958  
FXUS62 KMHX 221501  
AFDMHX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC  
1001 AM EST FRI NOV 22 2024  
   
SYNOPSIS
 
 
BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE  
EASTERN U.S. THROUGH SATURDAY. HIGH PRESSURE THEN BUILDS IN  
LATE IN THE WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK CONTINUING THE DRY  
WEATHER PATTERN.  
 

 
   
NEAR TERM /THROUGH TODAY/
 
 
AS OF 10 AM FRI...NO BIG CHANGES TO ONGOING FCST. HAVE INC  
CLOUD COVER A BIT AS SOME BKN STRATO CU WILL DEVELOP AND MOVE  
THROUGH. TEMPS MAY BE A DEGREE OR SO COOLER AS RESULT, BUT A  
BRISK AND COOL DAY IS ON TAP WITH TEMPS MORE TYPICAL OF MID JAN  
THAN MID NOV.  
 
PREV DISC...AS OF 630 AM FRIDAY...  
 
- BREEZY AND COLD TODAY  
 
AN UNUSUALLY DEEP UPPER LEVEL LOW CURRENTLY RESIDES OVER THE  
NORTHERN MID-ATLANTIC STATES, WITH A BROAD AREA OF CYCLONIC FLOW  
OVER THE EASTERN U.S. A SHORTWAVE EMBEDDED WITHIN THIS FLOW  
WILL DIVE SOUTH OUT OF THE OHIO VALLEY THIS MORNING, THEN CROSS  
THE CAROLINAS THIS AFTERNOON. BENEATH THE UPPER LOW, A SFC LOW  
WILL DROP SOUTH FROM PA INTO NY, LEADING TO A TIGHTENING  
PRESSURE GRADIENT TO THE SOUTH ACROSS VA/NC. THIS COMBINED WITH  
DEEPENING MIXING THROUGH THE DAY WILL SUPPORT INCREASING  
WESTERLY WINDS FROM LATE-MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS.  
WIDESPREAD WIND GUSTS OF 25-35 MPH ARE EXPECTED. OF NOTE, THE  
LATEST HI-RES GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SOME  
AREAS TO SEE 35-40+ MPH GUSTS, ESPECIALLY FROM MID- AFTERNOON  
ON. ALONG THE OBX, WIND GUSTS MAY FLIRT WITH ADVISORY CRITERIA  
(IE. 45 MPH), BUT CONFIDENCE IN IMPACTS IS LOW, THEREFORE WE'LL  
HOLD OFF ON ANY WIND HEADLINES FOR NOW.  
 
NOTABLY LOW THICKNESS VALUES PLUS CONTINUED CAA THROUGH THE DAY  
SHOULD MAKE IT HARD TO REACH 50 DEGREES FOR MOST AREAS TODAY.  
SOME OF THE COLDEST AVAILABLE GUIDANCE SUGGESTS UPPER 40S FOR  
HIGHS. SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THIS WOULD BE NEARLY 15-20 DEGREES  
BELOW NORMAL.  
 

 
   
SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 AM SATURDAY/
 
 
AS OF 200 AM FRIDAY...  
 
- CONTINUED BREEZY AND COLD TONIGHT  
 
- LOWER RISK OF FREEZING TEMPERATURES TONIGHT  
 
IN THE WAKE OF TODAY'S SHORTWAVE, BREEZY CONDITIONS ARE  
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR MUCH OF THE NIGHT THANKS TO A CONTINUED  
MODERATE PRESSURE GRADIENT. IN LIGHT OF THIS, IT APPEARS MOST  
AREAS WON'T DECOUPLE, WHICH SHOULD HELP KEEP TEMPS FROM GETTING  
AS LOW AS THEY GOT THIS MORNING. EVEN THE COLDER AVAILABLE  
GUIDANCE SUGGESTS MOST AREAS WILL STAY ABOVE FREEZING. ACROSS  
FAR SW SECTIONS OF ENC, THERE MAY BE A BRIEF WINDOW OF  
OPPORTUNITY FOR WINDS TO DECOUPLE. SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THERE  
WOULD BE A RISK OF TEMPS FALLING INTO THE 30-32 DEGREE RANGE  
(MAINLY DUPLIN AND INLAND ONSLOW COUNTIES). BASED ON ALL OF THE  
ABOVE, WE'LL PLAN TO FOREGO ANY FROST/FREEZE HEADLINES TONIGHT.  
 

 
   
LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/
 
 
AS OF 3:30 AM FRIDAY...  
 
