


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Wakefield, VA
Issued by NWS Wakefield, VA
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941 FXUS61 KAKQ 060551 AFDAKQ AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Wakefield VA 151 AM EDT Sun Jul 6 2025 .SYNOPSIS... Mainly dry conditions are expected this evening as high pressure builds in from the north, with lower humidity expected. Tropical Storm Chantal along the Southeast coast likely moves inland across the Carolinas on Sunday, bringing showers and a few embedded storms, primarily to the southern half of the area. Behind the storm, very warm and humid conditions are expected for the latter half of next week, with mainly hit or miss type afternoon and evening showers and storms possible each day. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/... As of 740 PM EDT Saturday... Key Message: - A few showers possible this afternoon and evening over NE NC. - Increasing clouds tonight with lows 63-75 (warmest far SE coast). Latest analysis continues to show broad 1023mb sfc high pressure centered just offshore of the Delmarva, ridging back SW into the lower mid-Atlantic. To the south, Tropical Storm Chantal is positioned off the SC/GA coast. Aloft, heights continue to increase slowly, as an upper level ridge continues to build over the northern and central Appalachians. Light E-SE flow aloft continues to slowly increase PW values from <1" to 1.5 to 2" by Sunday morning. Temperatures as of 730 PM ranged from the upper 70s to lower 80s under a partly to mostly sunny sky (greater cloud cover across NE NC). There are a few scattered showers noted across NE NC associated with convective bands from TS Chantal. Cloud cover increases from the south overnight into Sun morning, as TS Chantal drifts slowly toward the SC coast. Remaining mainly dry this evening, though as more efficient transport tropical moisture starts to stream NNE into the area and PWs stream back AOA 1.5"-2", expect more considerable cloud cover with shower chances continuing across NE NC tonight into the day Sun. Early morning lows range from the mid 60s NW to the mid 70s SE. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... As of 245 PM EDT Saturday... Key Message: - Moisture and precip chances increase Sunday into Monday as Tropical Storm Chantal lifts northward. - Main threats from Chantal will be locally heavy rainfall, especially Hampton Roads and northeast NC and increased risk for rip currents. Humidity and rain chances return to the area Sunday, as tropical moisture moves back in with the SE flow ahead of Chantal. The system is expected to move over land in SC by Sunday afternoon. At that point, the system quickly weakens to a broad area of low pressure and progresses N up the coast through Monday before washing out. Scattered showers look to develop across E NC Sunday morning, with showers/storms to then spread across the area in the afternoon, but concentrated mainly across the coastal plain. Not expecting much in the way of severe storms, but with PWATs rising to 2 to 2.5" over much of the area (highest SE), any showers will be capable of locally heavy downpours. All but the Eastern Shore are now in an ERO for tomorrow (Sunday). Nocturnal stabilization should diminish areal coverage of showers and storms once again, at least initially Sunday night. However, as the weakening circulation continues north and continues to pull in tropical moisture, PoPs increase in coverage all over again late SUnday night and Monday. Heavy rainfall remains the main sensible wx threat. There remains a strong model signal for IVT of 600-800+ kg/m/s lifting across the coastal plain late Sunday night and Monday morning (95-98% percentile of climo). Given recent rains of earlier this week, this could easily result in additional isolated to scattered instances of flash flooding, and communities east of I-95 along the coastal plain should continue to monitor the rainfall forecast closely in the coming day or so. The Marginal ERO is now in place for the entire area on Day 3 (Monday). Precip looks to mostly come to an end with the loss of daytime heating Monday night, but a few showers could linger by the coast overnight. Highs on both Sun and Mon will be in the upper 80s. Lows both nights will be in the low- mid 70s. