


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Sterling, VA
Issued by NWS Sterling, VA
711 FXUS61 KLWX 300803 AFDLWX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 403 AM EDT Mon Jun 30 2025 .SYNOPSIS... A cold front will approach from the northwest on Tuesday, before moving through Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. High pressure will build into the region on Thursday and remain in control through the end of the week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Some patchy fog has developed early this morning beneath a broken deck of high clouds. Any fog isn`t expected to become dense, and should quickly burn off after sunrise this morning. Yet another hot and humid day is expected today, with temperatures climbing into the upper 80s and low 90s, and dewpoints holding in the low to mid 70s. A mix of sun and high clouds is expected this morning, before showers and thunderstorms ultimately form in response to daytime heating this afternoon. Model soundings show an environment relatively similar to yesterday, with strong instability, deep moisture, and only modest shear and DCAPE. MLCAPE is a bit higher at around 2000-3000 J/kg, shear is ever so slightly higher at around 15-20 knots, and DCAPE is very similar at around 600-700 J/kg. In such an environment, localized wet microbursts may be possible with any stronger storms, but it doesn`t appear to be an environment that`s overly conducive for widespread strong wind gusts. As a result, SPC currently has most of the area outlooked in a Marginal Risk for severe thunderstorms. While a brief thunderstorm could be possible anywhere in the forecast area, model guidance clearly shows the greatest coverage of storms across the northwestern half of the forecast area, where they`ll start to experience weak height falls aloft this afternoon well in advance of an upper trough approaching from the Western Great Lakes/Upper Midwest. Storms should initiate during the early to mid afternoon hours in the higher terrain to the west of the Blue Ridge, and potentially also along bay/river breezes further east. Most of the activity should gradually lift off toward the north and east over time, although some of the CAMs suggest that storms that form along the bay breeze may be slower moving. Strong instability and high PWAT values (over 2 inches) will make any storms today capable of producing very heavy rainfall. The progressive nature of the storms should keep the flash flooding threat relatively minimized, but isolated instances of flash flooding may be possible, particularly if a storm becomes anchored to the bay breeze. The most likely area for this to occur, if at all, would be in the vicinity of Baltimore. The 00z WRF-NSSL and 3km-NAM show a situation like that playing out. WPC currently has most of the area outlooked in a Marginal Risk for excessive rainfall. Thunderstorm activity should gradually wind down through the evening and early overnight hours, with dry conditions expected during the second half of the night. Some patchy fog could form later tonight in locations that see breaks in the clouds. Overnight lows will be in the low-mid 70s for most, with upper 60s in the mountains. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... A seasonably strong upper trough will approach from the Great Lakes tomorrow, while an associated surface low tracks across Quebec. A trailing cold front will stretch to the southwest through the Ohio Valley, while a pre-frontal trough sets up overhead. Numerous storms are expected to form during the afternoon in response to daytime heating as height falls aloft overspread a very warm, humid, and unstable airmass. Model soundings once again show saturation through a deep layer tomorrow, with PWAT values approaching 2.2 inches. While this could temper potential for cold pool driven winds slightly, winds aloft will be on the increase tomorrow as the upper trough approaches, with most soundings showing around 30 knots of effective bulk shear. As a result, thunderstorm activity should be better organized tomorrow, and capable of producing damaging winds. SPC has locations to the east of the Blue Ridge outlooked in a Slight Risk for severe thunderstorms, with a Marginal Risk further west. There also could be some potential for flash flooding. While storms should move along at a fairly good clip, flow aloft starts to become aligned with the 850 hPa front and pre- frontal surface trough, suggesting that some training could be possible. Storms could continue into the overnight as the upper trough and surface cold front start to move through. Guidance differs on how much progress the front makes though the area by Wednesday morning. Depending on the progression of the front, some additional showers and thunderstorms may be possible on Wednesday, especially across southeastern portions of the forecast area. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... Dry conditions and seasonable temperatures Thursday through Sunday. There could be a dry backdoor cold front that moves through the region Thursday night into early Friday, but it should be a dry frontal passage. This backdoor front may just enhance our dry conditions and seasonable temperatures right into the weekend. High temperatures each day generally in the middle 80s. && .AVIATION /07Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... Some patchy fog is starting to form across the area early this morning, but has for the time being avoided the terminals. Some of this fog could briefly impact the terminals around daybreak. Any fog would quickly burn off after sunrise. Prevailing VFR conditions are expected through the day today. Showers and thunderstorms will form in response to daytime heating this afternoon and evening. Confidence in timing of the storms at specific terminals is low, so have maintained PROB30s over a broad time window. Winds today will be light out of the south. Patchy fog may be possible again overnight, but otherwise VFR conditions will continue. More widespread shower and thunderstorm activity is expected tomorrow. Dry and VFR conditions are expected behind a cold front on Wednesday. Winds will be out of the southwest tomorrow, and northwest on Wednesday. VFR conditions at all terminals Thursday through Friday night. Winds will be out of the northwest on both Thursday and Friday. && .MARINE... Winds will gradually pick up out of the south over the course of the day, reaching low-end SCA levels by late afternoon/early evening in the wider waters of the Middle Bay. SCA conditions will be possible for a time tonight over most waters, with the Upper Tidal Potomac being a potential exception. Threshold SCA- level winds may be possible tomorrow over most of the waters within southwesterly flow. Sub-SCA level northwesterly winds are expected on Wednesday. SMWs may potentially be needed as a result of thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours both today and on Tuesday. No marine hazards Thursday through Friday night. Light northwest winds are expected on both Thursday and Friday && .LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... DC...None. MD...Small Craft Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 6 AM EDT Tuesday for MDZ008. VA...None. WV...None. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 6 AM EDT Tuesday for ANZ530-531-536-538-539. Small Craft Advisory from 5 PM this afternoon to 6 AM EDT Tuesday for ANZ532>534-537-540>543. && $$ SYNOPSIS...KJP NEAR TERM...KJP SHORT TERM...KJP LONG TERM...KLW AVIATION...KLW/KJP MARINE...KLW/KJP