865  
FXUS61 KAKQ 091031  
AFDAKQ  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA  
631 AM EDT THU OCT 9 2025  
   
SYNOPSIS  
 
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS NORTH OF THE AREA TODAY INTO FRIDAY WITH  
MUCH COOLER AND DRIER AIR FILTERING INTO THE AREA. A COASTAL  
LOW DEVELOPS OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY  
NEXT WEEK, RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAIN AND BREEZY  
CONDITIONS FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF THE AREA.  
 
 
   
NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/  
 
AS OF 630 AM EDT THURSDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGE:  
 
- COOL AND MAINLY DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED TODAY INTO TONIGHT.  
 
EARLY THIS MORNING, THE COLD FRONT THAT CROSSED THE AREA YESTERDAY  
IS NOW WELL SOUTH OF THE AREA. MEANWHILE, ~1033 MB HIGH PRESSURE IS  
CURRENTLY CENTERED NEAR THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES AND WILL CONTINUE  
TO DRIFT ESE TODAY INTO TONIGHT.  
 
MUCH COOLER TODAY COMPARED TO PREVIOUS DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES  
STAYING IN THE 60S FOR MOST OF US (LOWER 70S POSSIBLE ALONG THE  
ALBEMARLE SOUND). A STEADY NE BREEZE CONTINUES INTO THIS AFTERNOON  
WITH WINDS GUSTING TO 20 TO 30 MPH CLOSER TO THE COAST. CLOUDS  
DEVELOP ACROSS THE E/SE THIS AFTERNOON WITH SKIES REMAINING SUNNY  
FURTHER INLAND. WHILE WE DON'T HAVE ANY POPS IN THE FORECAST, CANNOT  
COMPLETELY RULE OUT A STRAY RAIN SHOWER OR SPRINKLE THIS AFTERNOON  
ACROSS SE VA AND NE NC.  
 
FOR TONIGHT, HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES CLOSER TO THE AREA SETTING UP  
BETTER RADIATIONAL COOLING CONDITIONS COMPARED TO THIS MORNING. IT  
SHOULD BE NOTED HOWEVER THAT WINDS NEVER GO COMPLETELY CALM INLAND  
(AND REMAIN BREEZY AT THE IMMEDIATE COAST). CLOUDS WILL ALSO  
INCREASE LATE IN THE NIGHT FROM THE SE. AS A RESULT, TEMPERATURES  
HAVE TRENDED A BIT WARMER (1 TO 2 DEGREES) THAN THE PREVIOUS  
FORECAST AND THE FROST THREAT ACROSS THE FAR NW HAS DECREASED. IT  
WILL STILL BE A CHILLY NIGHT WITH LOWS DROPPING INTO THE UPPER 30S  
ACROSS THE NW AND WIDESPREAD 40S FOR MANY INLAND AREAS. CLOSER TO  
THE COAST, LOWS WILL BE IN THE 50S. WILL LET THE DAY SHIFT MAKE ANY  
FINAL CALL ON FROST ADVISORIES FOR OUR FAR NW.  
 
 
   
SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/  
 
AS OF 310 AM EDT THURSDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
- DRY/COOL WEATHER CONTINUES INTO FRIDAY.  
 
- RAIN CHANCES INCREASE THROUGHOUT THE DAY SATURDAY AND ESPECIALLY  
SATURDAY NIGHT AS A POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT COASTAL SYSTEM BEGINS TO  
IMPACT THE REGION.  
 
ON FRIDAY, STRONG HIGH PRESSURE ~1030+ MB HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE  
CENTERED NORTH OF THE LOCAL AREA OVER SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND.  
MEANWHILE, FURTHER TO THE SOUTH OFF THE COAST OF GA/SC, AN AREA OF  
LOW PRESSURE BEGINS TO DEVELOP WHICH WILL GRADUALLY LIFT NORTH  
FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. REMAINING COOL ON FRIDAY WITH SIMILAR  
TEMPERATURES TO WHAT WE SEE TODAY (60S FOR MOST). THERE WILL BE MORE  
CLOUD COVER COMPARED TO TODAY WITH PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES  
EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA. NOT AS COOL FRIDAY NIGHT WITH LOWS RANGING  
FROM THE UPPER 40S NW TO THE LOWER 60S SE.  
 
