REGION. SCAS HAVE BEEN RAISED WITH THIS FORECAST PACKAGE ACROSS  
THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND LOWER JAMES RIVER FOR SW WINDS 15-20 KT WITH  
GUSTS UP TO 25 KT. SCAS ARE IN EFFECT FROM 05Z/1 AM THU UNTIL 17Z/1  
PM THU. WHILE GUSTS TO 20-25 KT ARE ALSO POSSIBLE ON THE COASTAL  
WATERS, SEAS HOVERING BELOW 5 FT SHOULD MITIGATE THE NEED FOR  
HEADLINES HERE. CONFIDENCE IS ALSO LOWER ON THE UPPER RIVERS, BUT  
THESE ZONES COULD EVENTUALLY BE ADDED TO THE SCA. WINDS SHOULD  
GRADUALLY DIMINISH OVER THE OPEN WATERS BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON.  
HOWEVER, GUSTY SW WINDS SHOULD CONTINUE ACROSS THE RIVERS AND  
LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY THROUGH MOST OF THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND THE  
SCA MAY EVENTUALLY NEED TO BE EXTENDED INTO THIS TIMEFRAME.  
ANOTHER BRIEF PERIOD OF SCAS ARE POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT BEFORE  
WINDS QUICKLY DIMINISH FROM THE DAYTIME HOURS FRIDAY THROUGH  
MOST OF THE WEEKEND.  
 
SEAS BUILD TO 2-3 FT LATER TODAY AND THEN 3-4 FT TONIGHT  
THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. WAVES IN THE BAY SHOULD AVERAGE 2-3 FT  
TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY, BUT COULD MOMENTARILY INCREASE TO ~4  
FT EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. SEAS/WAVES RETURN TO A BENIGN 1-3 FT  
FROM FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND. AFTER ANALYZING LATEST WAVE MODEL  
DATA, WILL KEEP A LOW RIP CURRENT RISK FOR ALL BEACHES TODAY.  
THE NORTHERN BEACHES COULD NEAR MODERATE BY THE LATER  
AFTERNOON/EVENING, BUT WILL HOLD OFF ON THAT POSSIBILITY IN THE  
SURF FORECAST FOR NOW.  
 
ISOLATED TO SCATTERED AFTERNOON/EVENING SHOWERS/TSTMS WILL CONTINUE  
MUCH OF THE WEEK. THE MAIN HAZARDS WITH TSTMS WILL BE BRIEF STRONGER  
WIND GUSTS, FREQUENT LIGHTING, AND REDUCED VISIBILITY IN HEAVY RAIN.  
 
 
   
HYDROLOGY  
 
AS OF 705 AM EDT WEDNESDAY...  
 
A FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE APPOMATTOX RIVER ABOVE  
FARMVILLE THROUGH EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. MINOR FLOODING IS  
FORECAST AND IS EXPECTED TO CREST THIS MORNING. ADDITIONALLY,  
LAWRENCEVILLE MAY TOUCH MINOR FLOOD LATER THIS MORNING.  
 
   
AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
MD...NONE.  
NC...NONE.  
VA...NONE.  
MARINE...NONE.  
 
 
   
AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
MD...NONE.  
NC...NONE.  
VA...NONE.  
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 1 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR  
ANZ630>632-634.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 4 AM TO 1 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR ANZ638.  
 
 
 
 
 
SYNOPSIS...AJZ  
NEAR TERM...AJZ  
SHORT TERM...AJZ  
LONG TERM...AJZ  
AVIATION...AJZ  
MARINE...SW  
HYDROLOGY...AKQ  
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