274  
FXUS62 KMHX 271838  
AFDMHX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC  
238 PM EDT TUE MAY 27 2025  
   
SYNOPSIS
 
 
A WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE NORTHEAST ALONG THE COAST  
TONIGHT, THEN SHIFT OFFSHORE WEDNESDAY MORNING. CONDITIONS LOOK  
TO REMAIN UNSETTLED INTO THE END OF THE WEEK AS MULTIPLE  
FRONTS IMPACT THE AREA. HIGH PRESSURE MAY FINALLY BUILD INTO THE  
EASTERN SEABOARD BY THE WEEKEND FINALLY BRINGING MORE BENIGN  
CONDITIONS TO THE REGION.  
 

 
   
NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/
 
 
AS OF 1230 PM TUESDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- MONITORING A HEAVY RAIN/FLOODING POTENTIAL TONIGHT  
 
- CONDITIONAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORM RISK TONIGHT  
 
THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THIS AFTERNOON, A WEAK MID-LEVEL  
SHORTWAVE WILL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS NE ACROSS CENTRAL AND  
EASTERN NC. A PLUME OF DEEPER MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS  
FEATURE, PLUS STRONG LOW-MID LEVEL WAA WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT  
AN AREA OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS, MAINLY  
IMPACTING THE WESTERN HALF OF ENC. CLOSER TO THE COAST, OFF AND  
ON LIGHT RAIN OR DRIZZLE MAY OCCUR, BUT RAINFALL AMOUNTS DON'T  
LOOK TO BE AS HIGH AS FURTHER INLAND.  
 
LATER THIS EVENING THROUGH TONIGHT, A STRONGER MID-LEVEL  
SHORTWAVE (LIKELY A CONVECTIVELY-INDUCED MCV) IS FORECAST TO  
LIFT NE THROUGH THE CAROLINAS. IT APPEARS THAT THIS WAVE WILL  
HELP INDUCE WEAK CYCLOGENESIS ALONG A WARM FRONT THAT IS  
CURRENTLY PARKED JUST OFFSHORE OF THE NC COAST. THE DEVELOPING  
SURFACE LOW WILL COMBINE WITH THE WARM FRONT TO SUPPORT AN AREA  
OF ENHANCED LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE. GUIDANCE DIFFER ON WHERE THIS  
LOW WILL DEVELOP AND WHAT TRACK IT WILL TAKE. THIS IS IMPORTANT  
BECAUSE IT WILL PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN WHERE THE GREATEST  
LOW-LEVEL FORCING IS FOCUSED THROUGH TONIGHT. OFTENTIMES, COLD  
AIR DAMMING SETUPS ARE SLOWER TO LIFT OUT OF THE AREA THAN  
MODELS FORECAST, AND IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT THE WARM FRONT  
NEVER GETS FULLY INLAND AS THE SFC LOW MOVES NE ALONG THE ENC  
COAST. THIS APPEARS TO BE THE MOST LIKELY SCENARIO.  
 
MEANWHILE, A PLUME OF RICH LOW-MID LEVEL MOISTURE (PWATS OF  
1.75-2") IS FORECAST TO ADVECT NORTH THROUGH ENC THROUGH THE  
NIGHT AS A MODEST SERLY LLJ DEVELOPS IN ADVANCE OF THE  
APPROACHING MCV. THE LLJ SHOULD ALSO HELP SUPPORT A PLUME OF  
MODEST INSTABILITY GETTING PULLED NORTH TOWARDS THE COAST. IT  
APPEARS THE GREATEST INSTABILITY WILL RESIDE ALONG AND SOUTH OF  
WHERE THE WARM FRONT REACHES. PROBABILISTICALLY, THE GREATEST  
CHANCE OF DEEP MOISTURE, MODEST INSTABILITY, AND STRONG LIFT  
OVERLAPPING EACH OTHER LOOKS TO BE FROM THE CRYSTAL COAST  
NORTHEAST THROUGH THE SOUTHERN OBX. AGAIN, IT SHOULD BE NOTED  
THAT GUIDANCE VARIES FROM OFFSHORE WITH THIS OVERLAP TO FURTHER  
INLAND. WHEREVER THE OVERLAP OCCURS, THERE WILL BE A RISK OF  
THUNDERSTORMS WITH ENHANCED RAINFALL RATES AND A RISK OF  
FLOODING. ADDITIONALLY, THE INCREASE IN SERLY LOW-LEVEL FLOW  
SHOULD LEAD TO AN INCREASED IN LOW-LEVEL CURVATURE, WITH SRH OF  
100-200 M2/S2 EXPECTED. THIS WILL ALSO SUPPORT A RISK OF SEVERE  
THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY DEVELOP. THE PRIMARY  
RISK LOOKS TO BE STRONG WINDS AND BRIEF/WEAK TORNADOES.  
 

