458  
FXUS61 KPHI 211937  
AFDPHI  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ  
337 PM EDT MON SEP 21 2026  
 
COASTAL FLOOD HEADLINES HAVE BEEN ISSUED. A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY  
IS IN EFFECT FOR TOMORROW EVENING'S HIGH TIDE FOR COASTAL COUNTIES  
SOUTH OF BARNEGAT INLET AND FOR KENT COUNTY, DE. FOR THOSE SAME  
AREAS, A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR WEDNESDAY AND  
THURSDAY EVENING'S HIGH TIDE AS MODERATE TIDAL FLOODING IS POSSIBLE.  
 
SIGNIFICANT UNCERTAINTY REMAINS REGARDING THE TRACK OF THE LATE WEEK  
COASTAL LOW, BUT AT LEAST SOME IMPACTS APPEAR LIKELY TO LOCATIONS  
NEAR THE COAST.  
 
WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE IN DANGEROUS BEACH CONDITIONS, THE HIGH  
RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS WAS EXTENDED THROUGH FRIDAY. A HIGH SURF  
ADVISORY WAS ALSO ISSUED FOR WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AT ALL  
BEACHES.  
 
 
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
1. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY SOUTH OF THE REGION WILL KEEP RAIN CHANCES  
AROUND THROUGH MID-WEEK, ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE  
AREA.  
 
2. A CLOSED MID-LEVEL LOW EJECTING FROM THE OHIO VALLEY IS EXPECTED  
TO LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SURFACE LOW OFF THE EASTERN SEABOARD  
DURING THE MIDDLE AND LATTER PARTS OF THIS WEEK. DEPENDING ON THE  
TRACK OF THE LOW, IT COULD BRING INCREASED RAINFALL CHANCES TO THE  
REGION.  
 
3. MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT TIDAL FLOODING  
EXPECTED FOR THIS WEEK. THE FIRST BATCH OF COASTAL FLOOD HEADLINES  
HAVE BEEN ISSUED WITH MORE LIKELY TO COME.  
 
4. DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS AND HIGH SURF ARE EXPECTED AT THE  
JERSEY SHORE AND DELAWARE BEACHES. SIGNIFICANT BEACH EROSION IS  
ALSO LIKELY.  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
 
KEY MESSAGE 1...A FRONTAL BOUNDARY SOUTH OF THE REGION WILL KEEP  
RAIN CHANCES AROUND THROUGH MID-WEEK, ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHERN  
PORTIONS OF THE AREA.  
 
THE COLD FRONT THAT CROSSED THROUGH OUR REGION SUNDAY NIGHT IS  
STALLING TO OUR SOUTH, AND REMAIN THERE THROUGH TUESDAY. IT  
CONTINUES TO LOOK LIKE IT WILL LIFT A LITTLE CLOSER TO OUR REGION  
TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING AS A WARM FRONT, BUT REMAIN JUST SOUTH  
OF THE AREA. DUE TO THE CLOSER PROXIMITY, AND A MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE  
TROUGH, MEAN THAT THAT PERIOD WILL HAVE THE HIGHEST CHANCE FOR RAIN  
ACROSS OUR REGION. GIVEN THAT OUR LOW WILL BE ON THE COOL SIDE OF  
THE FRONT, SHOWERS ARE GOING TO BE THE MAIN MODE OF ANY  
PRECIPITATION. HOWEVER, ISOLATED, EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE  
POSSIBLE OVER DELMARVA, PARTICULARLY DURING THE DAY ON TUESDAY.  
 
CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT TEMPERATURES WILL BE BELOW NORMAL STARTING  
TUESDAY. IN FACT, TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY STRUGGLE TO GET OUT OF  
THE 60S AREAWIDE THROUGH MOST OF THIS WEEK.  
 
KEY MESSAGE 2...A CLOSED MID-LEVEL LOW EJECTING FROM THE OHIO VALLEY  
IS EXPECTED TO LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SURFACE LOW OFF THE  
EASTERN SEABOARD DURING THE MIDDLE AND LATTER PARTS OF THIS WEEK.  
DEPENDING ON THE TRACK OF THE LOW, IT COULD BRING INCREASED RAINFALL  
CHANCES TO THE REGION.  
 