BY SATURDAY, HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST AND LOW  
PRESSURE MOVES NORTH ALONG THE SC/NC COASTS. THE DAY SHOULD START  
OUT DRY FOR MOST, BUT RAIN CHANCES BEGIN TO INCREASE FROM SE TO NW  
LATER SATURDAY MORNING AND ESPECIALLY BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING.  
TEMPERATURES ON SATURDAY CLIMB TO AROUND 70 FOR MOST OF THE AREA.  
RAIN INCREASES IN INTENSITY AND COVERAGE (ESPECIALLY SE) AS WE HEAD  
INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. TOTAL QPF THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT RANGES FROM 1-  
2+" E AND SE, TO ~0.50" ACROSS CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE CWA, TO ~0,L0  
TO 0.25" ACROSS WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. WPC HAS PLACED SE VA  
(INCLUDING HAMPTON ROADS) AND NE NC IN A DAY 3 SLIGHT RISK ERO, WITH  
A MARGINAL RISK EXTENDING BACK TO ROUGHLY THE I-95 CORRIDOR AND UP  
INTO THE SOUTHERN MD EASTERN SHORE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A VERY HIGH  
TIDE SATURDAY AFTERNOON-NIGHT (SEE COASTAL FLOODING SECTION FOR  
SPECIFICS) MAY COMPOUND THE FRESH WATER FLOODING ISSUES ACROSS SE VA  
AND NE NC BY HAMPERING DRAINAGE. WIND WILL ALSO BE INCREASING  
THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON SATURDAY, WITH NE WINDS LIKELY GUSTING TO 30  
TO 40+ MPH ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST SATURDAY NIGHT. THIS IS LIKELY  
TO BE AN IMPACTFUL SYSTEM SHAPING UP, WITH SIGNIFICANT COASTAL  
IMPACTS (TIDAL FLOODING/MARINE) ALSO EXPECTED.  
 
 
   
LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/  
 
AS OF 310 AM EDT THURSDAY...  
 
KEY MESSAGE:  
 
- A STRONG COASTAL SYSTEM CONTINUES SUNDAY INTO MONDAY, BRINGING  
HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS TO EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA.  
 
BY SUNDAY, THE LOW WILL LIKELY BE SOMEWHERE OFF THE NC OR VA COASTS,  
THOUGH THERE IS STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY AS TO THE EXACT TRACK OF THE  
LOW. THE LOW EVENTUALLY MAKES IT WAY NORTH, SETTLING OVER OR JUST  
NORTH OF OUR COASTAL WATERS WHILE SLOWING DOWN/STALLING ON MONDAY.  
THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT CONTINUES INTO SUNDAY, WITH THE THREAT LIKELY  
TRANSLATING TO NE PORTIONS OF OUR AREA. WPC HAS PLACED MUCH OF THE  
FAR E/NE PORTIONS OF CWA IN A DAY 4 SLIGHT RISK ERO WITH A MARGINAL  
RISK COVERING THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA. IT WILL ALSO BE VERY WINDY  
SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT, WITH WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 55+ MPH POSSIBLE  
ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST (25 TO 35 MPH INLAND). IT IS POSSIBLE HIGH  
WIND WATCHES MAY BE NEEDED FOR EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA IF THE  
TRENDS CONTINUE. RAIN CHANCES BEGIN TO DIMINISH SOMEWHAT/BECOME  
FOCUSED NE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. AS FOR TOTAL QPF, 00Z GEFS  
AND EPS STILL SHOW A STRIPE OF 1 TO 3" OF QPF ACROSS EASTERN  
PORTIONS OF THE AREA, WITH THE NBM 90TH SHOWING UPWARDS OF 4 TO  
6+". CONDITIONS SHOULD GRADUALLY IMPROVE TUESDAY AND BEYOND AS  
THE LOW WEAKENS/MOVES OFFSHORE AND HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS TO  
BUILD BACK INTO THE AREA.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /12Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/  
 
AS OF 630 AM EDT THURSDAY...  
 
MAINLY CLEAR FOR MOST OF THE AREA (FEW TO SCT AT ORF, PHF, AND ECG)  
WITH DRY/VFR CONDITIONS. N TO NNE WINDS REMAIN GUSTY ALONG THE  
IMMEDIATE COAST WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS OF 20 TO 25 KNOTS. FEW TO  
SCT (BKN ACROSS THE SE) CU WITH BASES ~4000 TO 5000 FT DEVELOPS  
LATER THIS MORNING INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON. NE WINDS REMAIN  
BREEZY AT THE EASTERN TERMINALS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON WITH  
GUSTS OF 20+ KNOTS POSSIBLE. DRY/VFR CONDITIONS CONTINUE INTO  
TONIGHT.  
 
