614  
FXUS62 KMHX 180740  
AFDMHX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC  
340 AM EDT FRI JUL 18 2025  
   
SYNOPSIS
 
 
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO EASTERN NC THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH  
DANGEROUS HEAT AND HUMIDITY. A WAVY FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL BRING  
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY  
NEXT WEEK. THE FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE AREA MONDAY, WITH  
HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING IN FROM THE NORTH THROUGH MID-WEEK.  
 

 
   
NEAR TERM /THROUGH TODAY/
 
 
AS OF 245 AM FRI...  
 
KEY MESSAGES...  
 
- DANGEROUS HEAT AND HUMIDITY WITH HEAT INDICES OF 105-110  
DEGREES.  
 
- FLOOD WATCH FOR AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF HWY 264 FOR HEAVY  
RAINFALL RATES AND POTENTIAL FOR LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING.  
 
- A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM RISK AS WELL MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF  
HWY 264, WITH DAMAGING WINDS THE MAIN THREAT.  
 
LATEST ANALYSIS SHOWS HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDING OVER THE SE US  
WITH WAVY FRONTAL BOUNDARY OVER THE MID-ATLANTIC, GRAD SINKING  
SOUTHWARD. AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING FRONT, HEAT WILL INC AND  
THE STILL-OPPRESSIVE DEWPOINTS IN THE 75-80 DEGREE RANGE WILL  
COMBINE TO PRODUCE DANGEROUS HEAT INDICES IN THE 105-110 DEGREE  
RANGE. HEAT ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR ALL OF THE AREA.  
 
WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED FRONT SINKING INTO THE NORTHERN PARTS OF  
ENC THIS AFTERNOON ALONG WITH APPROACHING SHORTWAVE, WILL  
PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS THIS  
AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. MEAN FLOW IS NEARLY PARALLEL WITH THE  
FRONTAL BOUNDARY, AND WITH PW'S IN THE 2.25-2.5" RANGE, A THREAT  
FOR FLOODING/FLASH FLOODING WILL BE PRESENT. STILL LOOKS LIKE  
INITIATION WILL OCCUR IN THE CROATAN/ROANOKE/ALBEMARLE  
CONVERGENCE ZONE, AND THEN SPREAD WESTWARD/SOUTHWARD THROUGH  
LATE IN THE DAY THROUGH THE HWY 64 AND 264 CORRIDORS. FLOOD  
WATCH CONTINUES FOR COUNTIES ALONG AND NORTH OF HWY 264.  
RAINFALL RATES COULD BE QUITE INTENSE, WITH RATES OF OVER 2" PER  
HOUR AT TIMES...WITH POTENTIAL FOR 2-4" RAINFALL TOTALS, AND  
LOCALLY HIGHER FOR SOME AREAS. FURTHER SOUTH, CONVECTION WILL BE  
MORE SCT TO ISO IN NATURE.  
 
IN ADDITION TO THE FLOOD THREAT, A SEVERE RISK WILL BE PRESENT,  
WITH HIGHEST PROBABILITIES ALONG AND NORTH OF HWY 264 WHERE  
DEEP LAYER SHEAR IS AOA 20 KT. LARGE FAT CAPES WILL PRODUCE  
FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN STORMS, AND WITH STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE  
RATES PRESENT, WET MICROBURST WINDS WILL BE A THREAT WITH  
LOCALLY DAMAGING GUSTS POSSIBLE.  
 

 
   
SHORT TERM /TONIGHT/
 
 
AS OF 245 AM FRI...  
 
KEY MESSAGES...  
 
- ISOLATED SVR THREAT AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING THREAT WILL  
CONTINUE THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF TONIGHT.  
 
CONVECTION WILL BE ONGOING THIS EVENING, GRAD ENDING LATE  
TONIGHT AND EARLY SAT MORNING. MAIN AREA OF CONCERN WILL BE  
AREAS NORTH OF HWY 70, ESP THOSE FURTHER NORTH CLOSER TO THE  
ALBEMARLE. PATCHY FOG AND LOW STRATUS MAY DEVELOP BEHIND THE  
PRECIP EARLY SAT MORNING ACROSS THE NORTHERN FORECAST AREA AND  
THE COASTAL PLAIN.  
 

