221
FXUS62 KMHX 100844
AFDMHX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
444 AM EDT MON MAR 10 2025
SYNOPSIS
A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE WILL RIDE ALONG THE STALLED FRONT
PASSING SOUTH OF THE AREA TODAY INTO TUESDAY BRINGING UNSETTLED
WEATHER AND GUSTY WINDS TO PARTS THE AREA. HIGH PRESSURE THEN
BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY RESULTING IN
FAIR WEATHER AND A WARMING TREND WHICH SHOULD CONTINUE INTO NEXT
WEEKEND.
NEAR TERM /THROUGH TODAY/
AS OF 330 AM MON...
KEY MESSAGES:
- CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS A
STRENGTHENING COASTAL LOW IMPACTS ENC
LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS HIGH PRESSURE PUSHING OFFSHORE
WITH A WEAK WARM FRONT NOTED SOUTH OF THE NC/SC BORDER EXTENDING
WSW'WARDS AS A STATIONARY FRONT TOWARDS THE GULF THIS MORNING.
MULTIPLE WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE THAT ARE CURRENTLY RIDING ALONG
THIS BOUNDARY ARE EXPECTED TO PUSH E'WARDS AS THE MORNING GOES
ON. RADAR IMAGERY SHOWS SHOWER ACTIVITY TO THE SOUTH, ASSOCIATED
WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED FRONT. CONTINUE TO EXPECT CLOUD COVER
TO STREAM IN OVER THE AREA AS MOISTURE FROM A DEEPENING LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE DEEP SOUTH CONTINUES TO PUSH NORTH AND
EAST KEEPING MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES OVERHEAD. THIS LOW WILL HEAD
EAST THIS MORNING AND PUSH OFF THE GA/FL COAST BY DAYBREAK.
LATER THIS MORNING THIS FRONT WILL SURGE NORTHWARD TOWARDS CAPE
FEAR, AND ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL BREAKOUT ALONG
SOUTHERN ONSLOW COUNTY AND THE CRYSTAL COAST BEFORE DAYBREAK.
LOWS HAVE LIKELY ALREADY BEEN REACHED THIS MORNING AS CLOUD
COVER SHOULD INSULATE US WITH TEMPS IN THE MID 30S TO LOW 40S.
CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE THROUGHOUT THE DAY TODAY AS LOW PRESSURE
OFF THE GA/FL COAST THIS MORNING BEGINS TO TRACK NORTHEASTWARDS AND
STRENGTHENS AS ASSOCIATED UPPER TROUGH TAKES ON A MORE NEGATIVE TILT
AND THE MID LEVEL CLOSED LOW DEEPENS FURTHER. THIS LOW SHOULD
BEGIN PUSHING TOWARDS THE NC/SC BORDER BY MON EVENING. LIGHT TO
OCCASIONALLY MODERATE RAIN WILL GRAD OVERSPREAD THE AREA FROM
SOUTH TO NORTH THROUGH THE DAY, WITH BEST CHANCES SOUTH OF HWY
70 AND EAST OF HWY 17. GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SHOW A RATHER
SHARP GRADIENT FOR RAIN CHANCES AND AS A RESULT HAVE KEPT LIKELY
TO CATEGORICAL POP'S RELEGATED ALONG AND SOUTH OF HWY 70 AND
EAST OF HWY 17 WITH SCHC TO CHC POP'S ELSEWHERE. IN ADDITION TO
THIS, RECENT HI-RES GUIDANCE HAS SUGGESTED THAT THERE WILL BE
TWO WAVES OF PRECIP ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM TODAY INTO
TONIGHT. THE FIRST OCCURS THIS MORNING IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE
WARM FRONT WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR A SEVERAL HOUR PERIOD OF DRY
TIME AS DRIER MID LEVEL AIR BRIEFLY WORKS ITS WAY INTO ENC
FOLLOWED BY INCREASING CHANCES ONCE AGAIN THIS EVENING. AS A
RESULT HAVE LOWERED PRECIP CHANCES LATE THIS MORNING INTO EARLY
THIS AFTERNOON WITH SCHC TO CHC POP'S ACROSS ALL OF ENC BEFORE
LIKELY POP'S RETURN WITH THE APPROACH OF THE AFOREMENTIONED
DEEPENING LOW. CLOUD COVER, LIGHT RAIN AND ONSHORE FLOW WILL
KEEP TEMPS IN THE MID 50S TO 60 DEG.
