321  
FXUS61 KLWX 231921  
AFDLWX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC  
321 PM EDT WED SEP 23 2026  
   
WHAT HAS CHANGED  
 
COASTAL FLOOD WARNINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR ST. MARY'S AND ANNE  
ARUNDEL COUNTIES THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING WITH ADDITIONAL WARNINGS  
POSSIBLE FOR ALEXANDRIA AND DAHLGREN GIVEN INCREASING WATER LEVELS.  
PRECIPITATION CHANCES DECREASE THROUGH THIS EVENING WITH IMPROVING  
WEATHER CONDITIONS THURSDAY.  
 
 
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- 1) REMAINING DAMP AND COOL THROUGH TONIGHT WITH DRIER CONDITIONS  
AND MORE SUN TO FINISH OUT THE WORKWEEK.  
 
- 2) REMAINING BREEZY WHILE TURNING WARMER THIS WEEKEND DESPITE  
UNCERTAINTY IN REGARDS TO IMPACTS FROM COASTAL NOR'EASTER  
NEARBY.  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
 
KEY MESSAGE 1... REMAINING DAMP AND COOL THROUGH TONIGHT WITH DRIER  
CONDITIONS AND MORE SUN TO FINISH OUT THE WORKWEEK.  
 
CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY AS DRIER  
AIR FILTERS IN FROM THE NORTHEAST. THE CAD WEDGE IS CURRENTLY AT  
IT'S PEAK YIELDING SOME LINGERING POCKETS OF DRIZZLE/LIGHT SHOWERS  
MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-66/US-50 INTO CENTRAL VA AND THE  
SOUTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY. STRONG 1040 MB HIGH PRESSURE OVER  
SOUTHEAST QUEBEC WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY  
ALLOWING MORE DRY AIR INTO THE REGION. AT THE SAME TIME, LOW  
PRESSURE WILL BEGIN TO STRENGTHEN OFF THE DELMARVA/NC COAST BEFORE  
RIDING NORTH TOWARD SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND AS A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE  
NOR'ASTER FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY.  
 
FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING, EXPECT POCKETS OF  
DRIZZLE AND PASSING SHOWERS CONFINED TO LOCATIONS WEST OF THE BLUE  
RIDGE AND DOWN INTO CENTRAL VA. ELSEWHERE CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN  
MOSTLY DRY WITH OVERCAST CONDITIONS CONTINUING. SOME BRIGHTENING IN  
THE CLOUDS MAY BE NOTED UP ACROSS NORTHEAST MD AS DRIER AIR  
CONTINUES TO FILTER IN. HIGHS THIS AFTERNOON WILL PEAK IN THE MID  
50S TO MID 60S WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS IN TONIGHT INTO THE UPPER 40S AND  
MID 50S. WINDS WILL REMAIN GUSTY OUT OF THE NORTHEAST, WITH GUSTS TO  
AROUND 20-30 MPH POSSIBLE AT TIMES TO THE EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE.  
 
DRIER WEATHER RETURNS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY ALTHOUGH BREEZY CONDITIONS  
WILL REMAIN AS THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AXIS PASSES OVERHEAD. THIS  
WILL LEAD TO MORE CLOUDS THAN SUNSHINE THURSDAY WITH BETTER CLEARING  
FRIDAY AS MORE SUBSIDENCE WORKS INTO THE REGION. COASTAL LOW  
PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO DEEPEN OFF THE DELMARVA COAST LEADING TO  
GUSTY NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS FOR BOTH THURSDAY AND FRIDAY  
AFTERNOON. GALE CONDITIONS WILL BE LIKELY ACROSS THE OPEN AND MIDDLE  
WATERS AS WELL AS OUT ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST GIVEN THE TIGHTENED  
PRESSURE GRADIENT. TEMPERATURES WILL STAY BELOW NORMAL AS A RESULT,  
WITH HIGHS IN THE 60S TOMORROW, AND THEN UPPER 60S TO NEAR 70 ON  
FRIDAY.  
 
KEY MESSAGE 2...BREEZY AND WARMER THIS WEEKEND, BUT FORECAST REMAINS  
UNCERTAIN AS NOR'EASTER IMPACTS NORTHEAST U.S.  
 
ANOMALOUSLY STRONG SURFACE RIDGE (BY LATE SEPTEMBER STANDARDS)  
FINALLY WEAKENS THIS WEEKEND AS A STRONG NOR'EASTER DEVELOPS OFF THE  
COAST OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND/LI. ENSEMBLE MEMBERS STILL SHOW QUITE  
A BIT OF SPREAD REGARDING THE EXACT TRACK OF THE NOR'EASTER. A FEW  
MEMBERS SHOW THE POSSIBILITY THE LOW TRACKS CLOSER TO THE NJ /  
DELMARVA COAST THIS WEEKEND. REGARDLESS OF EXACT POSITION, WE ARE  
LIKELY TO BE ON THE DRIER (SUBSIDENCE) SIDE OF THE SYSTEM WITH  
NORTHWEST WINDS BRINGING IN BREEZY, WARMER, AND MOSTLY DRY  
CONDITIONS. IF THE NOR'EASTER TRACKS CLOSER TO OUR AREA THAT COULD  
BRING SOME RAIN CHANCES TO THE AREA, ESPECIALLY ALONG/EAST OF I-95,  
ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR INCREASING WINDS. SAFE TO SAY THAT  
THERE ISN'T A DEFINITE TREND FOR THIS WEEKEND, SO BE SURE TO KEEP  
TRACK OF THE FORECAST FOR ANY CHANGES IN THE COMING DAYS.  
 