OUTLOOK: CLOUDS GRADUALLY THICKEN AND LOWER ON FRIDAY, BUT  
REMAINING VFR AT ALL SITES INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. SUB-VFR CIGS,  
ELEVATED WINDS, AND MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN ARE LIKELY AS WE HEAD  
INTO SATURDAY AS LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS OFFSHORE. PERIODS OF  
SUB-VFR CONDITIONS LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO  
EARLY NEXT WEEK.  
 
 
   
MARINE  
 
AS OF 340 AM EDT THURSDAY..  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
- SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS PERSIST ACROSS MOST OF THE  
LOCAL WATERS THROUGH SATURDAY.  
 
- LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS SOUTH OF THE AREA THIS WEEKEND. WHILE  
SOME UNCERTAINTY REMAINS, DANGEROUS MARINE CONDITIONS ARE  
FORECAST FROM SATURDAY EVENING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. STORM AND  
GALE WATCHES HAVE BEEN ISSUED.  
 
YESTERDAY'S COLD FRONT IS NOW WELL S OF THE LOCAL WATERS THIS  
MORNING. IN IT'S WAKE, THE CENTER OF STRONG HIGH PRESSURE IS LOCATED  
OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION, WHICH IS BUILDING DOWN TOWARD THE LOCAL  
AREA. A COMPRESSED PRESSURE GRADIENT AND ONGOING COLD/DRY ADVECTION  
IS LEADING TO ELEVATED N-NE WINDS. WIND SPEEDS AS OF 2 AM ARE  
AVERAGING 20-25 KT ON THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND COASTAL WATERS, WITH  
GUSTS UP TO 30 KT. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF  
THE LOCAL WATERS. THROUGH THIS MORNING, NE FLOW CONTINUES AND  
REMAINS AROUND 15-25 KT FOR THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND COASTAL WATERS. A  
REPRIEVE IN THE WINDS IS POSSIBLE BY THIS AFTERNOON, BUT AN  
ADDITIONAL SURGE OF COOLER AIR SHOULD BRING ANOTHER INCREASE IN  
WINDS THIS EVENING INTO EARLY TONIGHT. WINDS AGAIN DECREASE FRIDAY  
INTO THE FIRST PART OF SATURDAY, BUT THE FORECAST RETAINS 15-20 KT  
WINDS IN THE SOUTHERN WATERS THROUGH SATURDAY.  
 
THE MAIN FOCUS IN THE FORECAST PERIOD IS THE DEVELOPING COASTAL LOW  
SATURDAY, WHICH WILL TRACK NORTHWARD OVER OR CLOSE TO OUR WATERS  
SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. THE EXACT EVOLUTION OF THE LOW REMAINS OF LOW TO  
MODERATE CONFIDENCE AT THIS POINT, BUT THERE IS HIGH CONFIDENCE IN  
SIGNIFICANT MARINE HAZARDS, INCLUDING HIGH WINDS (POTENTIALLY TO  
STORM FORCE) AND DANGEROUS SEAS. NE WINDS INCREASE CONSIDERABLY  
LATER SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT, WITH THE PEAK IN THE WINDS  
SUNDAY INTO EARLY MONDAY AS THE LOW MAKES ITS CLOSEST APPROACH TO  
THE AREA AND BEGINS TO OCCLUDE. PEAK WIND GUSTS RANGE FROM 45-50 KT  
ON THE COASTAL WATERS, 40-45 KT IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, AND 35-40 KT  
IN THE UPPER TIDAL RIVERS. ALTHOUGH THIS EVENT REMAINS A BIT BEYOND  
THE TYPICAL TIME LINE FOR HEADLINES, HAVE DECIDED TO ISSUE GALE AND  
STORM WATCHES IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR NEIGHBORING OFFICES, WITH  
THE INTENT OF BRINGING ATTENTION TO THE DANGEROUS MARINE THREAT  
POTENTIAL. STORM WATCHES ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL WATERS FROM  
22Z SAT-11Z MON, WITH GALE WATCHES ELSEWHERE FOR THE SAME TIMEFRAME.  
THERE MAY ALSO BE SEVERAL LOW CENTERS EMBEDDED WITHIN THE LARGER  
CIRCULATION, WITH SOME OF THESE CENTERS POTENTIALLY ROTATING BACK  
WESTWARD TO THE COAST MONDAY. THEREFORE, THE INITIALLY NE WIND  
DIRECTION COULD BECOME N-NNW MONDAY MORNING AND THEN NW MONDAY  
AFTERNOON. UNCERTAINTY IS HIGH INTO TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY OF NEXT  
WEEK, BUT A GRADUAL DECREASE IN WINDS AND SEAS IS EXPECTED BY THEN.  
SEAS ARE FORECASTED TO PEAK IN THE 13-17 FT RANGE, WITH HIGHER  
VALUES NOT OUT OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY. WAVES IN THE CHESAPEAKE  
BAY RANGE BETWEEN 5-8 FT, WITH 9-10 FT POSSIBLE AT THE MOUTH OF THE  
BAY. AS WINDS DECREASE NEXT WEEK, SO WILL THE SEAS, BUT ONLY  
GRADUALLY.  
 
