954
FXUS61 KAKQ 190159
AFDAKQ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
959 PM EDT MON AUG 18 2025
SYNOPSIS
A COLD FRONT LINGERS ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. THE
FRONT FINALLY CROSSES THE AREA LATER WEDNESDAY WITH BELOW AVERAGE
TEMPERATURES EXPECTED LATER THIS WEEK. HURRICANE ERIN WILL MAKE ITS
CLOSEST APPROACH BY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. IMPACTS WILL BE FELT
WELL OUTSIDE THE FORECAST CONE INCLUDING LARGE WAVES, DANGEROUS RIP
CURRENTS, BREEZY CONDITIONS ALONG THE COAST AND OVER THE COASTAL
WATERS, AND POTENTIALLY A FEW OUTER RAIN BANDS ACROSS EASTERN
PORTIONS OF THE AREA.
NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY MORNING/
AS OF 912 PM EDT MONDAY...
KEY MESSAGES:
- LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL PERSIST THIS EVENING ACROSS SE VA
AND NE NC.
EVENING WEATHER ANALYSIS SHOWS A STALLED FRONT LOCATED ACROSS SE
VA AND NE NC. ALONG THIS FRONT A MOIST AND RELATIVELY UNSTABLE
AIRMASS IS IN PLACE WITH PW AROUND 2 TO 2.2" AND ~500 J/KG OF
ML CAPE. SHOWERS HAVE INITIATED ALONG THIS FRONT PRODUCING HEAVY
RAIN IN ISOLATED LOCATIONS. SOME RECENT OBSERVATIONS HAVE SHOWN
LOCALLY 3"+ HAVE FALLEN CAUSING LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING ACROSS
THE PENINSULA. THESE SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH
THE NIGHT AS THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES SOUTH. THESE SHOWERS
WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE 1 TO 2" OF RAIN LOCALLY. HOWEVER, GIVEN
THE HISTORY OF THESE SHOWERS AND ANY SHOWER THAT FORMS ALONG THE
FRONT CAN PRODUCE 3"+. BEHIND THE FRONT MAJORITY OF THE AREA IS
LOCKED IN AN EARLY SEASON CAD WITH LOW LEVEL CLOUDS AND DRIZZLE
MOVING ACROSS THE EASTERN SHORE AND PIEDMONT THIS EVENING.
THESE CLOUDS WILL HALT TEMPERATURES FROM DROPPING MUCH. LOWS
TONIGHT WILL BE IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 60S INLAND AND LOWER 70S
ALONG THE COAST.
SHORT TERM /6 AM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY/
AS OF 300 PM EDT MONDAY...
KEY MESSAGES:
- REMAINING UNSETTLED ON TUESDAY AS A COLD FRONT LINGERS OVER
EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA.
- HURRICANE ERIN IS LIKELY TO STAY OFFSHORE OF THE LOCAL AREA AS IT
MAKES ITS CLOSEST APPROACH WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. HOWEVER,
IMPACTS WILL HAPPEN WELL OUTSIDE OF THE FORECAST CONE, WITH LARGE
WAVES, STRONG RIP CURRENTS, COASTAL FLOODING, AND BREEZY CONDITIONS
ALONG THE COAST ALL POSSIBLE.
THE FRONT REMAINS STALLED OVER THE INTO TUESDAY. SIMILAR TO TODAY,
WE WILL SEE SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS REDEVELOP IN THE VICINITY
OF THE BOUNDARY, WITH THE HIGHEST CHANCES LIKELY FOCUSED EAST OF I-
95. THE 18/12Z HREF DOES SHOW A BIT OF A HEAVY RAIN SIGNAL FOR
TOMORROW, ESPECIALLY CLOSER TO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, BUT NOT AS HIGH
AS TODAY. IN GENERAL, SHOWERS AND STORMS SHOULD HAVE LESS COVERAGE
AND ORGANIZATION WHEN COMPARED TO TODAY. MUCH OF THE AREA WILL BE
LOCKED IN CLOUDS (ESPECIALLY NW) WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM THE MID-
UPPER 70S N/NW TO THE LOW-MID 80S FURTHER SE. LOWS TUESDAY NIGHT
WILL GENERALLY RANGE FROM MID 60S NW TO THE LOWER 70S SE.
THE MAIN FOCUS FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY THE TURNS TO HURRICANE
ERIN AND WHAT EVENTUAL IMPACTS THE STORM HAS ON THE FORECAST AREA.
