272
FXUS61 KAKQ 231725
AFDAKQ
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
125 PM EDT SAT AUG 23 2025
SYNOPSIS
LARGE WAVES, LINGERING COASTAL FLOODING, AND DANGEROUS RIP
CURRENTS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND FROM THE DISTANT
EFFECTS OF NOW POST-TROPICAL ERIN. DRY CONDITIONS AND SEASONABLE
TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH MOST OF TONIGHT, WITH A FEW
SHOWERS AND STORMS SUNDAY AND MONDAY AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES
THE AREA. DRY AND VERY PLEASANT FOR THE REST OF NEXT WEEK WITH
BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES.
NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/
AS OF 125 PM EDT SATURDAY...
KEY MESSAGES:
- MILD WITH INCREASING CLOUDS TONIGHT WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE
RAIN POSSIBLE ACROSS SE VA/NE NC LATE.
- HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS CONTINUES AT ALL AREA BEACHES
THROUGH THIS WEEKEND.
BROAD ~1020 MB HIGH PRESSURE HAS SETTLED OFFSHORE OF THE NEW
ENGLAND COAST THIS AFTERNOON. THE FLOW ALOFT IS LIGHT OUT OF THE
SW WITH UPPER TROUGHING OVER THE MIDWEST/WESTERN GREAT LAKES AND
A SOUTHERN STREAM SHORTWAVE OVER GA/SC. THERE IS ALSO WEAK,
DEVELOPING SFC LOW PRESSURE OFF THE GA/SC COAST. LOCALLY, THE
LOW-LEVEL FLOW IS ESE WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 70S-LOWER
80S AND DEW POINTS MAINLY IN THE LOW 60S. SKIES ARE PARTLY
CLOUDY WITH A MIX OF LOWER-LEVEL CUMULUS FROM SFC HEATING AND
UPPER-LEVEL CIRRUS FROM THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TO OUR SSE.
THE LOW IS PROGGED TO TRACK NE TONIGHT TO A POSITION JUST EAST
OF WILMINGTON, NC BY SUNRISE. CLOUDS THICKEN AND LOWER ACROSS
SE VA AND NE NC AHEAD OF THE LOW...WITH HIGH CIRRUS INCREASING
OVER THE REST OF THE AREA. MAINLY DRY WX IS EXPECTED INLAND AND
ON THE EASTERN SHORE, BUT LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN SHOWERS ARE
POSSIBLE AFTER 2-4 AM ACROSS FAR SE VA AND NE NC. OTHERWISE,
EXPECT LOWS IN THE MID 60S INLAND AND UPPER 60S/LOWER 70S NEAR
THE COAST.
NOTE THAT A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AND DANGEROUS SWIMMING
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AT AREA BEACHES THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/
AS OF 245 AM EDT SATURDAY...
KEY MESSAGE:
- A FEW SHOWERS AND STORMS POSSIBLE SUNDAY AND MONDAY.
OTHERWISE, SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 80S ARE
EXPECTED.
A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE NW SUNDAY, BUT LIKELY GETS
HUNG UP JUST W OF OUR CWA. TO OUR SOUTH, THE SFC TROUGH/WEAK LOW
LIFTS N ALONG THE NC COAST AS AN UPPER TROUGH BEGINS TO DIG OUT OF
THE MIDWEST. THE FRONTAL FORCING, WEAK LEE-SIDE TROUGHING, AND
INCREASING DEW POINTS SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A FEW SHOWERS AND
STORMS IN THE BLUE RIDGE AND PIEDMONT SUNDAY AFTERNOON. INSTABILITY
IS PROGGED TO BE QUITE MODEST (MLCAPE <1000 J/KG), BUT STILL THINK
WE'LL GET SOME THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS OUR FAR WESTERN COUNTIES. THE
HIGHEST POPS ARE IN SE VA AND ESPECIALLY NE NC FROM THE LATE MORNING
HOURS INTO THE AFTERNOON WITH THE LOW PASSING TO THE S. CANNOT RULE
OUT OF SOME THUNDERSTORMS DOWN HERE AS WELL THOUGH THE MORE ROBUST
CONVECTION IS EXPECTED S OF THE ALBEMARLE SOUND EASTWARD TO THE
OUTER BANKS. ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE I-95 CORRIDOR INTO THE NORTHERN
NECK AND EASTERN SHORE, A RELATIVE MINIMA IN PRECIP COVERAGE IS
EXPECTED WITH POPS 20% OR LESS. THE FRONT SHOULD THEN PUSH THROUGH
MONDAY AND A FEW SHOWERS OR STORMS COULD REDEVELOP ACROSS EASTERN
PORTIONS OF THE AREA. HOWEVER, COVERAGE LOOKS QUITE SPARSE WITH
DECENT DRY AIR ADVECTION ON THE HEELS ON THE FRONT.
