557  
FXUS61 KBOX 211124  
AFDBOX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOSTON/NORTON MA  
724 AM EDT THU AUG 21 2025  
   
SYNOPSIS  
 
DRIER CONDITIONS WITH LINGERING CLOUDY SKIES AND INCREASING  
WINDS ARE EXPECTED FOR THURSDAY. HURRICANE ERIN WILL PASS WELL  
SOUTHEAST OF NANTUCKET ON FRIDAY, WITH THE ONLY IMPACTS BEING  
LIMITED TO SOUTHEAST COASTAL NEW ENGLAND. HIGH SURF AND  
DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ALONG WITH AREAS OF COASTAL FLOODING AND  
BEACH EROSION ARE ANTICIPATED ON SOUTH-FACING BEACHES.  
DANGEROUS MARINE CONDITIONS FROM GALE FORCE WIND GUSTS AND HIGH  
OFFSHORE WAVES, AND POTENTIAL MINOR COASTAL FLOODING ON THE  
ISLANDS ARE ALSO EXPECTED IMPACTS. SEASONABLE WEATHER EXPECTED  
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WITH BREEZY CONDITIONS. TURNING MORE  
UNSETTLED FOR SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY WITH DAILY CHANCES FOR  
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.  
 
 
   
NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
* WINDS INCREASE FROM THE NE TODAY, ESPECIALLY OVER THE CAPE/ISLANDS  
 
* HURRICANE ERIN WILL CONTINUE TO PASS WELL OFFSHORE OF SOUTHERN NEW  
ENGLAND, BUT HIGH SURF, DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS, COASTAL FLOODING  
AND BEACH EROSION ARE EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE COASTLINE  
 
RAIN CONTINUES TO MOVE THROUGH RI, CT, SE MA, AND ACROSS CAPE COD  
AND THE ISLANDS THIS MORNING. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE SOUTH  
HEADING INTO MID-MORNING, CLEARING UP ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHERN NEW  
ENGLAND. SOME SHOWERS/SPRINKLES MAY LINGER OVER THE CAPE AND ISLANDS  
ALONG WITH SOME PATCHY FOG, BUT THIS SHOULD CLEAR HEADING INTO THE  
AFTERNOON. CLOUDY SKIES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN THROUGH THE DAY WITH  
OCCASIONAL BREAKS OF SUN AND SOME IMPROVEMENT EXPECTED HEADING INTO  
THE EVENING HOURS. HIGHS TODAY ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE LOW 70S AND  
UPPER 60S.  
 
HIGH PRESSURE SETTLED OVER NEW ENGLAND AND INTO CANADA COMBINED WITH  
THE APPROACH OF ERIN WILL RESULT IN A TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT.  
AS A RESULT, WINDS WILL START TO AMPLIFY TODAY ACROSS MUCH OF THE  
REGION, BUT ESPECIALLY OVER THE WATERS, CAPE COD, AND THE ISLANDS.  
GUSTS TO 30 KNOTS (35 MPH) WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE AFTERNOON ACROSS  
THESE AREAS. ELSEWHERE, GUSTS TO 25 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED, DIMINISHING  
FURTHER WEST AND INLAND. HREF MEAN 925 MB WINDS APPROACH 35 KNOTS  
OVER THE CAPE/ISLANDS, AND WITH DAYTIME MIXING, SURFACE GUSTS OF 40-  
45 MPH AREN'T OUT OF THE QUESTION BY THE LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING. FOR  
THIS REASON, A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT OVER THOSE AREAS STARTING  
5 PM TONIGHT. ALONG WITH THESE STRONG WINDS, DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS  
AND HIGH SURF REMAIN A THREAT, ESPECIALLY ALONG SOUTH-FACING BEACHES.  
 
 
   
SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY/  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
* WINDS CONTINUE TO AMPLIFY THROUGH TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY, THOUGH THEY  
BEGIN TO DIMINISH HEADING INTO FRIDAY EVENING AS ERIN PULLS AWAY  
 
GENERALLY DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED TONIGHT, THOUGH STRONG WINDS  
PERSIST OVER SE MA AND OVER THE CAPE AND ISLANDS AS THE GRADIENT  
BETWEEN THE HIGH OVER THE REGION AND ERIN OFFSHORE REMAINS IN PLACE.  
MODEL SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO INDICATE MIXING TO AROUND 925 MB WHERE  
WINDS ARE SHOWN TO BE GETTING UP TO 40 KNOTS. THESE VALUES ARE  
MAINLY ACROSS CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS, BUT BREEZY CONDITIONS ACROSS  
SE MA INTO RI CAN STILL BE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT. LOWS TONIGHT ARE  
EXPECTED TO BE IN THE LOW 50S ACROSS THE INTERIOR WHERE THESE  
NOCTURNAL WINDS WON'T BE AS STRONG, AND IN THE LOW 60S ACROSS  
EASTERN MA WHERE THESE CONTINUED NE WINDS ARE EXPECTED.  
 