THE NOR'EASTER IS EVENTUALLY PUSHED OFFSHORE AT THE START OF NEXT  
WEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE OH VALLEY AND GREAT LAKES.  
MID-LEVEL RIDGING BUILDS OVER MUCH OF THE EASTERN CONUS DURING THE  
MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK, MARKING THE RETURN OF MUCH WARMER TEMPERATURES  
AND CONTINUED DRY CONDITIONS.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /19Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/  
 
EXPECT IMPROVING AVIATION CONDITIONS THROUGH THIS EVENING AS DRIER  
AIR PUNCHES IN FROM NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST ACROSS THE REGION.  
TERMINALS ALONG AND NORTH OF I-66/US-50 HAVE PREDOMINANTLY RETURNED  
TO MVFR WITH A MIX OF MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS FURTHER SOUTH TOWARD CHO.  
IFR CONDITIONS ALSO REMAIN OVER THE ALLEGHENIES. CIGS WILL GRADUALLY  
LIFT BETWEEN 00-03Z/7-10PM WITH FURTHER IMPROVEMENT EXPECTED  
OVERNIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. OUTSIDE OF CIGS EXPECT IMPROVING  
VSBYS AS WELL WITH ANY RESIDUAL SHOWERS COMING TO A CLOSE THIS  
EVENING AS THE CAD WEDGE ERODES AND LOW PRESSURE PUSHES OFFSHORE.  
 
EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS ACROSS A LARGE CHUNK OF THE CORRIDOR LATER  
THIS EVENING WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AT ALL TERMINALS THURSDAY  
AND FRIDAY. WINDS WILL REMAIN GUSTY OUT OF THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST  
AT 20 TO 30 KTS. HIGHEST GUSTS WILL LIKELY BE DURING THE AFTERNOON  
AND EVENING HOURS WITH SOME TAPERING DURING THE EVENING AND  
OVERNIGHT HOURS.  
 
A STRONG NOR'EASTER OFF THE COAST NEAR SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND TO NJ  
WILL BRING BREEZY NORTHWEST WINDS THIS WEEKEND (GUSTS AROUND 20-25  
KNOTS POSSIBLE). SOME SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE EAST OF BWI/MTN, BUT  
HIGHLY UNCERTAIN AS IT WILL DEPEND HOW CLOSE THE LOW PRESSURE GETS  
TO OUR AREA. CONTINUE TO MONITOR FOR ANY ADDITIONAL IMPACTS. OVERALL  
LOOKING AT VFR CONDITIONS THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. WINDS  
WILL SLOWLY TAPER MONDAY AND TUESDAY AS LOW PRESSURE FINALLY PULLS  
AWAYS.  
 
 
   
MARINE  
 
HIGH END SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR ALL WATERS WITH  
GALE WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR THE SURROUNDING WATERS AROUND SOUTHERN MD  
THROUGH TONIGHT. HIGH END SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR  
ALL WATERS THURSDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT FOR CONTINUED GUSTY NORTH  
TO NORTHEAST FLOW. ADDITIONAL SCAS ARE NEEDED IN GUSTY NORTH TO  
NORTHEAST FLOW FRIDAY.  
 
HIGH-END SCA CONDITIONS TO GALES ARE POSSIBLE THIS WEEKEND OVER THE  
WATERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY DUE TO THE STRONG  
NOR'EASTER THAT WILL BE OFF THE COAST. IF THE LOW TRACKS CLOSER TO  
OUR AREA, EXPECT HIGHER GUSTS OVER THE WATERS. HOWEVER, THERE  
REMAINS A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE FORECAST, SO BE SURE TO CHECK  
BACK AS CONDITIONS BECOME MORE CERTAIN THROUGH THE WEEK.  
 
 
   
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING  
 
A LONG DURATION COASTAL FLOOD EVENT IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE WEEKEND  
WITHIN PERSISTENT ONSHORE FLOW. COASTAL FLOOD WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT  
FOR ST. MARY'S AND ANNAPOLIS THROUGH THE NEXT FEW HIGH TIDE CYCLES.  
 
AT ALEXANDRIA, A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY  
MORNING IS FOLLOWED WITH A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH THURSDAY AFTERNOON  
THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. AT DAHLGREN AND SOLOMONS ISLAND, COASTAL  
FLOOD ADVISORIES EXTEND THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT.  
 
ANOMALIES WILL BE LOWER FURTHER NORTH ON THE BAY, BUT WE'LL NEED TO  
KEEP AN EYE ON BALTIMORE AND HAVRE DE GRACE FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND,  
AS WELL AS DC ON THE UPPER TIDAL POTOMAC. DECISIONS WILL LIKELY NEED  
TO BE MADE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING REGARDING WHETHER ANY  
ADDITIONAL WARNINGS OR ADVISORIES ARE NEEDED.  
 
 
   
LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
DC...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 5 AM THURSDAY TO 9 AM EDT FRIDAY  
FOR DCZ001.  
MD...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR MDZ008.  
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR MDZ014.  
COASTAL FLOOD WARNING FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM EDT  
FRIDAY FOR MDZ014.  
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR MDZ016.  
COASTAL FLOOD WARNING FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 PM EDT  
FRIDAY FOR MDZ017.  
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR MDZ018.  
VA...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR VAZ057.  
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 2 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR VAZ054.  
COASTAL FLOOD WATCH FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY  
MORNING FOR VAZ054.  
WV...NONE.  
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR ANZ530>532-535-  
536-538>540.  
GALE WARNING UNTIL 6 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR ANZ533-534-537-  
541>543.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 6 AM THURSDAY TO 6 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR  
ANZ533-534-537-541>543.  
 
 
 
 
 
DISCUSSION...KRR/EST/SRT  
AVIATION...KRR/EST/SRT  
MARINE...KRR/EST/SRT  
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