THERE CONTINUES TO BE A SLIGHT, BUT NOTABLE TICK WEST WITH THE
CENTER OF ERIN AS IT TRACKS NORTH LATER WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY WITH
THE GENERAL 18/12Z ENSEMBLE AND MODEL CONSENSUS. THE HURRICANE IS
HOWEVER STILL EXPECTED TO RECURVE OFFSHORE/AWAY FROM THE LOCAL AREA
DUE TO THE AMPLIFICATION OF A TROUGH TO OUR NORTH. HOWEVER, THE
GENERAL WIND FIELD ASSOCIATED WITH ERIN WILL SUBSTANTIALLY BROADEN
WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY AS IT MOVES INTO THE MID-LATITUDES AND
INTERACTS WITH HIGH PRESSURE AND DRIER AIR OVER NEW ENGLAND AND
ATLANTIC CANADA. THEREFORE, IMPACTS FROM THIS STORM WILL OCCUR WELL
AWAY FROM THE CENTER DUE TO AN EXPANDING STORM/WIND-FIELD AS IT
MOVES NORTH. THE PRIMARY THREATS CONTINUE TO BE THE POTENTIAL FOR
VERY LARGE WAVES, DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS, AND COASTAL FLOODING (SEE
MORE DETAILS BELOW). WE ARE ALSO WATCHING AN INCREASING POTENTIAL
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST,
ESPECIALLY FOR VIRGINIA BEACH AND SOUTH, BEGINNING AS SOON AS LATE
WEDNESDAY WITH THE HIGHEST CHANCES ON THURSDAY. IN ADDITION, IT IS
POSSIBLE SOME OUTER RAIN BANDS MAY CLIP FAR EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE
AREA, POTENTIALLY BRINGING LOCALIZED AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN OR STRONGER
WINDS. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FROM NHC IN REGARDS TO
HURRICANE ERIN.
OTHERWISE, A STRONGER COLD FRONT CROSSES THE AREA LATER WEDNESDAY
INTO THURSDAY (HELPING TO PUSH ERIN OUT TO SEA). TEMPERATURES ON
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE 80S, WITH THE
HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES ALONG THE COAST/CLOSEST TO THE STORM.
LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/
AS OF 300 PM EDT MONDAY...
KEY MESSAGES:
- DRIER AND MORE COMFORTABLE WEATHER RETURNS FOR FRIDAY.
- ANOTHER FRONT APPROACHES LATER IN THE WEEKEND, POTENTIALLY
BRINGING ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS NORTH OF THE AREA ON FRIDAY AS HURRICANE ERIN
PUSHES WELL OFFSHORE. DRY CONDITIONS/MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES WITH
TEMPERATURES NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL WITH HIGHS IN THE LOW TO
MID 80S. MUCH DRIER AIR WILL ALSO BE OVER THE AREA (DEWPOINTS IN THE
60S) WHICH WILL MAKE IT FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE. HIGH PRESSURE MOVES
OFF THE NORTHEAST COAST ON SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY, LEADING TO
INCREASING TEMPERATURES AND MOISTURE. DURING THE SAME TIMEFRAME,
ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL BE MOVING INTO THE OHIO VALLEY, EVENTUALLY
CROSSING THE LOCAL AREA LATER SUNDAY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. SHOWER
AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES INCREASE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND ESPECIALLY
SUNDAY AFTERNOON AS THE FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST.
AVIATION /02Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/
AS OF 715 PM EDT MONDAY...
A MIX OF MVFR AND IFR FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN NOTED
ACROSS MULTIPLE TERMINALS THIS EVENING. AS THE BACKDOOR COLD
FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA IFR CIGS HAVE MOVED INTO PLACE
ACROSS SBY AND RIC. WITH THESE LOW LEVEL CLOUDS SOME MIST HAS
BEGUN TO APPEAR DROPPING VIS AS LOW AS 2SM ACROSS SBY. WHILE
ACROSS RIC SOME DRIZZLE HAS BEEN NOTED BRINGING BRIEF MVFR VIS.