SHORT TERM /TONIGHT/
AS OF 330 AM MON...
KEY MESSAGES:
- STRENGTHENING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MAKES ITS CLOSEST POINT OF
APPROACH. STRONG NORTHEAST TO NORTHERLY WINDS OVERSPREAD
COASTAL ENC TONIGHT. MINOR COASTAL IMPACTS WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE.
LOW PRESSURE OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK
NORTHEASTWARDS WHILE QUICKLY STRENGTHENING EVENTUALLY BECOMING
VERTICALLY STACKED WITH THE UPPER LOW. HOWEVER, AS THIS OCCURS
THE PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE REGION WILL TIGHTEN RAPIDLY
RESULTING IN WINDS QUICKLY INCREASING OVERNIGHT. CONTINUE TO
EXPECT SUSTAINED WINDS AROUND 20-35 MPH MONDAY NIGHT WITH GUSTS
UP NEAR 35-45 MPH AT TIMES. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE NOTED
ACROSS COASTAL SECTIONS SOUTH OF OREGON INLET. AT THIS POINT,
THINKING IS WINDS WILL REMAIN BELOW WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA WITH
PROBABILITY ONLY AROUND 30/40% OR LESS, HIGHEST ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN OBX.
IN ADDITION TO THIS, SECOND ROUND OF PRECIP THEN BEGINS TO MAKE
ITS WAY ACROSS ENC TONIGHT AS WELL IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE LOW
BEFORE PULLING OFFSHORE CLOSE TO DAYBREAK ON TUE. THE AIRMASS
NORTH OF THE LOW WILL BE FAIRLY STABLE AND NOT EXPECTING ANY
CONVECTION EXCEPT POSSIBLY OVER THE COASTAL WATERS NEAR THE GULF
STREAM. AS NOTED IN THIS MORNINGS PRECIP, THERE WILL BE A
FAIRLY TIGHT GRADIENT OF PRECIP AMOUNTS ACROSS THE AREA WITH
HIGHEST TOTALS ACROSS SOUTHERN SECTIONS. THE GREATEST DISPARITY
AMONG THE MODELS IS WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS AND WILL CONTINUE TO
FOLLOW WPC GUIDANCE CLOSELY WHICH BRING AROUND 0.5-1" ACROSS
SOUTHERN COASTAL SECTIONS TO LESS THAN A QUARTER INCH ACROSS THE
NORTHERN TIER. WETTEST MODELS SHOW UP TO 1.5" ACROSS SOUTHERN
SECTIONS AND MANY SHOW VERY LITTLE RAINFALL ACROSS THE NORTHERN
TIER. WITH WIDESPREAD CLOUD COVER AND ONGOING RAIN LOWS TONIGHT
GET INTO THE LOW 40S INLAND AND LOW 50S ALONG THE IMMEDIATE
COAST AND SOUTHERN OBX.
THE STRONG WINDS AND LARGE SEAS MAY BRING MINOR COASTAL FLOODING
IMPACTS TO SOME BEACHES, SEE THE COASTAL FLOODING SECTION BELOW FOR
MORE DETAILS.
LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/
AS OF 430 AM MON...QUIET WEATHER RETURNS TO EASTERN NC FOR THE
EXTENDED PERIOD AS TODAY'S COASTAL LOW PUSHES OFFSHORE AND HIGH
PRESSURE BECOMES THE DOMINANT WEATHER DRIVER FOR THE REST OF THE
WORK WEEK. ATTENTION REMAINS ON A STRONGER COLD FRONT EXPECTED
TO IMPACT MUCH OF THE EASTERN CONUS OVER THE WEEKEND, REACHING
OUR AREA BY SUNDAY.