ERIN CONTINUES ITS PASSAGE TO THE NORTHEAST FRIDAY. AS IT DOES SO,  
THE GRADIENT OVER THE REGION WILL START TO SLACKEN AND WINDS WILL  
BEGIN TO DIMINISH IN THE AFTERNOON. HOWEVER, COASTAL FLOODING, RIP  
CURRENTS, AND HIGH SURF WILL CONTINUE TO BE THREATS IMPACTING THE  
REGION. AN ELEVATED RISK FOR MINOR COASTAL FLOODING ON THE ISLANDS  
WILL BE NOTABLE PARTICULARLY DURING HIGH TIDE TONIGHT. SEE THE  
COASTAL FLOODING SECTION OF THIS DISCUSSION FOR MORE  
INFORMATION.  
 
 
   
LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
* HIGH SURF, DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS, GALE-FORCE WIND GUSTS, AND  
POSSIBLE BEACH EROSION WILL BE A CONCERN THROUGH THE END OF THIS  
WEEK  
 
* WARMING TREND FOR THE WEEKEND WILL BRING TEMPERATURES BACK TO MORE  
NORMAL VALUES  
 
* UNSETTLED CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR THE START OF NEXT WEEK  
 
WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH ERIN WILL CONTINUE TO DROP OFF HEADING INTO  
FRIDAY NIGHT, WITH GUSTS DIMINISHING TO ONLY AROUND 10 MPH  
OVERNIGHT. THE MARINE/COASTAL THREATS ASSOCIATED WITH ERIN WILL  
PERSIST HEADING INTO SATURDAY AS IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME FOR THE  
WATERS TO CALM A BIT AFTER ERIN'S EXIT.  
 
TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO WARM TO MORE SEASONABLE VALUES HEADING INTO  
THE WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES AT 925 MB RETURN TO AROUND 20C AFTER  
GETTING DOWN TO 10C, AND SURFACE TEMPERATURES MAY END BACK UP IN THE  
MID 80S FOR SATURDAY. LOWS RISE INTO THE LOW 60S TO START NEXT WEEK.  
THE PATTERN TURNS MORE UNSETTLED SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT AS A  
COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE REGION AND A SUBTROPICAL WAVE MAKES ITS  
WAY UP THE EAST COAST. WITH THE COMBINATION OF THIS FRONT AND WAVE  
MOVING INTO THE REGION POSSIBLY MONDAY NIGHT, THIS COULD LEAD TO  
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STORMS. ENSEMBLES ARE SHOWING THE  
CHANCE FOR SOME INSTABILITY BUILDING MONDAY AFTERNOON THAT WOULD  
HELP SUPPORT THIS RISK FOR STORMS, BUT GIVEN THIS IS MULTIPLE DAYS  
AWAY, CONFIDENCE IS LOW AT THIS TIME REGARDING WHETHER OR NOT THIS  
MAY END UP SEVERE. THOUGH UNSETTLED, MORE SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES  
CAN BE EXPECTED TO START OFF THE WEEK AS HIGHS SIT MOSTLY IN THE  
UPPER 70S AHEAD OF THE EXPECTED COLD FRONT.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /11Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/  
 
FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS...  
 
LOW - LESS THAN 30 PERCENT.  
MODERATE - 30 TO 60 PERCENT.  
HIGH - GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT.  
 
12Z TAF UPDATE:  
 
THURSDAY...HIGH CONFIDENCE.  
 
MVFR BREAKING OUT INTO VFR TOWARDS THE AFTERNOON, WITH CLEARING  
EXPECTED EARLIER ACROSS THE INTERIOR AND LATER CLOSER TO THE  
CAPE AND ISLANDS. OVERALL GUIDANCE HAS SLOWED DOWN CLEARING  
COMPARED TO PREVIOUS RUNS. NE WINDS SUSTAINED FROM 8 TO 12 KTS,  
GUSTING 20-25 KTS FOR MUCH OF THE REGION THROUGH THE DAY. GUSTS  
TO 30 KTS OVER THE CAPE AND ISLANDS.  
 
THURSDAY NIGHT...HIGH CONFIDENCE.  
 
VFR. GUSTY NE WINDS CONTINUE 20-25 KTS FOR BOS/PVD AND SHOULD  
DIMINISH ACROSS INTERIOR TERMINALS. STRONGER FOR THE  
CAPE/ISLANDS WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 KTS POSSIBLE.  
 
FRIDAY...HIGH CONFIDENCE.  
 
