993  
FXUS62 KMHX 220528  
AFDMHX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC  
1228 AM EST FRI NOV 22 2024  
   
SYNOPSIS
 
 
A SERIES OF WEAK FRONTS WILL CROSS THE AREA TONIGHT AND FRIDAY  
AND ACT TO REINFORCE THE COLD, DRY AIRMASS WHICH INVADED EARLY  
THURSDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE THEN BUILDS IN OVER THE WEEKEND  
AND INTO NEXT WEEK CONTINUING THE DRY WEATHER PATTERN.  
 

 
   
NEAR TERM /OVERNIGHT/
 
 
- FREEZE WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE MOST OF EASTERN NC  
OUTSIDE OF THE IMMEDIATE COASTLINE  
 
AS OF 10 PM THURSDAY...DRY AND COLDER WEATHER WILL PREVAIL  
ACROSS EASTERN NC THROUGH FRIDAY NOW THAT A MID LEVEL TROUGH HAS  
BECOME ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE EASTERN CONUS. A SECONDARY COLD  
FRONT IS FORECAST TO SWEEP EAST ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING.  
THIS FEATURE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY SOME MID LEVEL CLOUDS.  
 
THE MAIN CONCERN TONIGHT IS THE LIKELIHOOD OF A BRIEF PERIOD OF  
SUB FREEZING TEMPERATURES INLAND FROM THE COAST. DEWPOINTS HAVE  
CRASHED AND ARE VERY LOW, CURRENTLY INTO THE UPPER 20S LOWER  
30S. IF WINDS WERE TO DECOUPLE, THEN IT WOULD BE A SLAM DUNK  
THAT LOW TEMPS WOULD BE AT OR BELOW FREEZING OVER A LARGE AREA  
OF EASTERN NC TONIGHT. CONFIDENCE HAS INCREASED THAT WINDS WILL  
COMPLETELY DECOUPLE FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE HOUR PERIOD OVERNIGHT  
(ESPECIALLY IN RURAL/SHELTERED AREAS) WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR  
SUFFICIENT RADIATIONAL COOLING TO OCCUR TO DROP TEMPS TO AROUND  
32. IF ANY COLD SENSITIVE PLANTS ARE OUTSIDE ANYWHERE IN  
EASTERN NC (AWAY FROM THE BEACHES/COASTLINE), TAKE ACTIONS TO  
PROTECT THEM FOR THE COLD.  
 
EXPECT LOWS AROUND 30 IN THE MOST SHELTERED LOCATIONS, AND LOW  
30S ELSEWHERE INLAND, WITH UPPER 30S TO LOW 40S ALONG THE  
COASTLINE.  
 

 
   
SHORT TERM /FRIDAY/
 
 
AS OF 300 PM THURSDAY...  
 
YET ANOTHER REINFORCING COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO CROSS THE AREA  
LATE FRI. NOTHING OTHER THAN A FEW CLOUDS EXPECTED WITH IT. ONCE  
THE FRONT CROSSES, WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE LATE IN THE DAY.  
AFTER A CHILLY START, HIGH TEMPS WILL STRUGGLE TO REACH THE LOW  
50S BUT SHOULD GET THERE AIDED BY DOWNSLOPE FLOW.  
 

 
   
LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/
 
 
AS OF 315 AM THURSDAY...  
 
- BREEZY AND COLD FRIDAY  
 
- TRENDING WARMER LATE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK  
 
A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED UPPER LEVEL PATTERN THIS WEEK WILL TRANSITION TO  
A LOWER CONFIDENCE ZONAL FLOW ALOFT PATTERN AS WE MOVE INTO THE WEEK  
OF THANKSGIVING. AT THE SURFACE, A BROAD AREA OF CYCLONIC FLOW WILL  
RESIDE ACROSS THE EASTERN U.S. THROUGH SATURDAY THANKS TO PERSISTENT  
LOW PRESSURE OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. LATE IN THE WEEKEND AND INTO  
EARLY NEXT WEEK, HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST  
U.S. BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK, MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE DIFFER QUITE  
A BIT, BUT THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR A FRONT TO MOVE THROUGH THE  
CAROLINAS A DAY OR SO EITHER SIDE OF THANKSGIVING.  
 