A DEGREE OR TWO WARMER FOR HIGH TEMPS SUNDAY WITH LOWER 80S ACROSS
SE VA/NE NC (DUE TO HIGHER PRECIP/CLOUD COVERAGE) AND MID 80S
ELSEWHERE. MONDAY LOOKS TO BE WARMEST DAY OF THE FORECAST PERIOD AS
TEMPS SURGE IN THE UPPER 80S ACROSS SE VA AND NE NC WITH LOWER-MID
80S TO THE N AND NW. FORECAST OVERNIGHT LOWS ARE IN THE MID-UPPER
60S SUNDAY NIGHT AND UPPER 50S-LOWER 60S MONDAY NIGHT (AS
COOLER/DRIER AIR FILTERS IN BEHIND THE FRONT).
LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/
AS OF 245 AM EDT SATURDAY...
KEY MESSAGE:
- VERY NICE NEXT WEEK WITH LOTS OF SUN AND COMFORTABLE
TEMPERATURES AND HUMIDITY.
ALL SIGNS POINT TO ENDING AUGUST ON AN AUTUMNAL, PUMPKIN SPICE-
FLAVORED, NOTE. STRONG SFC HIGH PRESSURE FROM SOUTH-CENTRAL CANADA
BUILDS TOWARD GREAT LAKES AND EVENTUALLY THE EASTERN CONUS MID-LATE
WEEK. THERE IS ALSO GOOD AGREEMENT ACROSS THE GLOBAL MODELS THAT A
DEEP TROUGH DIPS IN OVERHEAD AND REMAINS IN PLACE THROUGH THE REST
OF THE WEEK. SEVERAL SHORTWAVES ROTATING THROUGH SHOULD ALSO PROVIDE
REINFORCING SHOTS OF COOLER AND DRIER AIR. DEW POINTS AS LOW AS THE
UPPER 40S ARE ALSO EXPECTED BY MID-WEEK. THE CONTINENTAL ORIGIN OF
THE AIRMASS AND STRONG SUBSIDENCE FROM THE HIGH SHOULD KEEP A NEARLY
0% CHANCE OF RAIN THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. HIGHS THROUGH THE
WEEK ARE FORECASTED TO BE SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW NORMAL AND IN THE
MID 70S TO AROUND 80 F. LOWS SHOULD GENERALLY BE IN THE MID 50S
INLAND AND LOW 60S IN THE EAST, BUT THESE COULD CERTAINLY TREND
COOLER AS NBM TENDS TO RUN HIGH IN THESE PATTERNS. IN FACT, THE
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE STATISTICAL MODEL GUIDANCE SHOWS SOME POTENTIAL
FOR UPPER 40S ACROSS THE PIEDMONT TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHTS.
AVIATION /17Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/
AS OF 125 PM EDT SATURDAY...
MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS PREVAIL THROUGH THE 18Z TAF PERIOD.
SCATTERED CUMULUS PERSISTS THROUGH THE EVENING, AND HIGH CIRRUS
IS EXPECTED TO THICKEN OVERNIGHT AS LOW PRESSURE OFF THE GA/SC
COAST TRACKS NE. CIGS GRADUALLY LOWER TO 4000-8000 FT ACROSS SE
VA/NE NC BY SUNRISE WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN SHOWERS POSSIBLE
AFTER 08Z AT ORF/ECG. SHOWER CHANCES CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY AT
PHF/ORF/ECG AS THAT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TRACKS OFF THE VA/NC
COAST. ALSO, A PERIOD OF MVFR CIGS IS POSSIBLE DURING THE LATE
MORNING-EARLY AFTN AT PHF/ORF/ECG. VFR/DRY THROUGH THE PERIOD
AT RIC/SBY. THERE IS AN OUTSIDE CHC OF A TSTM ACROSS THE SE
TERMINALS ON SUNDAY...BUT CONFIDENCE IS FAR TOO LOW TO EVEN
INCLUDE PROB30 GROUPS.
OUTLOOK: MAINLY VFR WITH A VERY MINIMAL (10-20%) CHC OF
SHOWERS/TSTMS SUNDAY NIGHT-MONDAY AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES
THROUGH, WITH VFR CONDITIONS/DRY WX EXPECTED FROM MONDAY NIGHT
THROUGH THE END OF NEXT WEEK.
MARINE
AS OF 245 AM EDT SATURDAY...
- SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES REMAIN IN EFFECT OVER THE COASTAL
WATERS THROUGH LATE TONIGHT/EARLY SUNDAY DUE TO HAZARDOUS
SEAS.
- OTHERWISE, HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE WATERS TODAY, BEFORE
SLIDING OFFSHORE LATER TODAY INTO SUNDAY. LOOK FOR DIMINISHING
E-SE WINDS TODAY INTO SUNDAY, BEFORE WINDS TURN AROUND TO THE
S-SW TOMORROW NIGHT INTO MONDAY, AS WEAK LOW PRESSURE LIFTS
ACROSS THE WATERS.
- COOL HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE WATERS LATE MONDAY NIGHT
THROUGH MIDWEEK.