TUESDAY...COASTAL LOW WILL BE QUICKLY PROGRESSING OVER THE OPEN
ATLANTIC BY SUNRISE WITH ONLY SPOTTY REMNANT SHOWERS LIKELY OVER
THE OUTER BANKS TO START THE DAY. OTHERWISE, MID-LEVEL HEIGHT
RISES AND RAPID ADVECTION OF DRY AIR WILL AID IN SKIES QUICKLY
CLEARING. TEMPS EXPECTED TO WARM INTO THE LOW 70S INLAND, BUT
NORTHERLY WINDS KEEP OBX CLOSER TO THE UPPER 50S TO LOW 60S.
WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY..FLAT RIDGING ALOFT AND SFC HIGH
PRESSURE BUILD INTO THE AREA WEDNESDAY FOLLOWED BY A FAST MOVING
SHORTWAVE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA THURSDAY. MOISTURE WILL BE
LIMITED BY THE TIME THE WAVE REACHES EASTERN NC AND EXPECT ONLY
AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS, BUT WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE
SHOWERS DEVELOPING ALONG THE OFFSHORE COASTAL TROUGH WHICH MAY
THREATEN COASTAL LOCALES. FOR NOW, KEPT POPS CONFINED OFFSHORE.
UPPER RIDGING BUILDS BACK INTO THE AREA FRIDAY, THEN SLIDES
OFFSHORE SATURDAY AS A STRONG UPPER TROUGH AND ATTENDANT FRONTAL
SYSTEM PUSHES INTO THE TENNESSEE RIVER VALLEY. MODEL AGREEMENT
ON THIS FEATURE IS QUITE GOOD FOR A DAY 6-7 FORECAST, AND
CONTINUED LIKELY POPS FOCUSED ON SUNDAY. GIVEN THE STRENGTH OF
THE FRONT, WINDS AHEAD OF THE BOUNDARY WILL BE QUITE BREEZY,
RAISING THE POSSIBILITY OF ANOTHER ROUND OF COASTAL/FLOODING
AND ROUGH SURF ALONG THE OUTER BANKS. LESS CERTAIN IS
THUNDERSTORM AND SEVERE POTENTIAL, ALTHOUGH TEMPS WILL BE HIGH
ENOUGH, AND MOISTURE PLENTIFUL ENOUGH TO GET AT LEAST MODEST
INSTABILITY. AS USUAL, DETAILS WILL COME INTO BETTER FOCUS WITH
FUTURE FORECASTS AND WE ENCOURAGE USERS TO STAY TUNED.
AVIATION /08Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/
SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF 3 AM MON... VFR CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO PERSIST ACROSS ENC
THIS MORNING AS JUST MID AND HIGH CLOUDS ARE NOTED ACROSS THE
AREA. A STRENGTHENING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL THEN BEGIN TO
APPROACH THE COAST OF ENC TODAY FROM THE SOUTH AND WEST BEFORE
PUSHING OUT INTO THE OPEN ATLANTIC TONIGHT. AS A RESULT, STILL
EXPECTING DETERIORATING FLYING CONDITIONS, BUT THERE WILL BE A
GRADIENT IN CEILING HEIGHTS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. UP NORTH,
INCLUDING KPGV AND LOCATIONS EASTWARD, MOSTLY VFR CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED THROUGH TOMORROW WITH JUST SOME LIGHT RAIN, THOUGH
SOME BRIEF MVFR CONDITIONS CAN'T BE RULED OUT. ACROSS THE MIDDLE
PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA, INCLUDING KISO AND LOCATIONS
EASTWARD, VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY TOMORROW
AFTERNOON BEFORE A PERIOD OF MVFR CEILINGS DEVELOP AS STEADIER
RAIN MOVES IN. FINALLY, THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE AIRSPACE,
INCLUDING KEWN AND KOAJ, WILL SEE THE WORST FLYING CONDITIONS
WITH MVFR CEILINGS MOVING IN BY LATE MORNING, AND LOWERING TO
BELOW 2000 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR IFR
CONDITIONS TO DEVELOP HERE AS WELL, BUT CHANCES ARE NOT HIGH
ENOUGH TO INCLUDE IN THE TAF FOR NOW.
SUB-VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE INTO TOMORROW NIGHT FOR MOST OF
EASTERN NC BEFORE CONDITIONS FINALLY BEGIN TO IMPROVE OVERNIGHT AS
LOW PRESSURE AND RAIN SHOWERS SHIFT OFFSHORE.
LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
AS OF 435 AM MON...WINDS VEER TO THE NORTH TUESDAY WITH GUSTS
TO AROUND 15-20 KT INLAND AND 25-35 KT ALONG THE COAST WITH
CLEARING SKIES AND A RETURN TO VFR CONDITIONS AS THE LOW PULLS
AWAY FROM THE AREA. PREDOMINANTLY VFR PREVAILS THROUGH FRIDAY,
WITH AN INCREASE IN CLOUD COVER THURSDAY WITH A PASSING MID-
LEVEL WAVE.
MARINE
SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF 330 AM MON...
KEY MESSAGES:
-RAPIDLY DETERIORATING MARINE CONDITIONS WILL
OVERSPREAD OUR WATERS FROM SOUTH TO NORTH TODAY AND TONIGHT AS
STRENGTHENING LOW IMPACTS THE REGION.
ITS THE PROVERBIAL CALM BEFORE THE STORM ACROSS OUR AREA WATERS
THIS MORNING WITH HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUING TO PUSH OFFSHORE
THIS MORNING AND A DEEPENING LOW WELL TO OUR SOUTH NEAR GA/FL.
WINDS GENERALLY REMAIN AT 5-15 KTS COMING FROM AN E TO NE
DIRECTION ACROSS ALL WATERS SOUTH OF OREGON INLET WITH LIGHT AND
VARIABLE WINDS NOTED TO THE NORTH. IN ADDITION TO THIS,
WIDESPREAD 2-4 FT SEAS ARE NOTED ACROSS OUR COASTAL WATERS.
THIS WILL NOT BE THE CASE LATER TODAY AS STRENGTHENING LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM NEAR FL/GA THIS MORNING PUSHES NE'WARDS WHILE
QUICKLY STRENGTHENING. THIS LOW WILL MAKES ITS CLOSEST POINT OF
APPROACH TO ENC TONIGHT. E-NE WINDS WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE
DAY, PEAKING AT 20-30 KT OVER THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL COASTAL
WATERS AND 15-25 KT ACROSS THE PAMLICO SOUND AND INLAND RIVERS
WHILE ACROSS THE WATERS NORTH OF OREGON INLET 5-15 KT E WINDS
WILL BE NOTED. AS THE LOW NEARS OUR COAST AND BEGINS TO PUSH OUT
TO SEA LATE TONIGHT, WINDS WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT TO A NE AND THE
N DIRECTION WHILE STRENGTHENING FURTHER WITH 25-30 KT NE-N
WINDS WITH 35 KT GUSTS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE PAMLICO SOUND AND
25-35 KT NE-N WINDS AND 40-45 KT GUSTS ACROSS THE COASTAL
WATERS SOUTH OF OREGON INLET TONIGHT. AS A RESULT HAVE UPGRADED
THE PAMLICO SOUND TO A GALE WARNING AND KEPT ALL ONGOING GALE
WARNINGS ACROSS OUR COASTAL WATERS SOUTH OF OREGON INLET.
FURTHER NORTH WINDS WILL INCREASE TO ABOUT 15-25 KTS WITH GUSTS
UP AROUND 25-30 KTS AT TIMES ACROSS THE REST OF OUR WATERS AND
AS A RESULT HAVE INCLUDED THE NORTHERN SOUNDS AND ALLIGATOR
RIVER IN A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN THIS FORECAST PACKAGE WHICH
STARTS TONIGHT AND LEFT THE OTHER SMALL CRAFTS ALONE. SEAS WILL
RESPOND IN KIND TO THE STRONG WINDS INCREASING TO 6-9 FT SOUTH
OF OREGON INLET THIS AFTERNOON EVENTUALLY GETTING TO 8-12 FT BY
TONIGHT. ACROSS OUR FAR NORTHER WATERS 2-4 FT SEAS WILL BUILD TO
4-6 FT THIS EVENING AND THEN 6-8 FT BY TUE MORNING. THESE
HAZARDOUS MARINE CONDITIONS CONTINUE INTO EARLY TUE MORNING
BEFORE GRADUALLY BEGINNING TO EASE AS THE LOW PULLS AWAY FROM
THE COAST.
LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
AS OF 435 AM MON... SEAS PEAK TUESDAY MORNING AROUND 8-12 FT
SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL WATERS AND 5-8 FT ACROSS THE NORTHERN
WATERS, THEN BEGIN TO SUBSIDE TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN WEDNESDAY BRINGING LIGHT WINDS WITH SEAS
CONTINUING TO SUBSIDE TO 3-5 FT BY LATE IN THE DAY. THE HIGH
MOVES OFFSHORE THURSDAY BRINGING SOUTHERLY WINDS AROUND 10-15 KT
WITH SEAS AROUND 2-4 FT.
MARINE INTERESTS SHOULD MONITOR FORECASTS FOR THE WEEKEND AS A
STRONG COLD FRONT IS LIKELY TO APPROACH AREA WATERS, RAISING THE
RISK FOR WIDESPREAD GALES AND DANGEROUS OFFSHORE CONDITIONS.
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING
AS OF 445 AM MON...MODELS COMING INTO BETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE
LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM PASSING OFF THE COAST TO THE SOUTH TODAY AND
TOMORROW. EASTERLY WINDS BEGIN TO INCREASE TODAY AS THE LOW
DEEPENS AS IT PUSHES OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST, THEN PEAKING OUT
OF THE NORTHEAST TONIGHT, BECOMING NORTH AND GRADUALLY
DIMINISHING TUESDAY AS THE LOW PUSHES EAST OF THE AREA. THE
STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE FOCUSED OVER THE COASTAL WATERS SOUTH
OF CAPE HATTERAS WHERE GALE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED. HIGH SURF
WILL REMAIN A RISK, PARTICULARLY SOUTH OF OREGON INLET TO CAPE
HATTERAS WHERE THE COMBINATION OF ONSHORE WINDS AND BREAKING
WAVES AROUND 5-8 FT COULD PRODUCE MINOR BEACH AND DUNE EROSION
AND POSSIBLY MINOR OCEAN OVERWASH AT VULNERABLE LOCATIONS. MINOR
BEACH EROSION IS POSSIBLE SOUTH OF CAPE HATTERAS TO CAPE
LOOKOUT WHERE 4-7 FT BREAKING WAVES ARE EXPECTED BUT THE WINDS
WILL BE PARALLEL TO THE COAST LIMITING THE PUSH OF WATER TO THE
DUNE LINE. CURRENT FORECAST IS A COUPLE FEET BELOW HIGH SURF
CRITERIA AND OPTED TO HOLD OFF ON ISSUING ANY HEADLINE HERE.
STRONGER WINDS WILL ALSO BE FOCUSED SOUNDSIDE, ESPECIALLY ACROSS
THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE PAMLICO SOUND. MINOR SOUNDSIDE WATER
LEVEL RISES IS POSSIBLE FOR AREAS ADJACENT TO THE SOUTHERN
PAMLICO SOUND, NEUSE AND BAY RIVERS, AND LESS SO FOR THE PAMLICO
AND PUNGO RIVERS. GIVEN A SLIGHT UPTICK IN SOUNDSIDE FORECAST
WINDS AND SUPPORT FROM RELIABLE GUIDANCE, DECIDED TO ISSUE A
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FOR PAMLICO, S CRAVEN AND E CARTERET FOR
UP TO A FOOT OF INUNDATION ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. IN A WORST CASE
SCENARIO, RISES UP TO 2 FEET ARE POSSIBLE.
MHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NC...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM EDT
TUESDAY FOR NCZ094-194-196.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 1 PM EDT TUESDAY
FOR AMZ131-230-231.
GALE WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 10 AM EDT TUESDAY FOR
AMZ135.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 11 AM EDT
TUESDAY FOR AMZ136-137.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 11 AM EDT
WEDNESDAY FOR AMZ150.
GALE WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 2 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR
AMZ152-154-156-158.
SYNOPSIS...MHX
NEAR TERM...RCF
SHORT TERM...RCF
LONG TERM...MS
AVIATION...MS/RCF
MARINE...MS/RCF
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...MHX
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