 
   
SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY/
 
 
AS OF 1230 PM TUESDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- MONITORING A CONDITIONAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORM RISK IN THE  
MORNING AND AGAIN IN THE AFTERNOON  
 
- TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO BE MUCH WARMER ON WEDNESDAY  
 
AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO BE ONGOING WEDNESDAY  
MORNING WITH A CONDITIONAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE  
OF STRONG WINDS AND BRIEF/WEAK TORNADOES. BASED ON THE LATEST  
GUIDANCE, IT APPEARS THE GREATEST RISK IN THE MORNING WILL BE  
ALONG THE OBX.  
 
MOVING INTO THE AFTERNOON, GUIDANCE IS IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT  
DEPICTING A LOW-MID LEVEL DRYSLOT OVERSPREADING THE AREA IN THE  
WAKE OF THE MORNING CONVECTION. IN THIS SCENARIO, THE AFTERNOON  
CONVECTIVE COVERAGE WOULD BE MORE MUTED, WITH A LOWER RISK OF  
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. SOME GUIDANCE SHOWS LESS OF A DRYSLOT  
DEVELOPING. IN THIS SCENARIO, THE CONVECTIVE COVERAGE AND SEVERE  
THUNDERSTORM RISK WOULD BE HIGHER COMPARED TO SCENARIO #1.  
RIGHT NOW, THE DRIER AND LOWER THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE SCENARIO  
APPEARS TO BE THE MOST LIKELY ONE, BUT STAY TUNED IN CASE THIS  
CHANGES.  
 
ALSO IN THAT SCENARIO, THE DRYSLOT SHOULD HELP TO SCOUR OUT THE  
RECENT COLD AIR DAMMING SETUP, LEADING TO MUCH WARMER  
TEMPERATURES COMPARED TO THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS.  
 

 
   
LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/
 
 
AS OF 400 AM TUE...  
 
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- UNSETTLED WEATHER LINGERS FOR THROUGH THE END OF THE WORK  
WEEK WITH MULTIPLE CHANCES FOR RAIN/THUNDER.  
 
UPDATE: HAVE TRENDED DRIER FOR THE WEEKEND, AS  
26/12Z GUIDANCE QUICKER WITH FROPA LATE FRI, WITH LEE SIDE  
CYCLONIC FLOW IN ITS WAKE KEEPING POPS 20% OR LESS SAT AND  
BEYOND. HAVE ADJUSTED GENERALLY LOWER THAN NBM BEYOND WED, AS  
CONVECTIVE PATTERN SUGGESTS PRECIP MORE SCT IN NATURE AND  
PEAKING DURING THE DIURNAL CYCLE, WITH LESSER CHANCES DURING THE  
OVERNIGHT PDS. WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR SVR POTENTIAL FRI, AS  
LATEST ECM INDICATING ROBUST SHORTWAVE WITH SFC LOW SWINGING  
THROUGH CTRL NC.  
 