FRIDAY NIGHT- SATURDAY: YET ANOTHER POTENT SHORTWAVE WILL  
TRAVERSE THE CAROLINAS LATE FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS WAVE  
WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY ANOTHER SURGE OF GUSTY WINDS, WITH PEAK  
GUSTS OF 25- 35 MPH FOR MOST OF ENC, WITH HIGHER GUSTS TO 40 MPH  
POSSIBLE ALONG THE OBX. INCREASED CAA ASSOCIATED WITH THE WAVE  
WILL NOT ONLY SUPPORT GUSTY WINDS, BUT ALSO COLDER TEMPS. BY  
SATURDAY, THICKNESSES BEGIN TO INCREASE, WHICH SHOULD ALLOW  
TEMPS TO TOP OUT ABOUT 5-10 DEGREES WARMER THAN FRIDAY. STEEP  
LAPSE RATES BENEATH THE ANOMALOUS UPPER LOW PLUS MODEST LOW-MID  
LEVEL MOISTURE MAY ALLOW A FEW DIURNAL SHOWERS TO DEVELOP  
FRIDAY. HOWEVER, RECENT ENSEMBLE GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THE CHANCE IS  
<10%, SO WE'LL KEEP A MENTION OUT OF THE FORECAST FOR NOW.  
DRIER AIR WORKS IN ALOFT ON SATURDAY, FURTHER LOWERING THE RISK  
OF SHOWERS.  
 
SUNDAY - MONDAY: HIGH PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO BE CENTERED OFF TO OUR  
SOUTH OVER FLORIDA, ALLOWING A WEST OR SOUTHWEST LOW-LEVEL FLOW  
TO DEVELOP. THIS SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO GRADUALLY WARM  
INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK, WITH HIGHS POTENTIALLY TOPPING OUT NEAR 70  
ONCE AGAIN BY MONDAY. WINDS WILL BE NOTICEABLY LIGHTER AS WELL.  
 
TUESDAY - THURSDAY: FROM A 50,000 FT VIEW, ZONAL FLOW ALOFT IS  
FORECAST TO RESIDE ACROSS THE CONUS NEXT WEEK. WITHIN THIS FLOW,  
MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE SHOW SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES, PRIMARILY  
FOCUSED ON AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH FORECAST TO MOVE ASHORE ALONG THE  
U.S. WEST COAST, AND HOW IT EVOLVES AS IT MOVES DOWNSTREAM THROUGH  
THE WEEK. ONE CAMP OF GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THIS WAVE WILL DAMPEN WITH  
TIME, LEADING TO A MOSTLY UNEVENTFUL COLD FRONT PASSAGE ON TUESDAY,  
FOLLOWED BY COOL AND DRY CONDITIONS LASTING THROUGH THANKSGIVING  
DAY. IN THE OTHER CAMP, TUESDAY'S FRONT STALLS, WITH A MORE  
SIGNIFICANT WAVE RIDING ALONG THE FRONT LATE NEXT WEEK. THAT SECOND  
CAMP WOULD LEAD TO A MORE EVENTFUL THANKSGIVING TRAVEL PERIOD  
COMPARED TO THE FIRST CAMP. SOMETHING TO WATCH IN THE COMING DAYS.  
FOR NOW, OUR FORECAST WILL REFLECT THE COOLER, DRIER, AND LESS  
EVENTFUL SCENARIO.  
 

 
   
AVIATION /06Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/
 
 
SHORT TERM /THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY/...  
AS OF 1215 AM FRIDAY...  
 
- GUSTY WEST WINDS ON FRIDAY  
 
AN ANOMALOUS UPPER LEVEL LOW IS CURRENTLY SPINNING OVER THE  
NORTHERN MID-ATLANTIC STATES, WITH A BROAD AREA OF CYCLONIC FLOW  
ALOFT OVER MUCH OF THE EASTERN U.S. WITHIN THIS FLOW, AN UPPER  
LEVEL WAVE WILL DIVE SOUTH OUT OF THE OHIO VALLEY AND INTO THE  
CAROLINAS ON FRIDAY, MOVING OFFSHORE BY FRIDAY EVENING. A  
TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT BENEATH THIS FEATURE, PLUS DAYTIME  
MIXING, WILL SUPPORT INCREASING WESTERLY WINDS BY MID TO LATE-  
MORNING ACROSS ENC, WITH GUSTS OF 20- 30 KT COMMON. GUSTY WINDS  
SHOULD CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY EVENING. WITHIN THIS REGIME, PERIODS  
OF SCT/BKN MID-LEVEL CLOUDS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA, BUT ANY  
CIGS SHOULD BE VFR.  
 
LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/...  
AS OF 315 AM THURSDAY...  
 
- GUSTY WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY  
 
A POTENT UPPER LEVEL WAVE WILL MOVE THROUGH ON FRIDAY EVENING,  
LEADING TO A RENEWED SURGE OF GUSTY WINDS INTO SATURDAY. DURING  
THIS TIME, GUSTS OF 20-35KT ARE EXPECTED. VFR CONDITIONS LOOK  
TO PREVAIL SATURDAY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.  
 

 
   
MARINE
 
 
SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/...  
AS OF 300 PM THURSDAY...SCA'S ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE NEAR TERM  
AND GALE WARNINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR FRI NIGHT INTO SAT.  
HAZARDOUS MARINE CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE NC WATERS  
THROUGH FRI. WESTERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE WATERS  
THROUGH FRI AFTERNOON AT 10-20 KT WITH GUSTS TO 25 KT AS COLD  
ADVECTION PREVAILS. STRONGER COLD ADVECTION WILL DEVELOP LATE  
FRI AND THE RESULT WILL BE A PERIOD OF GALE FORCE WINDS  
DEVELOPING BY EARLY EVENING. SEAS OF 3 FT (NEARSHORE) TO 6 FT  
(OFFSHORE) ARE EXPECTED THROUGH FRI AFTERNOON.  
 
LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/...  
AS OF 310 PM THU...  
 
- GALE WARNINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF THE ENC  
WATERS FRIDAY EVENING INTO SATURDAY MORNING  
 
A POTENT UPPER LEVEL WAVE WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION ON FRIDAY  
NIGHT, LEADING TO ANOTHER SURGE OF STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST  
WINDS FRIDAY EVENING INTO SATURDAY MORNING. DURING THIS TIME,  
GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SHOW A STRONG SIGNAL FOR GALE- FORCE  
GUSTS. GIVEN THE CONSISTENT SIGNAL, WE HAVE UPGRADED THE COASTAL  
WATERS AND SOUNDS TO GALE WARNINGS. WINDS WILL FINALLY BEGIN TO  
LAY DOWN BY LATE IN THE WEEKEND.  
 
THE BUILDING WINDS ON FRIDAY WILL LEAD TO SEAS BUILDING TO 4-7 FT  
ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS, WITH ELEVATED SEAS LASTING INTO SATURDAY.  
LATE IN THE WEEKEND, SEAS WILL LAY DOWN TO 2-3 FT.  
 

 
   
FIRE WEATHER
 
 
AS OF 4 AM THURSDAY...ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE  
POSSIBLE FRIDAY. INLAND MIN RH VALUES WILL DROP TO 35-40% AND  
WESTERLY WINDS WILL GUST TO 20 TO 25 MPH.  
 

 
   
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING
 
 
AS OF 310 PM THURSDAY...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED  
FOR OUTER BANKS DARE COUNTY LATE FRI AFTERNOON THROUGH SAT  
AFTERNOON, WITH POTENTIAL FOR SOUNDSIDE COASTAL FLOODING,  
INUNDATION 1-2 FT AGL. MAIN CONCERN IS FOR SOUNDSIDE AREAS  
FAVORED IN WESTERLY FLOW, DUCK TO HATTERAS VILLAGE (INCLUDING  
AREAS IN ROANOKE ISLAND).  
 

 
   
MHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
NC...FREEZE WARNING FROM 4 AM TO 9 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR NCZ029-  
044>046-079>081-090>092-094-193>195-198-199.  
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 PM EST  
SATURDAY FOR NCZ203-205.  
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR AMZ131-  
135-150-152-154-156-158-230-231.  
GALE WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM EST SATURDAY FOR  
AMZ131-135-150-152-154-156-158-230-231.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EST SATURDAY FOR AMZ136-137.  
 

 
 

 
 
SYNOPSIS...MHX  
NEAR TERM...JME/SGK  
SHORT TERM...JME  
LONG TERM...RM  
AVIATION...RM  
MARINE...RM/JME  
FIRE WEATHER...MHX  
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...MHX  
 
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