 
   
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING  
 
AS OF 340 AM EDT THURSDAY..  
 
GIVEN THE HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES AND MODERATELY STRONG NE  
WINDS, NUISANCE TO MINOR FLOODING IS POSSIBLE IN AREAS ADJACENT  
TO THE LOWER CHES BAY, CURRITUCK OUTER BANKS, AND THE TIDAL  
YORK/JAMES LATER TODAY AND FRIDAY. A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY HAS  
IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CURRITUCK OUTER BANKS THIS MORNING (GIVEN  
HIGHER CONFIDENCE IN REACHING MINOR FLOOD STAGE) WITH COASTAL  
FLOOD STATEMENTS FOR THE LOWER JAMES RIVER AND MOUTH OF THE CHES  
BAY (GIVEN LOWER CONFIDENCE IN EXCEEDING MINOR FLOOD STAGE).  
GIVEN THAT THIS AFTERNOON'S HIGH TIDE IS THE LOWER OF THE ASTRO  
TIDES, WILL HANDLE FRIDAY MORNING'S HIGH TIDES SEPARATELY WITH  
ANOTHER ROUND OF COASTAL FLOOD STATEMENTS OR ADVISORIES, IF  
NECESSARY.  
 
TIDAL ANOMALIES INCREASE QUICKLY LATE SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY  
WITH WIDESPREAD MODERATE TO LOCALLY MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING  
POSSIBLE BY SUNDAY. THE HIGHEST CONFIDENCE IS ACROSS THE CHES  
BAY (ESPECIALLY THE LOWER BAY) AND ACROSS LOCATIONS ADJACENT TO  
THE OCEAN. WATER LEVELS WILL BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE TRACK  
OF THE LOW AND THE ASSOCIATED WIND DIRECTION. AT THIS TIME, THE  
HIGH TIDE CYCLE IN THE LATE MORNING-EARLY AFTERNOON OF SUNDAY  
LOOKS TO BE THE MOST PROBLEMATIC, THOUGH ADDITIONAL FLOODING IS  
POSSIBLE BEYOND THEN. THE ETSS REMAINS ON THE VERY HIGH END OF  
THE GUIDANCE ENVELOPE (DEPICTING MAJOR TO NEAR-RECORD FLOOD  
LEVELS), WITH THE PROBABILISTIC DISTRIBUTION IN THE P-ETSS A  
BIT MORE REALISTIC, THOUGH THE 50% PERCENTILE OUTPUT APPEARS A  
BIT TOO LOW IN THE LOWER BAY LOCATIONS. MAJOR FLOODING IS  
FORECAST FROM DUCK NORTHWARD INTO THE LOWER CHES BAY, INCLUDING  
AT LYNNHAVEN AND SEWELL'S POINT. MAJOR FLOODING IS ALSO FORECAST  
IN THE TIDAL JAMES AND YORK, INCLUDING AT SMITHFIELD,  
JAMESTOWN, AND YORKTOWN. ELSEWHERE, THE WIND DIRECTION SHOULD  
FAVOR PRIMARILY MINOR TO MODERATE FLOODING, THOUGH THIS IS A  
VERY FLUID FORECAST AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON THE TRACK OF  
THE LOW. IT IS A BIT TOO EARLY FOR COASTAL FLOOD WATCHES, BUT  
THEY ALMOST CERTAINLY WILL BE NEEDED EVENTUALLY.  
 
 
   
AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
MD...NONE.  
NC...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL NOON EDT TODAY FOR NCZ102.  
VA...NONE.  
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR ANZ630-  
631.  
GALE WATCH FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR  
ANZ630>638.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR ANZ632-634-  
656-658.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR ANZ633.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR ANZ636-637.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR ANZ638-650-652-  
654.  
STORM WATCH FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR  
ANZ650-652-654-656-658.  
 
 
 
 
 
SYNOPSIS...AJB  
NEAR TERM...AJB  
SHORT TERM...AJB  
LONG TERM...AJB  
AVIATION...AJB  
MARINE...SW  
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...  
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