THURSDAY - MONDAY: A CUTOFF LOW CENTERED OVER THE MIDWEST IS  
FORECAST TO BECOME RE-INTEGRATED WITH THE MAIN POLAR JET TOWARDS  
THE END OF THE WORK WEEK AS A SEPARATE UPPER TROUGH DIGS  
SOUTHWARD OUT OF CANADA. AS THIS FEATURE TRANSITIONS EASTWARD, A  
SURFACE LOW WILL MOVE ACROSS THE MIDWESTERN US WITH ANOTHER  
AREA OF SURFACE LOW PRESSURE FORMING AHEAD OF THE UPPER TROUGH  
IN THE NEW ENGLAND VICINITY. THIS WILL SERVE TO DRIVE A COLD  
FRONT THROUGH ENC LATE IN THE WEEK/EARLY IN THE WEEKEND.  
GUIDANCE IS BEGINNING TO CONVERGE ON TIMING OF HIGHEST  
THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE ON FRIDAY, AND RAISED POPS TO LIKELY TO  
ACCOUNT FOR THIS TREND. ECMWF CONTINUES TO SHOW A ROBUST  
SHORTWAVE ROTATING THROUGH THE AREA ON FRIDAY WHICH MAY SUPPORT  
SOME MODEST SEVERE RISK; THIS WILL NEED TO BE WATCHED IN THE  
COMING DAYS. HIGH PRESSURE IS THEN FORECAST TO BUILD IN BEHIND  
THE FRONT, WHICH LOOKS TO BRING SOME DRIER WEATHER TO ENC FOR AT  
LEAST A COUPLE OF DAYS. HIGHS WARM UP INTO THE LOW 80S THURSDAY  
- SATURDAY. TEMPS WARM FURTHER INTO THE MID-80S FOR THE LATER  
PART OF THE WEEKEND.  
 

 
   
AVIATION /19Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/
 
 
SHORT TERM /THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY/...  
AS OF 200 PM TUESDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- PERIODS OF IFR/MVFR THROUGH WEDNESDAY AM  
- TSRA RISK TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY  
 
A WEAK UPPER LEVEL WAVE WILL MOVE THROUGH CENTRAL/EASTERN NC  
OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS, AND WILL SUPPORT A CONTINUED RISK OF  
LOW CIGS, REDUCED VIS, AND PERIODS OF RA THROUGH EARLY THIS  
EVENING. DURING THIS TIME, PERIODS OF IFR CIGS ARE EXPECTED.  
IT'S UNCLEAR HOW LONG THE IFR CONDITIONS WILL LAST, AND HOW FAR  
EAST THIS RISK WILL EXTEND. I KEPT IFR CIGS IN FOR ALL TAF  
SITES, BUT HAVE ADJUSTED THE TIMES SOME BASED ON THE LATEST  
GUIDANCE AND RECENT OBS.  
 
LATER THIS EVENING AND THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS, ANOTHER  
UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA,  
ACCOMPANIED BY A RENEWED RISK OF LOW CIGS, REDUCED VIS, AND RA.  
THERE SHOULD BE AN ACCOMPANYING TSRA RISK AS WELL, ESPECIALLY  
CLOSER TO THE COAST FROM KNJM TO KMRH TO KHSE. FURTHER INLAND,  
THE TSRA RISK APPEARS LOWER. FOR THIS REASON, I OPTED TO KEEP  
TSRA OUT OF ALL ENC TAF SITES. ONCE THE MORNING SHRA AND TSRA  
CLEAR OUT, LOW TO MID LEVEL DRYING IS EXPECTED TO LEAD TO  
IMPROVING CONDITIONS AND A REDUCED RISK OF SUB VFR CONDITIONS.  
AFTERNOON TSRA MAY REDEVELOP, BUT IT WILL DEPEND ON IF THE  
AIRMASS CAN RECOVER FROM THE MORNING ACTIVITY.  
 
LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...  
AS OF 400 AM TUE...UNSETTLED PATTERN CONTINUES THROUGH THE END  
OF THE WORK WEEK BRINGING MULTIPLE CHANCES FOR RAIN/THUNDER AND  
SUB-VFR CONDITIONS.  
 

 
   
MARINE
 
 
SHORT TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...  
AS OF 1230 PM TUESDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- ELEVATED WINDS AND SEAS THROUGH WEDNESDAY  
 
- THUNDERSTORMS WITH AN ACCOMPANYING RISK OF WATERSPOUTS AND  
STRONG WINDS TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING  
 