ACROSS THE SE COASTAL TERMINALS RAIN SHOWERS CONTINUE TO MAKE
THEIR WAY OVER THAT AREA. TEMPOS CONTINUE TO PREVAIL THROUGH
3-4Z AS THESE SHOWERS WILL BRING A MIXTURE OF FLIGHT
RESTRICTIONS. OVER THE NIGHT IFR AND MVFR FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS
WILL PREVAIL. THE HIGHEST CONFIDENCE FOR IFR CONDITIONS ARE
ACROSS RIC AND SBY AS LOW LEVEL CLOUDS CONTINUE TO MOVE IN FROM
THE NORTH. ACROSS THE SE MVFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AS THE
FRONT MOVES SOUTH AND THE LOW LEVEL CLOUDS MOVE INTO PLACE.
OUTLOOK: SUB-VFR CIGS LINGER INTO TUESDAY AFTERNOON DUE TO
CONTINUED ONSHORE FLOW. IN ADDITION, PASSING AFTERNOON SHOWERS
OR THUNDERSTORMS MAY ALSO RESULT IN SUB-VFR CONDITIONS TUESDAY
AND WEDNESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE N LATER IN THE
WEEK AS HURRICANE ERIN TRACKS N THEN NE WELL OFF THE COAST.
OCCASIONAL SHOWERS AND LOCALLY BREEZY CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE
ALONG THE COAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY.
MARINE
AS OF 300 PM EDT MONDAY...
KEY MESSAGES:
- SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL WATERS
TONIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY MORNING DUE TO INCREASING
NORTHEASTERLY WINDS AND BUILDING SEAS BEHIND A BACK DOOR COLD
FRONT. ONLY EXCEPTION IS OVER THE SOUTHERN COASTAL WATERS
SOUTH OF CAPE CHARLES, WHERE A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS NOW IN
PLACE AHEAD OF HURRICANE ERIN.
- A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY HAS BEEN ADDED OVER THE CHESAPEAKE BAY
NORTH OF WINDMILL POINT, WHERE NE WINDS ARE INCREASING BEHIND
THE COASTAL FRONT.
- HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT ALL BEACHES AS SEAS BUILD WITH
STRONGER ONSHORE FLOW BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. DANGEROUS RIP
CURRENTS ARE LIKELY WITH HURRICANE ERIN THROUGH THE MAJORITY
OF THE WEEK AND POSSIBLY INTO THE WEEKEND.
- RAPIDLY BUILDING SEAS AND INCREASING WINDS ARE WEDNESDAY
THROUGH THURSDAY AS HURRICANE ERIN MAKES ITS CLOSEST APPROACH.
THE LATEST WEATHER ANALYSIS SHOWS A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT DRAPED
ALONG THE SOUTHEAST COAST INTO THE EASTERN CAROLINAS, WITH A
WEAK LOW PRESSURE WITH THE FRONT NOW JUST NE OF THE MOUTH OF
THE CHES. BAY. 1025+MB SFC HIGH PRESSURE BEHIND THE FRONT IS
LOCATED OVER QC/ON THIS EVENING, AND IS RIDGING SOUTH INTO THE
NORTHEAST AND MID-ATLANTIC.
THE FRONT HAS SLOWLY PROGRESSED SSE THROUGH THE AREA, WITH WINDS
AND SEAS STEADILY INCREASING BEHIND THE COASTAL BOUNDARY,
ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHERN MOST COASTAL ZONES. WINDS ARE NOW
ENE 20-25 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 KT AND SEAS 4-6 FT BETWEEN
FENWICK ISLAND AND CHINCOTEAGUE. THE SEAS CONTINUE TO OVER-
PERFORM MODEL GUIDANCE, OWING TO THE POTENT LONG-PERIOD SWELL
AHEAD OF ERIN.
THE FRONT WILL BECOME MORE STATIONARY AND LINGER OVER THE
COASTAL WATERS INTO THE DAY TUESDAY, WHICH WILL LIKELY KEEP
WINDS AROUND 20 KT NORTH OF CHINCOTEAGUE TO PARRAMORE ISLAND
AND 15-20 KT IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER CHES. BAY TONIGHT. HAVE
THEREFORE ADDED AN SCA OVER THE BAY NORTH OF WINDMILL POINT.
WAVES WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGH TONIGHT TO 4-7 FT FOR
THE COASTAL WATERS (2-4 FOR THE CHES. BAY). SCA REMAINS IN PLACE
TONIGHT/EARLY TUESDAY MORNING NORTH OF THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH
THAT IS NOW IN PLACE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS SOUTH OF CAPE
CHARLES. CONFIDENCE IS LOWER OVER THE BAY FOR WINDS REACHING
SCA CRITERIA THIS EVENING IN THE LOWER BAY AND LOWER JAMES, SO
HAVE HELD OFF FOR NOW, BUT A FEW GUSTS TO 20 KT ARE POSSIBLE.