LATEST ANALYSIS SHOWS THE POST-TROPICAL REMNANTS OF ERIN SOUTHEAST
OF NEWFOUNDLAND, HEADING FARTHER OUT INTO THE NORTH ATLANTIC.
LOCALLY, WINDS CONTINUE TO DIMINISH TO 10-15 KT OR LESS OVER THE
LOWER MID-ATLANTIC, WITH WINDS VEERING AROUND TO THE E-SE AS HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS IN OVERHEAD THE FROM NW. SEAS HAVE BEEN SLOW TO COME
DOWN AS EXPECTED GIVEN THE ONGOING E-NE LONG PERIOD SWELL (10-12
SECONDS) WITH SEAS LINGERING IN THE 4-6 FT RANGE NEARSHORE, 5-7 FT
JUST OFFSHORE. WAVES IN THE BAY HAVE SUBSIDED TO 1-2 FT, UP TO
AROUND 3 FT IN THE MOUTH OF THE BAY, WHERE THE SCA HAS BEEN ALLOWED
TO EXPIRE EARLY THIS MORNING.
HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES OVERHEAD TODAY BEFORE MOVING OFFSHORE THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. E-SE WINDS AVERAGE ~10KT TODAY, DIMINISHING
UNDER 10 KT TONIGHT. SEAS LOOK TO FINALLY DROP BELOW 5FT ON SUNDAY
OVER THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL WATERS, ALLOWING SCA TO FINALLY BE
LOWERED...THOUGH SOUTHERN WATERS MAY TAKE A BIT LONGER INTO SUNDAY
NIGHT, AND SCA HAS BEEN EXTENDED THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON OVER THE
COASTAL WATERS SOUTH OF CAPE CHARLES. BENIGN MARINE CONDITIONS LOOK
TO PREVAIL INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK, AS ANOTHER WEAK COLD FRONT DROPS
ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY MORNING. A DEEPENING SFC LOW ALONG THAT FRONT
SCOOTS BY TO OUR SOUTH/SOUTHEAST OFFSHORE, WHICH TURNS WINDS AROUND
TO THE SSW SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY, TURNING NW AND INCREASING
SLIGHTLY TO 10-15KT LATER MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT. A SECOND,
STRONGER FRONT THEN CROSSES THE WATERS MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY.
WIND PROBS FOR GUSTS ~20 KT HAVE INCREASED TO 30-50% IN THE BAY, AND
THUS A BRIEF PERIOD OF MARGINAL SCA WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE AROUND
AND JUST BEFORE SUNRISE TUESDAY MORNING, AS COOLER, DRIER AIR BUILDS
SOUTH ACROSS THE LOCAL WATERS.
RIP CURRENTS: WITH LINGERING LONG-PERIOD (10-14S) SWELLS AND
NEARSHORE BREAKING WAVES OF 6+ FEET, DANGEROUS SWIMMING CONDITIONS
AND HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING
AS OF 250 AM EDT SATURDAY...
TIDAL ANOMALIES CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY LOWER IN THE LOWER BAY,
REMAINING STEADY OVER THE BAY SIDE OF THE LOWER EASTERN SHORE (MD)
AND THE TIDAL POTOMAC THROUGH LATE TONIGHT/EARLY SUNDAY. FARTHER
SOUTH, EASING ANOMALIES SHOULD ALLOW FOR IMPROVING TIDES OVER THE
NEXT FEW CYCLES, THOUGH SOME MINOR FLOODING REMAINS POSSIBLE OVER
THE TIDAL RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AND THE VA LOWER EASTERN SHORE, AND A
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY HAS BEEN MAINTAINED TODAY. FARTHER SOUTH,
ANOMALIES HAVE DIPPED ENOUGH THAT ONLY NUISANCE/NEAR-MINOR TIDAL
FLOODING IS EXPECTED TODAY. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE MARGINAL TIDE LEVELS
HAVE MAINTAINED A COASTAL FLOOD STATEMENT FOR THE TIDAL YORK AND
JAMES RIVERS THROUGH THIS EVENING'S TIDE CYCLE..
BEYOND TONIGHT, LINGERING MINOR TO LOCALLY MODERATE COASTAL FLOODING
IS POSSIBLE OVER THE LOWER MD EASTERN SHORE TOMORROW INTO TOMORROW
NIGHT/EARLY MONDAY, BEFORE TIDES FINALLY EASE A BIT INTO THE DAY
MONDAY AS WINDS FINALLY SWITCH OFFSHORE.
AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
MD...COASTAL FLOOD WARNING UNTIL 6 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR MDZ021>023.
NC...NONE.
VA...COASTAL FLOOD WARNING UNTIL 6 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR VAZ075-077.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EDT SUNDAY FOR VAZ076-078-
084>086-518-520>522.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR VAZ099-100.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR ANZ650-652-654.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT SUNDAY FOR ANZ656-658.
SYNOPSIS...SW
NEAR TERM...ERI
SHORT TERM...SW
LONG TERM...AC/SW
AVIATION...ERI
MARINE...MAM
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...AKQ
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