VFR. N WINDS SUSTAINED AT 10 KTS ACROSS MUCH OF THE  
REGION, 25 KTS OVER THE CAPE AND ISLANDS IN THE MORNING.  
GUSTS START AROUND 20 KTS FOR BOS/PVD AND UP TO 40 KTS OVER  
THE CAPE AND ISLANDS BEFORE OVERALL WINDS DIMINISH HEADING INTO  
THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  
 
KBOS TERMINAL...HIGH CONFIDENCE IN TAF.  
 
KBDL TERMINAL...HIGH CONFIDENCE IN TAF.  
 
OUTLOOK /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...  
 
FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT: VFR. BREEZY.  
 
SUNDAY: VFR. BREEZY. SLIGHT CHANCE SHRA.  
 
SUNDAY NIGHT: MAINLY VFR, WITH LOCAL MVFR POSSIBLE. BREEZY.  
CHANCE SHRA, SLIGHT CHANCE TSRA.  
 
MONDAY: MAINLY VFR, WITH AREAS MVFR POSSIBLE. BREEZY. CHANCE  
SHRA, CHANCE TSRA.  
 
 
   
MARINE  
 
FORECASTER CONFIDENCE LEVELS...  
 
LOW - LESS THAN 30 PERCENT.  
MEDIUM - 30 TO 60 PERCENT.  
HIGH - GREATER THAN 60 PERCENT.  
 
THROUGH FRIDAY...HIGH CONFIDENCE.  
 
LARGE SOUTHERLY SWELL FROM HURRICANE ERIN WILL RESULT IN  
INCREASING SEAS APPROACHING 11 FT FOR THE SOUTHERN OUTER WATERS  
THIS MORNING. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO RAMP UP THROUGH FRIDAY,  
EXTENDING NORTHWARD ACROSS THE EASTERN ZONES.  
 
A HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN COASTAL  
AREAS, INCLUDING THE CAPE AND ISLANDS. WAVES UP TO 20 FEET ARE  
POSSIBLE FOR THE SOUTHERN OUTER WATERS OFF THE SOUTH COAST AND  
OFF MARTHA'S VINEYARD/NANTUCKET, GRADUALLY DECREASING FRIDAY.  
RIP CURRENTS WILL BECOME A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN AS THE WEEK GOES  
ON WITH THIS ELEVATED SURF THROUGH AT LEAST THE FIRST HALF OF  
THE WEEKEND. EASTERN ZONES ARE INCLUDED IN THE HIGH SURF  
ADVISORY STARTING THIS AFTERNOON, INCLUDING PORTIONS OF THE  
SOUTH AND NORTH SHORES.  
 
A GALE WARNING WHICH WILL GO INTO EFFECT THIS MORNING. THERE IS  
AN INCREASING RISK FOR GUSTS TO 40 KTS AS THE GRADIENT BETWEEN  
THE HIGH PRESSURE OVER SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND AND PASSING ERIN  
WILL TIGHTEN GREATLY. THE NORTHERN OUTER WATERS ARE INCLUDED IN  
THE GALE WARNING FOR FRIDAY NIGHT DURING THE PERIOD OF GUSTS  
35-40 KTS. ELSEWHERE WILL SEE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES STARTING  
THIS AFTERNOON TO COVER THE HIGH WAVES AND ELEVATED WIND GUSTS.  
 
OUTLOOK /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...  
 
FRIDAY NIGHT: WINDS LESS THAN 25 KT. ROUGH SEAS UP TO 13 FT.  
 
SATURDAY: WINDS LESS THAN 25 KT. ROUGH SEAS UP TO 9 FT.  
 
SATURDAY NIGHT: WINDS LESS THAN 25 KT. AREAS OF ROUGH SEAS.  
 
SUNDAY: LOW RISK FOR SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WINDS WITH GUSTS UP  
TO 25 KT. SEAS UP TO 5 FT.  
 
SUNDAY NIGHT: WINDS LESS THAN 25 KT. SEAS UP TO 5 FT. CHANCE OF  
RAIN SHOWERS.  
 
MONDAY: WINDS LESS THAN 25 KT. AREAS OF SEAS APPROACHING 5 FT.  
CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS.  
 
 
   
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
* SIGNIFICANT BEACH EROSION ON SOUTH FACING OCEAN BEACHES.  
* COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FOR MARTHA'S VINEYARD AND NANTUCKET FOR  
MINOR TO PERHAPS MODERATE COASTAL FLOODING.  
 