WINDS WILL DECREASE TUESDAY TO WEDNESDAY MORNING AS THE FRONT
BECOMES STATIONARY WITH NE WINDS AT 15-20 KT IN THE COASTAL
WATERS AND 10-15 KT IN THE BAY.
HURRICANE ERIN IS CURRENTLY MOVING NW AND IS LOCATED ABOUT 140
MILES N OF THE GRAND TURK ISLAND THIS AFTERNOON. THE CURRENT
FORECAST CONTINUES ON TRACK WITH ERIN TURNING FAR ENOUGH NORTH
PASSING BETWEEN THE COAST AND BERMUDA, REMAINING OFFSHORE THE US
COAST. THE THE GRADIENT BETWEEN THE HIGH TO THE NE AND
HURRICANE ERIN WILL CAUSE NE WINDS TO REMAIN ELEVATED ON TUESDAY
BEHIND THE FRONT. THE WIND FIELD OF HURRICANE ERIN IS FORECAST
TO BECOME QUITE EXPANSIVE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS THE STORM
GAINS LATITUDE. AS ERIN SHIFTS FURTHER NORTH OFFSHORE, THE
INCREASED PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL BE THE STRONGEST MID TO LATE
THIS WEEK WITH SCA WINDS EXPECTED WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH AT
LEAST LATE THURSDAY. WINDS WILL PEAK THURSDAY AFTERNOON WITH
SUSTAINED NE WINDS NEAR 30 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 KT IN THE
COASTAL WATERS AND 20-25 KT IN THE CHES. BAY (SLIGHTLY HIGHER
NEAR THE MOUTH). THE MAIN THREAT FROM ERIN WILL BE THE LARGE
WAVES. WAVES AND SEAS WILL PEAK AT 10-15 FT IN THE COASTAL
WATERS AND 4-6 FT IN THE CHES. BAY (SLIGHTLY HIGHER IN THE
MOUTH) ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THERE IS HIGH CONFIDENCE HIGH SURF
ADVISORIES WILL BE NEEDED FOR ALL COASTAL WATERS IN THE FUTURE.
WAVES GREATER THAN 5 FT WILL LIKELY LINGER INTO THE WEEKEND IN
THE COASTAL WATERS.
WITH SEAS INCREASING TODAY OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, THE RISK OF RIP
CURRENTS WILL BE HIGH FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS ACROSS ALL BEACHES AS
LARGE LONG PERIOD SWELL (12-16S) ARRIVES AHEAD OF HURRICANE
ERIN.
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING
AS OF 300 PM EDT MONDAY...
AS HURRICANE ERIN APPROACHES THE OFFSHORE, STRONG NE WINDS WILL HELP
FUNNEL WATER INTO THE CHES. BAY. MINOR TIDAL FLOODING IS POSSIBLE
WITH THE HIGH TIDE AS EARLY AS MONDAY NIGHT/TUESDAY MORNING ON THE
MOUTH AND WEST SIDE OF THE BAY, INCLUDING THE RIVERS. COASTAL FLOOD
ADVISORIES MAY BE NEEDED AS THE SEWELLS POINT, JAMESTOWN, WEST
POINT, AND TAPPAHANNOCK GAUGES ARE FORECAST TO REACH CLOSE TO MINOR
STAGE. ONCE ERIN APPROACHES CLOSER OFFSHORE MID WEEK, MINOR TO
MODERATE FLOODING IS LIKELY FOR MOST GAUGES STARTING MONDAY
AFTERNOON/EVENING'S HIGH TIDE. THE HIGHER ANOMALIES FROM ERIN'S
SWELL WILL LIKELY LINGER AFTER ERIN MOVES FURTHER OFFSHORE.
AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
MD...NONE.
NC...NONE.
VA...NONE.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EDT TUESDAY FOR ANZ630-631.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR ANZ650-652.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TUESDAY TO 7 AM EDT WEDNESDAY
FOR ANZ654.
TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR ANZ656-658.
SYNOPSIS...AJB/AJZ
NEAR TERM...HET
SHORT TERM...AJB/AJZ
LONG TERM...AJB
AVIATION...AJB/HET
MARINE...KMC/MAM
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
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