CONFIDENCE CONTINUES TO INCREASE THAT AS A MID-LEVEL IMPULSE TRACKS  
EASTWARD OUT OF PORTIONS OF THE MIDWEST AND OHIO VALLEY TOWARDS THE  
EASTERN SEABOARD, SURFACE CYCLOGENESIS WILL OCCUR OFF THE COAST OF  
THE CAROLINAS TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. THE INITIAL TRACK OF THE  
DEVELOPING LOW IS EXPECTED TO BE TO THE NORTHEAST, WELL OFFSHORE.  
HOWEVER, WITH A STRONG HIGH CENTERED OVER PORTIONS OF QUEBEC, A  
SHARP PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE REGION WILL AT LEAST LEAD TO BREEZY  
CONDITIONS THROUGH THURSDAY NEAR THE COAST. IT SHOULD REMAIN MOSTLY  
DRY THROUGH THIS PERIOD HOWEVER.  
 
FRIDAY AND BEYOND, SIGNIFICANT UNCERTAINTY REMAINS. MODELS NOW FALL  
INTO TWO RELATIVELY DISTINCT CAMPS, WITH ONE CAMP CONTINUING TO TAKE  
THE LOW NORTHEAST AND AWAY FROM THE REGION. THE OTHER CAMP HAS THE  
LOW DEVIATING DUE NORTHWARD OR EVEN NORTHWESTWARD TO OUR REGION. THE  
EC ENSEMBLES ARE GENERALLY CLUSTERED FAIRLY TIGHTLY NEAR THE  
DETERMINISTIC EC, WHICH WOULD FAVOR THIS SCENARIO. ON THE OTHER  
HAND, THE DETERMINISTIC GFS HAS THE LOW CONTINUING NORTHEASTWARD AND  
THE GEFS ONLY HAS A FEW MEMBERS BRINGING THE LOW TOWARDS THE COAST.  
 
UNFORTUNATELY, THE DIFFERENCE IN SENSIBLE WEATHER OUTCOMES BETWEEN  
THESE TWO SCENARIOS IS SUBSTANTIAL. SHOULD THE LOW TRACK  
NORTHEASTWARD AWAY FROM THE REGION, ANY RAIN WOULD BE CONFINED TO  
THE IMMEDIATE COAST, IF ANY, AND WINDS WOULD DECREASE QUICKER. A  
TRACK CLOSER TO THE COAST OR EVEN INTO THE COAST WOULD LEAD TO  
POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS FROM RAIN AND WIND. FOR NOW, POPS  
ARE MAINTAINED IN THE 20-40% RANGE, AND HIGHEST SOUTHEAST OF I-95.  
IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL MEMBERS IN THE ENSEMBLE  
SUITES WHICH FEATURE A MIDDLE GROUND SCENARIO, WHERE THE LOW DOES  
DEVIATE SOME BUT STILL REMAINS FAIRLY COMFORTABLY OFFSHORE. THIS  
SCENARIO WOULD LEAD TO SOME IMPACTS FROM RAIN AND WIND, BUT THE  
INLAND EXTENT WOULD BE FAIRLY LIMITED. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR  
TRENDS CLOSELY AS WE TRY TO NAIL DOWN SPECIFIC IMPACTS AND TIMING  
OVER THE COMING DAYS.  
 
KEY MESSAGE 3...MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT TIDAL  
FLOODING EXPECTED FOR THIS WEEK. THE FIRST BATCH OF COASTAL FLOOD  
HEADLINES HAVE BEEN ISSUED WITH MORE LIKELY TO COME.  
 
WITH A SLOW MOVING COASTAL STORM INCREASINGLY LIKELY, THE THREAT FOR  
TIDAL FLOODING HAS INCREASED. STRONG ONSHORE FLOW THAT IS PROJECTED  
TO LAST FOR SEVERAL DAYS WILL RESULT IN WATER PILING UP ACROSS TIDAL  
TRIBUTARIES AND WITHIN BACK BAYS OF COASTAL COMMUNITIES. TIDAL  
LEVELS WILL ALSO BE ENHANCED WITH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES INCREASING WITH  
THE UPCOMING FULL MOON ON SATURDAY. THIS COMBINATION OF FACTORS WILL  
LEAD TO WIDESPREAD TIDAL FLOODING, SOME OF WHICH COULD GET TO THE  
MODERATE STAGE. WHILE NOT CURRENTLY FORECAST, THE THREAT FOR MAJOR  
FLOODING IS NOT OFF THE TABLE, ESPECIALLY GETTING NEAR THE FULL  
MOON.  
 
