947  
FXUS62 KILM 180040  
AFDILM  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC  
840 PM EDT FRI JUL 17 2026  
   
WHAT HAS CHANGED  
 
THE HEAT ADVISORY HAS EXPIRED AT 800PM.  
 
THE AVIATION DISCUSSION HAS BEEN UPDATED FOR THE 00Z TAF  
ISSUANCE.  
 
FOR SAT 7/18...MODERATE RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FOR BRUNSWICK  
AND NORTHERN HORRY COUNTY BEACHES. LOW RIP CURRENT RISK  
ELSEWHERE. STRONG SOUTH TO NORTH LONGSHORE CURRENT EXPECT ALONG  
E-SE FACING BEACHES. WEAK TO MODERATE WEST TO EAST LONGSHORE  
CURRENT EXPECTED ALONG SOUTH FACING BEACHES.  
 
 
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
1) HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THIS  
WEEKEND. RAIN CHANCES INCREASE LATE THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY  
NEXT WEEK.  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
 
KEY MESSAGE 1... HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO  
CONTINUE THIS WEEKEND. RAIN CHANCES INCREASE LATE THIS WEEKEND  
INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.  
 
LATEST ROUND OF GUIDANCE PROMPTED NO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO THE  
FORECAST. ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES HAVE ARRIVED WITH HIGH  
PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE AND RIDGING JUST TO OUR NORTH. A HEAT  
ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING AND HOT  
AND HUMID CONDITIONS ON SATURDAY MAY NECESSITATE ANOTHER  
ADVISORY. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL ALLOW SURFACE  
MOISTURE TO RECOVER THIS WEEKEND. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS  
ARE EXPECTED ON SATURDAY AS A WEAKNESS IN THE RIDGE DEEPENS ON  
SATURDAY. RAIN CHANCES INCREASE ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY AS AN AREA  
OF LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS OVER THE NORTHEASTERN GULF. THIS AREA  
OF LOW PRESSURE WILL DRIFT NORTHEASTWARD INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK  
AND BRING TROPICAL MOISTURE TO THE REGION. CONFIDENCE ON  
LOCATION AND EXACT IMPACTS REMAINS LOW.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /00Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/  
 
VFR TO DOMINATE THE 24 HR 00Z TAF ISSUANCE PERIOD. SOUTH 5 TO  
10 KT WINDS BECOME SW AROUND 5 KT OVERNIGHT, HELPING TO KEEP  
FOG DEVELOPMENT LIMITED, IF ANY. CIRRUS 20-25K FT TO DOMINATE  
OVERNIGHT INTO SAT. GRADIENT BETWEEN THE PIEDMONT TROF AND HIGH  
WELL OFFSHORE FROM THE SE STATES COAST TIGHTENS WITH SSW-SW  
WINDS INCREASING TO AROUND 10 KT BY LATE MORNING. SEA BREEZE TO  
START MIDDAY AND WILL MAKE SOME PROGRESSION INLAND DURING THE  
AFTN/EVENING. WINDS AT THE COASTAL TERMINALS WILL TURN SOUTHERLY  
10-15 KT WITH G20+ KT POSSIBLE BY MID AFTN THRU THE EVENING.  
SUBSIDENCE INVERSION SAT AFTN/EVENING A BIT WEAKER THAN PREVIOUS  
DAYS AND AS A RESULT WILL INCLUDE PROB30S AT ALL TERMINALS TO  
ACCOUNT FOR JUST -TSRA GIVEN PLENTY OF DRY AIR IN THE MID AND  
UPPER LEVELS. WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO OBSERVE MILKY COLORED SKIES  
FROM THE HAZE (IE. SMOKE) ALOFT.  
 
EXTENDED FORECAST... HIGH PRESSURE WILL PERSIST INTO SUN MORNING  
WITH PREDOMINANTLY VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED. PIEDMONT TROF, SEA  
BREEZE AND A COLD FRONT DROPPING SOUTH WILL RESULT IN SCATTERED  
TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SUN AFTERNOON THRU TUE  
WITH PERIODIC MVFR AND POSSIBLY IFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE.  
 
 
   
MARINE  
 
W/SW WINDS THROUGH THE PERIOD. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS  
MAY BE POSSIBLE FOR THE WEEKEND AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT  
INCREASES. WIND WAVES BECOME MORE DOMINANT WITH SEAS 2-3 FEET  
EARLY THIS WEEKEND INCREASING TO 4-5 FEET SATURDAY NIGHT INTO  
SUNDAY. SOME 6 FOOTERS ARE POSSIBLE 20+ NMI OFFSHORE. CONDITIONS  
MAY IMPROVE SLIGHTLY INTO MONDAY BUT THERE'S SOME UNCERTAINTY  
BASED THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPMENT IN THE SE U.S.  
LATE THIS WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK. LATEST GUIDANCE RE-ESTABLISHES  
A STRONG GRADIENT DURING THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK AS THE SURFACE  
LOW PASSES TO OUR SOUTH AND EAST. CONFIDENCE IS LOW.  
 
 
   
ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
NC...NONE.  
SC...NONE.  
MARINE...NONE.  
 
 
 
WHAT HAS CHANGED...DCH  
KEY MESSAGES...ILM  
DISCUSSION...ILM  
AVIATION...DCH  
MARINE...ILM  
 
 
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