633
FXUS62 KRAH 161749
AFDRAH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
1250 PM EST SUN FEB 16 2025
SYNOPSIS
A COLD FRONT MOVING WEST TO EAST THROUGH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THIS
AFTERNOON WILL PUSH OFF THE COAST THIS EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL
BEGIN TO BUILD IN FROM THE NORTHWEST TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY. OUR NEXT
STORM SYSTEM WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST AND SOUTH TUESDAY NIGHT,
AND MAY BRING SIGNIFICANT WINTRY WEATHER TO PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
NORTH CAROLINA WEDNESDAY INTO EARLY THURSDAY.
NEAR TERM /TODAY AND TONIGHT/
AS OF 905 AM SUNDAY...
* HIGH WIND WARNING FROM THE TRIANGLE N AND E, WITH A WIND ADVISORY
FOR THE REST OF CENTRAL NC, BOTH IN EFFECT UNTIL 4PM TODAY.
STRONGER DAMAGING WINDS POSSIBLE, PARTICULARLY ASSOCIATED WITH
CONVECTION.
MINIMAL CHANGE WITH THIS UPDATE. FORECAST TWEAKED FOR TIMING OF
CONVECTIVE BAND NOW MOVING THROUGH THE HEART OF CENTRAL NC WITH A
SLIGHTLY FASTER TIMING THAN EARLIER ANTICIPATED. STILL EXPECT THIS
BAND TO BE MOSTLY E OF THE AREA BY NOON, ALTHOUGH STRONG GUSTY WINDS
WILL PERSIST WITHIN THE TRAILING STRATIFORM RAIN AREA FOR A FEW MORE
HOURS. WIND HAZARDS REMAIN ON TRACK, SUPPORTED BY CURRENT AND RECENT
SURFACE AND UA OBSERVATIONS. THE WARM FRONT HAS REACHED GSO, WITH
THE WARM SECTOR AND TEMPS IN THE 60S TO NEAR 70 OVER THE VAST
MAJORITY OF THE AREA, BUT THE WARM FRONT IS STILL SE OF INT. TEMPS
WILL REACH THEIR PEAK IN THE 50S TO NEAR 70 IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF
HOURS, WITH FALLING TEMPS W TO E THIS AFTERNOON WITH FROPA. -GIH
PREVIOUS DISCUSSION AS OF 420 AM: ALOFT, THE TROUGH, CURRENTLY WEST
OF THE APPALACHIANS, WILL LIFT ENEWD ACROSS THE REGION TODAY, TAKING
ON A SLIGHT NEGATIVE TILT AS IT DOES SO. A TRAILING S/W WILL MOVE
ACROSS THIS EVE/TONIGHT. THE LLJ (AT 925MB) WILL CONTINUE TO
STRENGTHEN THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON, FROM 45-50 KTS THIS MORNING TO
AROUND 60 KTS THIS AFTERNOON, THEN SHIFT EAST OF THE AREA THIS
EVENING. MEANWHILE, THE 850MB JET SHOULD PEAK AROUND 80 KTS AS IT
MOVES ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. AT THE SURFACE, THE PRIMARY LOW WAS
CENTERED OVER NORTHWEST WV AS OF 09Z, WITH THE ATTENDANT COLD FRONT
STRETCHING SWWD THROUGH CNTL TN AND AL/MS. CAD REMAINS OVER MUCH OF
THE NC PIEDMONT AS OF 09Z, HOWEVER THE WARM FRONT IS PROGRESSING
NWWD ACROSS CENTRAL NC AND SHOULD BE THROUGH MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF
THE AREA BY 12Z. AS THE PARENT LOW CONTINUES ENEWD ACROSS THE NRN
MID-ATLANTIC AND NORTHEAST US THROUGH THIS EVENING, THE COLD FRONT
WILL PROGRESS EWD THROUGH THE REGION AND OFF THE EAST COAST. ARCTIC
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BEGIN BUILDING EWD INTO THE AREA TONIGHT.
WINDS: WILL BECOME STRONG AND GUSTY IN THE WARM SECTOR THIS MORNING,
OWNING TO THE STRONG SFC PRESSURE GRADIENT, BUT WILL INCREASE
THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AS THE STRONGER WINDS ALOFT MIX DOWN TO THE
SURFACE. GUSTS OF 35-50 MPH ARE EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL NC TODAY.
THE STRONGEST GUSTS ARE EXPECTED FROM THE TRIANGLE TO POINTS EAST
AND NORTHEAST, WHERE GUSTS OF 50+ MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE. WHILE THE
STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR WITH CONVECTION AS IT MOVES
THROUGH THE AREA, CONTINUED STRONG GUSTY WINDS WITH THE CAA ARE
EXPECTED THROUGH THE EVENING, GRADUALLY DECREASING THROUGH MIDNIGHT
OR SO.