MINOR TIDAL FLOODING BEGINS AS EARLY AS TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND  
EVENING FOR SOME LOCATIONS. A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY WAS ISSUED FOR  
OCEAN, ATLANTIC, AND CAPE MAY COUNTY IN NEW JERSEY AND KENT AND  
SUSSEX COUNTY IN DELAWARE. FOR THOSE SAME AREAS, TIDE LEVELS ARE  
EXPECTED TO INCREASE FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, POTENTIALLY GETTING  
TO MODERATE STAGE. A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH WAS ISSUED FOR WEDNESDAY  
AND THURSDAY EVENING'S HIGH TIDE. MODERATE TIDAL FLOODING COULD EVEN  
CONTINUE INTO THE WEEKEND. AS MENTIONED ABOVE, CANNOT RULE OUT TIDE  
LEVELS REACHING MAJOR, GIVEN THE SETUP.  
 
FOR THE REST OF THE NJ COAST NORTH OF BARNEGAT INLET, TIDE LEVELS  
ARE CURRENTLY FORECAST TO REACH MINOR ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.  
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORIES LIKELY WILL BE NEEDED, BUT TIDE LEVELS ARE  
CURRENTLY FORECAST TO STAY BELOW MODERATE AT THIS TIME AND LOWER  
WATER LEVELS THAN IN AREAS IN SOUTHERN DELAWARE AND SOUTH JERSEY.  
THE SAME GOES FOR THE NEW JERSEY SIDE OF DELAWARE BAY AND TIDAL  
DELAWARE RIVER.  
 
WIDESPREAD MINOR TIDAL FLOODING IS NOT CURRENTLY EXPECTED WITHIN THE  
CHESAPEAKE BAY. USUALLY, STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS DO NOT RESULT IN  
TIDAL FLOODING IN THESE AREAS.  
 
KEY MESSAGE 4...DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS AND HIGH SURF ARE  
EXPECTED AT THE JERSEY SHORE AND DELAWARE BEACHES. SIGNIFICANT  
BEACH EROSION IS ALSO LIKELY.  
 
A COASTAL STORM IS EXPECTED TO FORM OFFSHORE, RESULTING IN  
HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS ALONG THE COAST. THE SURFACE LOW WILL  
LINGER OFF OUR WATERS FOR MULTIPLE DAYS, BRINGING STRONG WINDS  
AND HIGH SEAS FOR OUR MARINE ZONES. BY WEDNESDAY, BREAKING  
WAVES WITHIN THE SURF ZONE OF 6 TO 12 FEET ARE EXPECTED. THIS  
WILL CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST FRIDAY WITH THE COASTAL STORM  
CURRENTLY PROGGED TO BE RIGHT AROUND THE BENCHMARK BY THE END OF  
THIS WEEK. DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS WILL ACCOMPANY THAT HIGH  
SURF, MAKING IT EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO ENTER THE WATER AT ANY  
TIME THIS WEEK. THE HIGH SURF AND STRONG WINDS COULD ALSO RESULT  
IN SIGNIFICANT BEACH EROSION FOR THE JERSEY SHORE AND DELAWARE  
BEACHES.  
 
WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE IN THE RIP CURRENT AND HIGH SURF FORECAST,  
THE HIGH RISK FOR LIFE THREATENING RIP CURRENTS WAS EXTENDED  
THROUGH FRIDAY FOR ALL BEACHES. A HIGH SURF ADVISORY WAS ISSUED  
FOR ALL BEACHES AS WELL FROM WEDNESDAY THROUGH AT LEAST FRIDAY,  
WHEN BREAKING WAVES WITHIN THE SURF ZONE WILL BE AROUND 10 FEET  
OR HIGHER.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /19Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/  
 
THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG,  
KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS.  
 
FOR KPHL, KPNE, KILG, KTTN, KABE, AND KRDG...EXPECT PREVAILING VFR  
CONDITIONS THROUGH THE DAY. A BRIEF PERIOD OF MVFR CEILINGS IS  
POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON FOR KPHL AND KILG, BUT ARE EXPECTED TO LIFT  
THIS EVENING. NEAR OR AFTER 05Z, MORE MVFR CEILINGS, AND AN  
ADDITIONAL ROUND OF RAIN WILL LIKELY MOVE THROUGH THE REGION. ONCE  
THE MVFR CEILINGS MOVE IN, EXPECT THAT TO BE THE CONTROLLING FACTOR  
IN FLIGHT CATEGORY THROUGH TUESDAY. NORTHEASTERLY WINDS AROUND 10KT,  
THOUGH OCCASIONAL GUSTS UP TO 20 KT WILL BE POSSIBLE. GUSTS UP TO  
AROUND 20 KTS WILL BECOME MORE FREQUENT FOR DAYTIME TUESDAY.  
 
