


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Newport/Morehead, NC
Issued by NWS Newport/Morehead, NC
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098 FXUS62 KMHX 301815 AFDMHX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC 215 PM EDT Mon Jun 30 2025 .SYNOPSIS... Typical summertime pattern will remain in place today with high pressure offshore and troughing inland bringing very warm temperatures and isolated thunderstorm chances. A frontal system approaches the east coast Tuesday and Wednesday bringing increasing chances for showers and thunderstorms. High pressure builds in from the west through the holiday weekend with the frontal boundary stalling off the Southeast coast. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 130 PM Monday... Key Messages - Typical summertime temperatures and thunderstorm chances Upper ridging and surface high pressure remain centered over the western Atlantic south of Bermuda with a thermal trough across the across the piedmont with SW flow continuing to bring a very warm and humid airmass across the region. Conditions not too dissimilar to yesterday with moderate instability and SBCAPE peaking around 2000- 2500 J/Kg MLCAPE this afternoon and negligible bulk shear only around 5-10 kt. Latest radar as of 1 PM already shows a few developing showers along the sea breeze, but broad subsidence aloft is expected to limit thunderstorm chances with storm initiation primarily along the sea and sound breezes and subsequent outflow boundaries through peak heating. Lack of shear will limit storm organization but cannot rule out a few storms producing locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds if deeper cores are able to develop. Heat indices are again expected top top out near 100 F. A weak front approaching from the west will bring tightening pressure gradients this afternoon bringing gustier SW winds this afternoon with gusts up to 20-25 mph expected. Southwest winds are expected to remain elevated overnight around 10 mph, which will limit the potential for any fog to develop. Otherwise, thunderstorm potential quickly diminishes this evening, with a mostly clear night expected with temps dropping to the mid-70s inland (upper-70s to near 80 beaches). && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY/... As of 130 PM Monday... Key Messages - Hot conditions continue with heat indices 100-105F Tuesday afternoon - An approaching cold front may bring chances for showers and thunderstorms, with the greatest chances west of Highway 17. A broad trough will pivot across the eastern US Tuesday as a surface cold front will push slowly across NC. PoPs increase from west to east through the day. Enough instability will be present for a few stronger storms to develop in the late afternoon/evening, especially for areas west of Highway 17. SPC currently has portions of the northwest CWA outlined in a Marginal Risk (level 1/5) for severe weather. Latest CAM guidance does keep ENC largely dry tomorrow, so lending uncertainty to the coverage of storms. This will be monitored for future updates. The gradient between the Bermuda High and the approaching trough will become tighter on Tuesday, resulting in gusty winds across the area but especially along the coast. Heat indices around 100 are expected Tuesday afternoon && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 2 PM Monday... Key Messages - Frontal system approaching the eastern seaboard Tuesday Night and Wednesday increases rain chances mid-week and could bring heavy rain, frequent lightning, and gusty winds. - High pressure builds in late week, bringing back the typical summertime pattern with sea breeze convection A broad trough will pivot across the eastern US Tuesday, moving overhead Wednesday and offshore late week. At the surface, a cold front will slowly cross into NC Tuesday Night. The front will get hung up across ENC on Wednesday. This boundary, coupled with the arrival of greater upper level support from the trough, will bring likely to categorical PoPs across the area. Slow storm motions, long skinny CAPE profiles, and PWATs in excess of 2" support concern for heavy rainfall and the potential for flash flooding Wednesday afternoon/evening. WPC has our entire CWA outlined in a Marginal Risk for excessive rainfall. Given a lack of shear, the severe potential is of less concern than that of flooding rain. However, some stronger gusts within thunderstorms remain possible. The surface front will slowly move east on Thursday but mid and upper troughing will persist across the east coast through Friday. The proximity of this front and the development of the afternoon seabreeze will keep slight chance to chance PoPs in the forecast for most of the area on Thursday. There`s potential for a low to develop along the stalled boundary once it encounters the warmer Gulf Stream waters on Thursday, but this feature would progress to the northeast and away from our coast as high pressure builds in from the west. A closed low will then move through southern Quebec and into the northeast US on Friday with a reinforcing cold front sagging south into the FA. Better upper level support will be displaced to the north, but ample moisture will still be in place to support a few showers and thunderstorms. We`ll return to a more typical summertime pattern to start the weekend with seabreeze convection being the focal point of precip chances as high pressure moves back in. && .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... SHORT TERM /through Tonight/... As of 130 PM Monday... Key Messages - Mainly VFR outside of isolated thunderstorms this afternoon - SW wind gusts to 15-20 kt this afternoon. Isolated thunderstorms may bring brief sub-VFR conditions this afternoon, with VFR conditions expected to persist through the end of the period otherwise. Pressure gradient tightens some this afternoon with the approach of a weak cold front. While wind gusts have been slightly slower to increase than expected through the early afternoon, still expect gusts to 15-20 kts this afternoon. Tightened gradients continue tonight with SW winds around 5-10 kt which will preclude fog development. Some guidance does depict low chances of low stratus bringing MVFR conditions across the southwestern portions of the forecast area before dawn tomorrow, but confidence in any MVFR conditions occurring is currently low. LONG TERM /Tuesday Night through Saturday/... As of 2 PM Monday...High confidence in periods of sub-VFR flight conditions Tuesday evening through Wednesday as a slow moving front brings chances for thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. Afternoon shower and thunderstorm chances will persist through the rest of the period with PoPs highest near the coast. && .MARINE... SHORT TERM /through Tonight/... As of 2 PM Monday... Key Messages - Winds and seas begin increase this afternoon through tomorrow with SCA conditions developing across most of the coastal waters Winds will continue to increase this afternoon as the gradient tightens ahead of a slow moving cold front. Small craft conditions will develop across portions of the coastal waters late this afternoon/evening as winds become SW 15-20 with frequent gusts to 25 kts. Winds subside slightly overnight as the thermal gradient weakens, but restrengthen tomorrow morning to SW 20-25 kts with gusts to 30 kts. Small craft conditions spread to all coastal and inland waters tomorrow and seas build to 4-6 ft. LONG TERM /Tuesday Night though Saturday/... As of 2 PM Monday...Small craft conditions continue Tuesday night through most of Wednesday ahead of a slow moving cold front. Southwest winds will increase to 20-25 kt with gusts to around 30 kt Tuesday night, with seas building to 5-6 ft. By late Wednesday morning, the gradient will become more relaxed. Southwest winds will drop back to around 15 kt with gusts 20-25 kt with seas falling to 3-5 ft by the afternoon. Winds will generally be southwesterly at 10-15 kt on Thursday and variable at 10-15 kt on Friday and Saturday. && .MHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...None. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 11 AM Tuesday to 8 AM EDT Wednesday for AMZ131-136-137-154-156-158-230. Small Craft Advisory from 6 PM this evening to 8 AM EDT Wednesday for AMZ135-150-152-231. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MHX NEAR TERM...ZC SHORT TERM...ZC LONG TERM...SGK AVIATION...SGK/ZC MARINE...SGK/ZC