CONVECTION: SCATTERED SHOWERS CONTINUE ACROSS CENTRAL NC THIS
MORNING. A WIDE AREA OF PRE-FRONTAL CONVECTION, CURRENTLY STRETCHING
FROM ERN TN TO THE MS GULF COAST, WILL PROGRESS EWD AND MOVE INTO
THE TRIAD AROUND 12Z THIS MORNING. THE MOST VIGOROUS CONVECTION
EXISTS IN A MORE NARROW CORRIDOR ALONG THE LEADING EDGE. THIS
LEADING CORRIDOR WOULD BE MOST LIKELY TO REALIZE THE LIMITED (100
J/KG AT GSO AND RDU TO ~300 J/KG AT FAY AND RWI OFF THE HRRR)
INSTABILITY IN THE WARM SECTOR THIS MORN/EARLY AFT AS IT MOVE EAST
ACROSS CENTRAL NC. WIND SHEAR, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS VERY HIGH, WITH
EFFECTIVE SHEAR OF 40-60 KTS (HRRR) COINCIDENT WITH HIGHEST MUCAPE.
THE PRIMARY SEVERE THREAT WILL BE STRONG TO POTENTIALLY DAMAGING
WIND GUSTS, HOWEVER CANNOT RULE OUT AN ISOLATED QLCS TORNADO, MAINLY
ACROSS THE NORTHEAST HALF OF THE AREA. THERE COULD ALSO BE A THIN
LINE OF SHOWERS/STORMS ALONG THE FRONT, BEHIND THE MAIN AREA OF
CONVECTION, THIS AFT. ALL SHOWERS/STORMS SHOULD BE OUT OF THE AREA
BY SUNSET, WITH DRY WEATHER FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT.
TEMPERATURES: A BIT TRICKY AS THEY DEPEND ON TIMING BOTH THE WARM
FRONT THIS MORNING AND COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. FOR NOW, EXPECT
HIGHS TO RANGE FROM AROUND 60 DEGREES NW TO LOW 70S SE. LOWS TONIGHT
SHOULD DROP INTO THE UPPER 20S NW TO LOW 30S SE.
SHORT TERM /MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/
AS OF 211 AM SUNDAY...
HIGH PRESSURE BEHIND TODAY'S COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD OVER
OUR REGION FROM THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST THROUGH MONDAY, AND REMAIN
IN PLACE THROUGH TUESDAY. THERE WILL BE A FAIR AMOUNT OF HIGH
CLOUDS PASSING OVER OUR REGION DURING THIS PERIOD WHICH WILL
BE CAUGHT UP IN THE PROLONGED FAST WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT. THE AIRMASS
WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE IS SOME 5 TO 10 DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE, SO
HIGHS WILL BE IN THE UPPER 40S TO LOWER-MID 50S AND LOWS IN THE 20S.
LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/
AS OF 211 AM SUNDAY...
THE MAIN WEATHER STORY FOR THE LONG TERM PERIOD WILL BE THE WINTER
STORM SYSTEM ON WEDNESDAY THAT MAY HAVE LINGERING IMPACTS THROUGH
THE LATE-WEEK PERIOD. THE COMPLEX UPPER PATTERN DRIVING ALL OF THIS
IS A DEEPENING S/W TROUGH OVER THE MIDWEST THAT WILL CLOSE OFF AND
MOVE EAST ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. DEEP LAYER ASCENT INVOF THE RIGHT
ENTRANCE REGION OF THE EASTERN JET STREAK WILL PROMPT SFC LOW
DEVELOPMENT OVER THE NORTHERN GULF COAST WHICH WILL BECOME A MILLER-
A TYPE SFC LOW THAT MOVES FROM THE FL PANHANDLE NORTHEASTWARD UP
ALONG THE SOUTHEAST COAST. THE ASCENT WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED JET
STREAK AND SFC LOW COUPLED WITH THE ANTECEDENT COLD AIRMASS OVER OUR
AREA WILL RESULT IN A PERIOD OF MIXED WINTRY PRECIP TYPES WITH THE
USUAL DISTRIBUTION OF SNOW ACROSS OUR NORTHERN COUNTIES, RAIN
ACROSS OUR FAR SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST COUNTIES, AND A MIX OF SLEET AND
FREEZING RAIN IN BETWEEN...BEGINNING WEDNESDAY MORNING AND
CONTINUING THROUGH AT LEAST WEDNESDAY EVENING. IT'S DEFINITELY WORTH
NOTING THAT THE ECMWF IS MUCH COLDER THAN THE GFS, SO IT SUGGESTS
THAT WINTRY P-TYPES WILL OCCUR ACROSS OUR ENTIRE CWA, EVEN OUR FAR
SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ZONES.
WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THE MODELS' EVOLUTION OF THIS SYSTEM IS
THAT THERE'S GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE OVERALL PATTERN BUT DIFFERENCES
IN THE QPF AND WARM NOSE STRENGTH AND PLACEMENT, AND ULTIMATELY P-
TYPES AND AMOUNTS FOR THE VARIOUS PARTS OF OUR CWA. INTERESTINGLY...
THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF THE EASTERN JET STREAK AND THE LEFT
EXIT REGION OF THE WESTERN JET STREAK DO NOT OVERLAP...SO THE MODELS
SHOW THAT OUR AREA GETS DRY-SLOTTED PRETTY QUICKLY. YET THE ECMWF
AND CANADIAN HAVE MUCH HIGHER QPF THAN THE GFS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, IF
THE WETTER AND COLDER ECMWF VERIFIES, THIS WINTER STORM SYSTEM COULD
HAVE MAJOR OR PERHAPS EVEN EXTREME IMPACTS FOR CENTRAL NC, BOTH DUE
TO SNOW ACCUM ACROSS OUR NORTH AND NORTHWEST ZONES AND ICE ACCUM FOR
OUR SOUTH AND EAST ZONES. THE GFS ON THE OTHER HAND, WHILE
IMPACTFUL, WOULD RESULT IN MUCH LESS DIRE AMOUNTS AND IMPACTS FOR
CENTRAL NC. THERE'S STILL PLENTY OF TIME FOR THINGS TO CHANGE, SO
STAY TUNED!
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY NOW LOOK TO BE DRY WITH WELL BELOW-NORMAL TEMPS
AS THE NEXT COLD HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN BEHIND THE DEPARTING LOW.
ANOTHER S/W TROUGH WILL MOVE ACROSS THE MISS VALLEY ON SATURDAY, BUT
RIGHT NOW THE MODELS KEEP THE DEVELOPING SFC LOW AND DEEP MOISTURE
SUPPRESSED TO OUR SOUTH.
AVIATION /18Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/
AS OF 1250 PM SUNDAY...
PRIMARY AVIATION CONCERN FOR THE NEXT 6-9 HOURS REMAINS THE STRONG
GUSTY SURFACE WINDS, FROM THE SW SHIFTING TO WNW, ALONG WITH A FEW
MORE HOURS OF LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR POTENTIAL, ESPECIALLY AT EASTERN
TERMINALS, WITH 2KFT WINDS FROM THE SW AT 45-60 KTS. CROSSWINDS MAY
REMAIN AN ISSUE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AT RUNWAYS RUNNING NW TO SE.
THESE STRONG WINDS ALOFT WILL EXIT TO THE E OF THE AREA BY 00Z, AND
SURFACE WINDS WILL GRADUALLY LESSEN FROM 21Z TO 06Z, WITH GUSTS
EXPECTED TO BE LARGELY DIMINISHED BY 06Z-08Z. SURFACE WINDS WILL BE
FROM THE NW LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MON AT 8-14 KTS. STEADY SHOWERS
PERSIST AT THIS HOUR IN THE EXTREME E (RWI) WITH MORE PATCHY SHOWERS
OVER THE REST OF CENTRAL NC; THESE SHOWERS WILL END FOR GOOD FROM W
TO E 20Z-00Z AS A COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH. LINGERING AREAS OF MVFR
CIGS, INCLUDING AT AND NEAR INT/GSO/RDU, WILL YIELD TO CLEARING
SKIES, AND EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS AREAWIDE AFTER 00Z.
LOOKING BEYOND 18Z MON, VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH TUE
EVENING AS HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDS IN FROM THE NW. STARTING LATE TUE
NIGHT AND LASTING THROUGH EARLY THU, A STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING HIGH
CHANCES FOR SUB-IFR CONDITIONS AND SIGNIFICANT WINTRY WEATHER TO
MUCH OF CENTRAL NC, INCLUDING A RISK FOR ICE AND SNOW. VFR
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN THU AND FRI, ALTHOUGH GUSTY WINDS
FROM THE NW ARE LIKELY THU. -GIH
RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR NCZ007>011-021>028-
038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089.
SYNOPSIS...HARTFIELD
NEAR TERM...HARTFIELD/KC
SHORT TERM...NP
LONG TERM...NP
AVIATION...HARTFIELD
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page