FOR KMIV AND KACY...PREVAILING MVFR CEILINGS EXPECTED THROUGH  
TUESDAY. IFR CEILINGS POSSIBLE AT TIMES, ESPECIALLY AFTER 21Z.  
NORTHEASTERLY WIND GUSTS AT OR JUST ABOVE 20KT WILL BE POSSIBLE,  
PARTICULARLY THROUGH 21Z THIS AFTERNOON, THEN AFTER 09Z TUESDAY.  
 
OUTLOOK...  
 
TUESDAY NIGHT...SUB-VFR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE AT TIMES IN RAIN AND  
LOW CLOUDS, PARTICULARLY FOR THE SOUTHERNMOST TERMINALS.  
 
WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...THERE WILL LIKELY BE AT LEAST SOME  
PERIODS OF VFR CONDITIONS, BUT LOW CLOUDS AND RAIN AT TIMES COULD  
STILL LEAD TO RESTRICTIONS. GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS POSSIBLE.  
 
THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...A HIGH DEGREE OF UNCERTAINTY  
REMAINS, BUT SUB-VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE. GUSTY NORTHEAST  
WINDS POSSIBLE.  
 
 
   
MARINE  
 
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ON THE ATLANTIC  
COASTAL WATERS, AND WILL DEVELOP BY TUESDAY MORNING FOR THE DELAWARE  
BAY. EVEN THOUGH THIS IS AN UNUSUAL WIND DIRECTION FOR SCA  
CONDITIONS ON THE BAY, MULTIPLE MODELS DEPICT A SEVERAL HOUR PERIOD  
OF WIND GUSTS AT OR ABOVE 25 KT, SO HAVE ISSUED THE SCA FOR THE BAY  
FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT.  
 
TUESDAY NIGHT ONWARDS, SCA CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITH PERIODS OF  
GALES POSSIBLE. CONSEQUENTLY, A GALE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL  
OF THE ATLANTIC FORECAST ZONES STARTING TUESDAY EVENING, AND FOR THE  
DELAWARE BAY STARTING WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE WATCH CURRENTLY GOES  
THROUGH THE DAY ON THURSDAY, WHEN WE HAVE THE MOST CONFIDENCE IN  
GALE CONDITIONS.  
 
GALE CONDITIONS MAY LINGER INTO FRIDAY AND SATURDAY DEPENDING ON THE  
EVOLUTION OF THE COASTAL LOW, WHICH IS UNCERTAIN IN THIS TIME FRAME.  
 
THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE PERIOD, HIGH SEAS ARE EXPECTED AND VISIBILITY  
RESTRICTIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE AT TIMES IN RAIN.  
 
RIP CURRENTS...SEE KEY MESSAGE 4.  
 
 
   
PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
PA...NONE.  
NJ...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 4 PM TO 10 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR  
NJZ020-022>027.  
COASTAL FLOOD WATCH FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE  
THURSDAY NIGHT FOR NJZ020-022>027.  
HIGH RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY  
AFTERNOON FOR NJZ014-024>026.  
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 8 AM WEDNESDAY TO 6 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR  
NJZ014-024>026.  
DE...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 4 PM TO 10 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR  
DEZ002>004.  
COASTAL FLOOD WATCH FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE  
THURSDAY NIGHT FOR DEZ002>004.  
HIGH RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY  
AFTERNOON FOR DEZ004.  
HIGH SURF ADVISORY FROM 8 AM WEDNESDAY TO 6 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR  
DEZ004.  
MD...NONE.  
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 5 AM TUESDAY TO 6 AM EDT WEDNESDAY  
FOR ANZ430-431.  
GALE WATCH FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON  
FOR ANZ430-431.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR ANZ450>455.  
GALE WATCH FROM TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR  
ANZ450>455-480>483-485.  
 
 
 
 
 
DISCUSSION...AKL/COOPER/HOEFLICH  
AVIATION...AKL/COOPER  
MARINE...AKL/COOPER/HOEFLICH  
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