- WARMING TREND THROUGH TUESDAY  
- MULTIPLE FRONTS MID TO LATE NEXT WEEK  
 
A DEEP UPPER LEVEL LOW CURRENTLY CENTERED OVER THE NORTHEAST  
WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEASTWARD ON SATURDAY. ACROSS THE  
CAROLINAS, ZONAL FLOW WILL TAKE OVER AS THE LOW MOVES OFFSHORE  
AND HIGH PRESSURE WILL BEGIN TO PUSH NORTH INTO THE AREA. HIGH  
PRESSURE WILL REMAIN DOMINANT UNTIL TUESDAY WHEN THE NEXT WAVE  
IS FORECAST TO TRAVERSE THE EASTERN U.S.  
 
SATURDAY...THE OFFSHORE TRANSITION OF THE UPPER LOW AND  
INCREASING THICKNESS AT THE SURFACE WILL ALLOW TEMPS TO REACH  
VALUES 5-10 DEGREES HIGHER THAN TODAY (UPPER 50S/LOW 60S). GUSTY  
WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY, BUT THERE WILL BE A  
DOWNWARD TREND THROUGH THE DAY. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 10-15 MPH  
WITH 20+ MPH GUSTS WILL PERSIST THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON. A LACK  
OF CLOUD COVER AND LIGHT WINDS WILL ALLOW FOR EFFICIENT  
RADIATIVE COOLING, SO LOWS WILL BE BACK DOWN TO THE MID 30S  
ACROSS THE COASTAL PLAIN (MID 40S BEACHES).  
 
SUNDAY - TUESDAY...ZONAL FLOW ALOFT AND BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE  
AT THE SURFACE WILL SUPPORT A DRY AND GRADUALLY WARMER FORECAST  
FOR THE END OF THE WEEKEND AND START OF NEXT WEEK. HIGHS WILL  
INCREASE FROM THE LOW TO MID 60S ON SUNDAY TO UPPER 60S TO LOW  
70S ON TUESDAY. A FRONT IS FORECAST TO CROSS ENC ON TUESDAY  
AFTERNOON, BUT GUIDANCE IS NOT IN AGREEMENT ON HOW WET OR DRY  
THIS SYSTEM WILL BE, SO I OPTED TO LEAN TOWARDS THE DRIER  
GUIDANCE AT THIS TIME AND CAPPED POPS AT 20%.  
 
WEDNESDAY - THURSDAY...WEDNESDAY LOOKS MOSTLY DRY AS OF NOW AS  
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRIEFLY RESUME. BY WEDNESDAY EVENING,  
HOWEVER, A STATIONARY BOUNDARY WILL SETUP ACROSS ENC AND LINGER  
THROUGH THANKSGIVING. THE FORECAST HAS TRENDED WETTER AND  
SUPPORTS WIDESPREAD STRATIFORM RAIN, BUT POPS HAVE BEEN CAPPED  
AT CHANCE AT THIS TIME.  
 

 
   
AVIATION /15Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/
 
 
SHORT TERM /THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY/...  
AS OF 630 AM FRIDAY...  
 
- GUSTY WEST WINDS TODAY  
 
- LLWS IMPACTS POSSIBLE TONIGHT (40-60% CHANCE)  
 
LIGHT WINDS THIS MORNING WILL QUICKLY INCREASE BY MID TO LATE-  
MORNING AS DAYTIME MIXING INCREASES, AND AS THE GRADIENT  
TIGHTENS WELL TO THE SOUTH OF LOW PRESSURE SPINNING OVER THE  
NORTHERN MID- ATLANTIC STATES. RECENT GUIDANCE HASN'T CHANGED  
MUCH REGARDING THE WIND POTENTIAL LATER THIS MORNING THROUGH  
THIS EVENING, AND IS STILL SHOWING A SOLID SIGNAL FOR 20-30KT  
WESTERLY WIND GUSTS. WINDS MAY BEGIN TO DECREASE SOME THIS  
EVENING, ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE COASTAL PLAIN OF ENC, WHICH OPENS  
THE DOOR TO POSSIBLE LLWS IMPACTS. WITH THIS TAF ISSUANCE, I'VE  
ADDED A LLWS MENTION TO KISO AND KPGV WHERE CONFIDENCE IS  
HIGHEST. THROUGH TONIGHT, PERIODS OF SCT/BKN LOW TO MID LEVEL  
CLOUDS ARE FORECAST TO PIVOT SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE CAROLINAS.  
HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME, ANY CIGS SHOULD BE VFR.  
 
LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...  
AS OF 3:30 AM FRIDAY...PREDOMINANTLY VFR CONDITIONS PERSIST  
THROUGH THE PERIOD. BREEZY WESTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE SATURDAY  
AT 10-15 KT WITH GUSTS TO 20 KT (HIGHER ALONG THE COAST). THE  
WIND FIELD WILL GENERALLY BE SW AT 5-10 KT THROUGH THE REMAINDER  
OF THE PERIOD.  
 

 
   
MARINE
 
 
SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...  
AS OF 630 AM FRIDAY...  
 
- GALE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY  
MORNING  
 
NORTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 10-20KT THIS MORNING WILL BECOME  
WESTERLY BY THIS AFTERNOON AND INCREASE TO 15-25KT. BY THIS  
EVENING, THE WINDS WILL FURTHER INCREASE, WITH SUSTAINED WINDS  
OF 20-30KT EXPECTED. FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT,  
FREQUENT GUSTS OF 30-40KT ARE EXPECTED, AND A GALE WARNING  
REMAINS IN EFFECT WHERE CONFIDENCE IN 34KT+ GUSTS IS THE  
HIGHEST. OF NOTE, THE MOUTH OF THE NEUSE RIVER MAY SEE  
OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 34KT, BUT GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SUGGEST THIS  
AREA WILL STAY JUST BELOW GALES, AND WE'VE OPTED TO KEEP THAT  
AREA OUT OF THE GALE WARNING.  
 
SEAS OF 4-6 FT ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS THIS MORNING WILL  
GRADUALLY BUILD TO 5-7 FT BY THIS EVENING AND INTO TONIGHT. FOR  
THE OUTER REACHES OF THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN WATERS, SEAS OF  
7-8 FT WILL BE POSSIBLE.  
 
LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...  
AS OF 3:30 AM FRIDAY...MARINE CONDITIONS WILL GRADUALLY IMPROVE  
ON SATURDAY. A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT EVERYWHERE EXCEPT THE  
INLAND RIVERS THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. WINDS WILL BE DECREASING  
THROUGH THE DAY, BUT SCA CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH  
SATURDAY EVENING, LASTING THE LONGEST FOR WATERS NORTH OF CAPE  
HATTERAS. BY LATE SATURDAY NIGHT/EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, ALL  
WATERS WILL BE BELOW SCA CRITERIA. WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE 10-20  
KT WITH 2-4 FT SEAS.  
 

 
   
FIRE WEATHER
 
 
AS OF 230 AM FRIDAY...  
 
- DRY AND BREEZY CONDITIONS AGAIN TODAY  
 
NORTHWESTERLY WINDS THIS MORNING WILL BECOME WESTERLY THROUGH  
THE DAY TODAY, AND INCREASE TO 10-15 MPH, WITH GUSTS OF 20-30  
MPH EXPECTED BY THIS AFTERNOON. MEANWHILE, DRY AIR CONTINUING TO  
ADVECT INTO ENC WILL HELP KEEP RHS IN THE 30S AND 40S PERCENT.  
BECAUSE OF THE COLD AIRMASS IN PLACE, RHS SHOULDN'T GET AS LOW  
AS THEY OTHERWISE COULD IF IT WERE JUST AS DRY, BUT WARMER. IN  
LIGHT OF THIS, SIGNIFICANT FIRE CONCERNS AREN'T ANTICIPATED.  
THAT SAID, IF ANY FIRE DOES START, THE BREEZY CONDITIONS WILL  
MAKE FIRE CONTROL DIFFICULT. SIMILAR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED  
AGAIN ON SATURDAY.  
 

 
   
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING
 
 
AS OF 430 AM THURSDAY...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN  
EFFECT FOR THE OUTER BANKS OF DARE COUNTY LATE THIS 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...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 4 PM EST  
SATURDAY FOR NCZ203-205.  
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EST SATURDAY FOR AMZ131-136-  
137.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR AMZ135-  
150-152-154-156-158-230-231.  
GALE WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EST SATURDAY FOR  
AMZ135-230-231.  
GALE WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 8 AM EST SATURDAY FOR  
AMZ150-152-154-156-158.  
 

 
 

 
 
SYNOPSIS...MHX  
NEAR TERM...RM/TL  
SHORT TERM...RM  
LONG TERM...OJC  
AVIATION...RM/OJC  
MARINE...RM/OJC  
FIRE WEATHER...RM  
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...MHX  
 
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.

The Nexlab NC Page Main Text Page