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... As of 245 PM EDT Saturday... Key Messages: - Becoming hot and humid Tuesday through the end of the week with mainly afternoon/evening storm chances. As the remnants of Chantal depart the region, the rest of the week looks seasonably warm and rather humid, while remaining unsettled, due to weak troughiness lingering across the mid- Atlantic and a cold front approaching from the northwest by late in the week. Storms will likely be diurnal in nature with chances each afternoon and evening. Will see scattered activity Tues- Wed, potentially becoming a little more widespread Thurs- Fri as the flow aloft increases ahead of the approaching front. Highs will be in the low 90s Tues and Wed, then perhaps a couple degrees cooler to end the week with increased clouds and more widespread showers. The return of temps in the 90s and the humidity also means a return to heat indices right around 100 degrees. Have undercut heat indices a bit once again, with the idea that BL remains mixed enough Tue-Wed to break widespread upper 70s Td values currently suggested by the NBM. && .AVIATION /06Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 150 AM EDT Sunday... VFR prevails across the terminals to start the 06z TAF period. Cloud cover will increase across the area through the period as TS Chantal makes landfall over SC and the remnants drift N toward the local area. By mid afternoon, the terminals (except perhaps SBY) should be under BKN cloud cover. CIGs look to remain VFR through ~12z, then dropping to MVFR for ECG/ORF/PHF. Could see a brief return to VFR this evening before CIGs drop for all terminals overnight. A few rounds of scattered showers/storms later this morning through tomorrow will mean multiple opportunities to impact terminals. ECG will be the first to see precip as rain moves in from the S. SBY likely stays dry through tomorrow morning. VSBYs could be briefly impacted as heavy rain is possible. SE winds increase to 10-15kt today, then back to 5-10kt overnight. Outlook: Scattered to widespread showers/storms are likely across all areas on Mon, with additional periods of IFR/MVFR possible. Very warm, humid conditions follow for Tue through Thu, with late day and evening showers and storms possible, along with some early morning ground fog/stratus. && .MARINE... As of 810 PM EDT Saturday... Key Messages: - There is a High risk of rip currents across the southern beaches on Sunday. - The vast majority of marine impacts from Tropical Storm Chantal will remain well to the south of the local waters, although a brief period of low-end SCA conditions is possible Sunday afternoon through late Sunday evening. - Potential SCA conditions return late Sunday and last through late Monday. Afternoon weather analysis shows high pressure system over much of the area. While to the south, Tropical Storm Chantal currently sits off the coast of South Carolina. Winds across the area are remaining below SCA conditions. Sustained winds are between 10 to 15 kt with some gusts between 15 to 20 kt. Seas across the south have built throughout the day and are between 3 to 4 ft. While across the bay waves are between 1 to 2 ft with 3 ft waves across the mouth of the bay. To the north seas have yet to build but are between 2 to 3 ft. Later this afternoon and into tonight, high pressure is expected to break down allowing Tropical Storm Chantal to nudge north. Winds this evening and tonight are expected to between 10 to 15 kt with gusts around 15 kt. Seas are expected to build further north across the ocean through tonight. Seas will be between 3 to 4 ft across the ocean and 1 to 2 ft across the bay. By Sunday morning Tropical Storm Chantal is expected to make landfall somewhere along the South Carolina coastline then is expected to track north. When it tracks north it is expected to bring potential SCA conditions across the local waters. Local wind probs have risen slightly and are now between 30 to 60% of 18+ kt winds on the bay for a 3-6 hour period Sun aftn/evening. Will continue to monitor this period for potential SCAs. Winds diminish slightly on Monday morning but ramp back up again as the remnants of TS Chantal moves out of the area. Winds are expected to be between 10 to 15 kt with gusts near 20 kt. Seas Sunday afternoon will be between 2 to 3 ft across the bay and 3 to 4ft with isolated 5 ft waves across the ocean. Winds are forecast to become S and diminish Monday night/Tuesday as the low slowly exits. Variable marine conditions return toward the middle of next week with afternoon sea breezes and diurnal shower/storm activity. There is a High risk of rip currents across the southern beaches on Sunday with a Moderate risk across the northern beaches. This is due to 3-4 ft nearshore waves across the southern beaches and high period swell with periods up to 15 seconds possible across all area beaches. The rip current risk will be moderate to high on Monday as well across all area beaches. && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...None. NC...None. VA...None. MARINE...None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MAM NEAR TERM...MAM/RMM SHORT TERM...AC/MAM LONG TERM...AC/MAM AVIATION...AC MARINE...ERI/HET/RMM