A MODEST PRESSURE GRADIENT CURRENTS RESIDES ACROSS THE ENC  
WATERS, SUPPORTING EASTERLY WINDS OF 10-20KT, WITH GUSTS OF  
20-25KT. THE STRONGEST WINDS, THUS FAR, HAVE BEEN CONFINED TO  
THE COASTAL WATERS. WITH THE MODEST EASTERLY WINDS, SEAS HAVE  
BEEN ELEVATED, AND ARE CURRENTLY 4-6 FT. THESE CONDITIONS SHOULD  
REMAIN ABOUT THE SAME THROUGH SUNSET THIS EVENING. LATER THIS  
EVENING AND THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS, LOW PRESSURE IS  
FORECAST TO DEVELOP ALONG THE ABOVE- MENTIONED WARM FRONT.  
GUIDANCE DIFFERS ON THE STRENGTH OF THE LOW, WHICH WILL FACTOR  
INTO HOW STRONG THE WINDS GET OVERNIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING.  
RIGHT NOW, THE MOST LIKELY SCENARIO IS A PERIOD OF 15-25KT EAST  
TO SOUTHEAST WINDS, WITH GUSTS TO 30KT. WINDS WILL THEN BECOME  
SOUTHERLY THEN SOUTHWESTERLY AS WE MOVE INTO WEDNESDAY. WINDS  
ARE EXPECTED TO LAY DOWN SOME ONCE THE SWITCH TO SOUTHWESTERLY  
FLOW OCCURS.  
 
THE RISK OF THUNDERSTORMS LOOKS TO REMAIN LOW THROUGH THE  
REMAINDER OF TODAY. THIS RISK IS THEN EXPECTED TO INCREASE  
THROUGH THE NIGHT TONIGHT, AND LAST INTO MID-MORNING WEDNESDAY.  
WHERE THUNDERSTORMS OCCUR, THERE WILL BE AN ACCOMPANYING RISK OF  
40KT+ WINDS AND WATERSPOUTS. THE GREATEST RISK APPEARS TO BE  
ACROSS THE PAMLICO SOUND AND THE COASTAL WATERS SOUTH OF CAPE  
HATTERAS.  
 
LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...  
AS OF 400 AM MON...UNSETTLED WEATHER CONTINUES THROUGH THE END  
OF THE WORK WEEK WITH MULTIPLE CHANCES FOR RAIN/THUNDER. WINDS  
BECOME SOUTHERLY AT 15-20 KTS (GUSTS 15-20) AND WAVES FURTHER  
SUBSIDE TO 4-6 FT WEDNESDAY. SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 10-15 KTS  
(GUSTS OF 15-20) ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE END OF THE WORK WEEK,  
WITH WAVES GENERALLY 2-4 FEET. SCA CONDITIONS LIKELY RETURN  
SATURDAY AS NEXT FRONT APPROACHES THE AREA.  
 

 
   
HYDROLOGY
 
 
AS OF 1230 PM TUESDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- MONITORING A HEAVY RAIN/FLOODING RISK TONIGHT INTO EARLY  
WEDNESDAY AM  
 
A WEAK SURFACE LOW IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP OFF THE COAST OF  
SC/NC THIS EVENING, AND LIFT NORTHEAST ALONG THE ENC COAST  
TONIGHT. GUIDANCE DIFFERS ON THE TRACK OF THIS LOW, BUT ALONG  
ITS TRACK THERE IS EXPECTED TO BE A SWATH OF ENHANCED RAINFALL  
RATES, WITH AN AREAL AVERAGE OF 1-3" OF RAIN. WITHIN THIS SWATH,  
PROBABILISTIC GUIDANCE SUGGESTS AMOUNTS AS HIGH AS 3-7" WILL BE  
POSSIBLE. THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS EXPECTED TO SHIFT BACK OFFSHORE  
BY MID-MORNING WEDNESDAY. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE  
WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT REDEVELOP ON WEDNESDAY, ALTHOUGH  
THE COVERAGE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO BE LOWER COMPARED  
TO TONIGHT. OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, MUCH OF ENC IS  
RUNNING 200-400% OF NORMAL FOR PRECIPITATION, WHICH MAY HELP  
SUPPORT A FLOOD/FLASH FLOOD RISK WHERE THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL  
OCCURS. WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR TRENDS IN WHERE THE HEAVIEST  
RAIN MAY SETUP, AS HYDRO HEADLINES MAY EVENTUALLY BE NEEDED.  
 

 
   
MHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
NC...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR NCZ195-  
196-199-203>205.  
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM EDT  
WEDNESDAY FOR AMZ135.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 8 AM WEDNESDAY TO 2 AM EDT THURSDAY  
FOR AMZ150.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR AMZ152-154.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR AMZ156.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR AMZ158.  
 

 
 

 
 
SYNOPSIS...MHX  
NEAR TERM...RM  
SHORT TERM...RM  
LONG TERM...MS  
AVIATION...RM/MS  
MARINE...RM/MS  
HYDROLOGY...MHX  
 
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