THE MAIN CONCERN IS EROSION ALONG SOUTH FACING OCEAN BEACHES,  
ESPECIALLY ALONG THE SOUTH COASTS OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD AND  
NANTUCKET, DUE TO PERSISTENT LONG-PERIOD SOUTHERLY SWELLS THAT WILL  
CONTINUE TO BUILD THIS WEEK AND PEAK ON FRIDAY, BEFORE SLOWLY  
SUBSIDING SATURDAY.  
 
BREAKING WAVES ON THE OCEAN BEACHES COULD GET AS HIGH AS 10 TO 15  
FEET, RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT BEACH AND DUNE EROSION OR LOSS. IT IS  
TOUGH TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH LOSS COULD OCCUR BUT THIS COULD RIVAL  
WHAT WE NORMALLY SEE WITH STRONGER NOR'EASTERS DURING THE WINTER.  
BOTH OF THESE ISLANDS HAVE ALREADY SEEN SIGNIFICANT BEACH, DUNE, AND  
SHORELINE LOSS OVER THE PAST FEW WINTERS AND ARE ESPECIALLY  
VULNERABLE TO FURTHER LOSS.  
 
THE HIGH TIDES OF CONCERN FOR COASTAL FLOODING ARE LATE THURSDAY  
NIGHT AND LATE FRIDAY NIGHT, MAINLY ON THE NORTHEAST FACING SHORES  
OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD AND NANTUCKET WHERE WE WILL ISSUE COASTAL FLOOD  
ADVISORIES. MINOR COASTAL FLOODING (UP TO ONE FOOT DEEP) SHOULD  
OCCUR IN THE MORE VULNERABLE SECTIONS OF NANTUCKET HARBOR, EDGARTOWN  
HARBOR, VINEYARD HAVEN, AND OAK BLUFFS AROUND HIGH TIDE FROM A STORM  
SURGE OF 1 TO 1.5 FEET AND SEAS UP TO 8 FEET ON NANTUCKET SOUND LATE  
THURSDAY NIGHT. MODELS MAY BE TOO QUICK TO REDUCE THE SURGE AND  
WAVES LATE FRIDAY NIGHT, SO WE THINK ANOTHER ROUND OF MINOR COASTAL  
FLOODING IS LIKELY IN THESE SAME AREAS.  
 
IF WE SEE A SURGE CLOSER TO 2 FEET, WHICH WOULD BE A REASONABLE  
WORST CASE FOR BOTH HIGH TIDES, THEN WE COULD SEE SOME LOWER-END  
MODERATE FLOODING (1 TO 3 FEET DEEP) IN MORE VULNERABLE AREAS NEAR  
NANTUCKET HARBOR, BUT THIS SEEMS UNLIKELY AT THIS TIME. FOR THE  
VINEYARD, EVEN A 2 FOOT SURGE WOULD KEEP IMPACTS IN THE MINOR  
CATEGORY, ALTHOUGH MORE LOW LYING AREAS NEAR EDGARTOWN HARBOR WOULD  
BE AFFECTED.  
 
ELSEWHERE, NO SIGNIFICANT COASTAL FLOODING IS EXPECTED ALONG THE E  
MA COAST OR SOUTH COAST, BUT WATER LEVELS COULD REACH ACTION STAGES  
ALONG PORTIONS OF BOTH COASTS DUE STORM SURGE OF AROUND ONE FOOT  
COMBINED WITH SOMEWHAT HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES. WE WOULD BE MORE  
CONCERNED IF WE HAD STRONGER PRESSURE FALLS AND HIGHER SURGE AHEAD  
OF THE HURRICANE, OR HIGHER SEAS INTO THE EASTERN MA WATERS, WHICH  
ARE ALL UNLIKELY GIVEN THE TRACK WELL OFFSHORE.  
 
 
   
BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
CT...NONE.  
MA...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM EDT  
SATURDAY FOR MAZ007-019.  
HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR MAZ020>024.  
WIND ADVISORY FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 2 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR  
MAZ022>024.  
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 2 AM EDT  
FRIDAY FOR MAZ023-024.  
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 10 PM FRIDAY TO 2 AM EDT SATURDAY  
FOR MAZ023-024.  
RI...HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR RIZ006>008.  
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 2 PM EDT  
FRIDAY FOR ANZ230-236.  
GALE WARNING FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR  
ANZ231-232-250.  
GALE WARNING UNTIL 2 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR ANZ233>235-237-256.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM EDT  
FRIDAY FOR ANZ251.  
GALE WARNING UNTIL 8 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR ANZ254-255.  
 
 
 
 
 
SYNOPSIS...HRENCECIN/MENSCH/KP  
NEAR TERM...HRENCECIN  
SHORT TERM...HRENCECIN  
LONG TERM...HRENCECIN  
AVIATION...HRENCECIN/MCMINN  
MARINE...HRENCECIN/MENSCH/KP  
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...HRENCECIN/JWD  
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