 
   
LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/
 
 
AS OF 3 AM FRIDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGES...  
 
- HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY  
 
- POTENTIAL FOR HAZARDOUS HEAT CONTINUES THIS WEEKEND.  
 
- ISOLATED DIURNAL STORMS POSSIBLE TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY  
 
FRONTAL BOUNDARY LINGERS OVER NC/VA SATURDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE  
SITS TO OUR SOUTH. SHORTWAVES CONTINUE TO RIDE ALONG THE  
NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE HIGH ALONG THE WAVY FRONTAL BOUNDARY  
BRINGING ELEVATED RAIN/TSTORM PROBS THROUGH MONDAY. SATURDAY  
HIGH TEMPS IN THE MID 90S PAIRED WITH TDS IN THE MID TO UPPER  
70S BRINGS APPARENT TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 100-110F. PROPER  
PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN BY THOSE WHO EITHER WORK OUTDOORS OR  
ARE PLANNING ON SPENDING AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME OUTSIDE  
INTO THE WEEKEND. SATURDAY NIGHT THE HIGH STARTS TO SHIFT  
SW'WARD, PUTTING US ON THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE RIDGING.  
MODELS ARE INDICATING A SHORTWAVE RIDING THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY  
OF THIS RIDGE, MAYBE IN THE FORM OF AN MCS, SATURDAY EVENING/NIGHT.  
HIGH PWATS GREATER THAN 2", 500MB WINDS AT 15-30KTS, AND  
LINGERING INSTABILITY MAKES THE ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO  
STRONGER STORMS MOVING THROUGH THE REGION SATURDAY EVENING INTO  
SATURDAY NIGHT. THE LIMITING FACTOR IS FORCING, AS THE PLACEMENT  
OF THE RIDGE DETERMINES WHERE ALONG THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY THE  
SHORTWAVE, AND BY EXTENSION THE MCS, MOVES THROUGH. IF THE MCS  
MAINTAINS ITS STRENGTH AND MOVES THROUGH ENC, IT WOULD BE  
CAPABLE OF HEAVY RAINFALL AND STRONG WIND GUSTS. WPC HAS  
MUCH OF OUR WARNING AREA IN A SLIGHT (2/4) RISK FOR EXCESSIVE  
RAINFALL SATURDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT.  
 
SUNDAY RIDGING WEAKENS OVER ENC WITH THE SW SHIFT OF THE HIGH,  
BRINGING TEMPS DOWN A NOTCH (BUT STILL FLIRTING WITH HEAT  
ADVISORY CRITERIA). MONDAY A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH  
THE REGION, INCREASING POPS TO ABOVE CLIMO AS ADDITIONAL  
FORCING IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE STORM COVERAGE. TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY  
SUBSIDENCE ALOFT DRIES UP THE MID AND UPPER LEVELS, BRINGING  
POPS DOWN AS STORM COVERAGE ALONG BOUNDARIES IS EXPECTED TO BE  
ISOLATED TO SCATTERED AT BEST. DEWPOINTS ALSO DROP TO THE UPPER  
60S, LEADING TO A VERY PLEASANT COUPLE OF DAYS OVER ENC NEXT  
WEEK.  
 

 
   
AVIATION /07Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/
 
 
SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...  
AS OF 245 AM FRI...VFR EXPECTED TO PREVAIL OVERNIGHT ALTHOUGH  
LIKE LAST NIGHT SOME SPOTTY LOW STRATUS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION  
OVER THE COASTAL PLAIN. SLOW MOVING FRONT APPROACHES THE REGION  
FROM THE NORTH TODAY, BRINGING WITH IT A RENEWED INCREASE IN  
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BRINGING THE THREAT OF TORRENTIAL  
RAINFALL AND STRONG WINDS IN THE FORM OF WET MICROBURSTS.  
GREATEST COVERAGE IS EXPECTED NORTH OF EWN, BUT WILL GRADUALLY  
EXPAND SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE DAY. STORM THREAT MAY LINGER FOR A  
FEW HOURS BEYOND 00Z SAT. POTENTIAL FOR PATCHY FOG AND LOW  
STRATUS TO DEVELOP BEHIND THE PRECIP LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY SAT  
MORNING.  
 
LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...  
AS OF 330 AM FRIDAY...THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND  
THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TUESDAY, BRINGING WITH IT REDUCED VIS AND  
CIGS WITHIN THUNDERSTORMS. TSTORMS COULD ALSO BRING FREQUENT  
LIGHTNING, TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS, AND GUSTY WINDS. THERE WILL BE  
A FOG AND LOW STRATUS THREAT AT NIGHT AS WELL WITH LIGHT TO CALM  
WINDS AND MOIST LOW LEVELS, EXACERBATED BY ANY AREAS THAT SEE  
MEANINGFUL RAINFALL DURING THE DAYTIME.  
 

 
   
MARINE
 
 
SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...  
AS OF 245 AM FRI...LATEST OBS SHOW SW WINDS 10-20 KT GUSTING TO  
20-25 KT ACROSS THE OUTER COASTAL WATERS AND EASTERN PAMLICO  
SOUND WITH SEAS 2-5 FT. SCAS CONTINUE FOR THE COASTAL WATERS AS  
WELL AS PAMLICO, CROATAN, ROANOKE SOUNDS THROUGH EARLY THIS  
MORNING. A FRONT WILL APPROACH THE NORTHERN WATERS AND ALBEMARLE  
SOUND TODAY, STALLING INTO TONIGHT. WINDS WILL GRAD DIMINISH  
LATER THIS MORNING, LIGHTER ACROSS THE NORTHERN WATERS 5-10 KT  
AND STRONGER ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WATERS 10-20 KT.  
SEAS GRAD SUBSIDING TO 2-4 FT. INC THREATS FOR THUNDERSTORMS  
NEAR THE ALBEMARLE SOUND AND NORTHERN WATERS NEAR AND NORTH OF  
OREGON INLET THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT, WITH POTENTIAL FOR  
STRONG WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.  
 
LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...  
AS OF 330 AM FRIDAY...AS WE GET INTO THE WEEKEND WINDS DO EASE  
SLIGHTLY AS RIDGING WEAKENS, ALLOWING SW`RLY WINDS TO FALL TO  
10-15 KTS SAT THROUGH SUN. MONDAY MORNING A BACK DOOR COLD  
FRONT MOVES THROUGH, BRINGING BEHIND IT NORTH/NORTHEAST WINDS  
10-20KT WHICH CONTINUES THROUGH TUESDAY. SEAS 2-4 FT EXPECTED  
THROUGH THE LONG TERM. DIURNAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE  
POSSIBLE THROUGH THE PERIOD, WITH HIGHEST PROBS SATURDAY  
AND MONDAY  
 

 
   
HYDROLOGY
 
 
AS OF 245 AM FRI...A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL SINK INTO NORTHERN  
PARTS OF ENC TODAY. SLOW MOVING SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS  
THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT, AND WITH A VERY  
MOIST ATMOSPHERE WILL PRODUCE A THREAT FOR FLOODING AND  
LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING. RAIN RATES MAY APPROACH OR EXCEED 2  
INCHES PER HOUR AT TIMES, WITH RAINFALL TOTALS THROUGH TONIGHT  
OF 2 TO 4 INCHES, WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OVER 4 INCHES  
POSSIBLE.  
 
HEAVY RAIN POTENTIAL CONTINUES SATURDAY AS FRONTAL BOUNDARY  
CONTINUES TO LINGER OVER ENC. A MCS MAY MOVE THROUGH THE REGION  
SATURDAY EVENING INTO SATURDAY NIGHT, CAPABLE OF PRODUCING  
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL.  
 

 
   
MHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
NC...HEAT ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING  
FOR NCZ029-044>047-079>081-090>092-094-193>196-198-199-  
203>205.  
FLOOD WATCH FROM 3 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT  
FOR NCZ029-044>047-080-081-203-205.  
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EDT EARLY THIS MORNING FOR  
AMZ135-150-158-231.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EDT EARLY THIS MORNING FOR  
AMZ152-154-156.  
 

 
 

 
 
SYNOPSIS...MHX  
NEAR TERM...CQD  
SHORT TERM...CQD  
LONG TERM...RM/RJ  
AVIATION...CQD/RJ  
MARINE...CQD/RJ  
HYDROLOGY...MHX  
 
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.

The Nexlab NC Page Main Text Page