190
FXUS61 KAKQ 170740
AFDAKQ

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Wakefield VA
340 AM EDT Sun Aug 17 2025

.SYNOPSIS...
High pressure remains over the Mid-Atlantic region today. A
cold front drops south into the area tonight into Monday and
lingers across the area into mid-week. The front finally crosses
the area on Wednesday with below average temperatures expected
later this week. Hurricane Erin will make its closest approach
by Wednesday and Thursday, with impacts limited to rough surf,
dangerous rip currents, some tidal flooding, and beach erosion.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
As of 335 AM EDT Sunday...

Key Messages:

- Hot and dry conditions today and heat indices may approach
  100 degrees in a few locations.

An upper ridge is situated over the Mid-Atlantic early this
morning, with high pressure co-located at the surface. Mostly
clear early this morning with temperatures in the upper 60s to
lower 70s. Patchy fog is possible early this morning, especially
across southern VA and interior NE NC. High pressure remains
over the region today. 850mb temperatures rise to 19-21C
supporting high temperatures in the lower to mid 90s inland,
with mid/upper 80s toward the coast with an onshore component to
the wind. Mostly sunny and primarily dry today aside from a
slight chc of showers/tstms over the NW Piedmont counties late
this afternoon. Most 17/00z CAMs depict some scattered
showers/tstms dropping into central VA, the Northern Neck, and
the lower MD Eastern Shore this evening, with this activity
dissipating overnight. Any showers/tstms this evening will be
well in advance of a cold front, with the boundary dropping into
northern portions of the area by late tonight. PoPs for these
locations are 20-40%, with 20% or less elsewhere. Forecast lows
tonight are mainly in the lower 70s.

&&

.SHORT TERM /MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
As of 335 AM EDT Sunday...

Key Messages:

- A cold front approaches from the north late tonight leading to
  increasing cloud cover and isolated chances for showers and
  thunderstorms through Tuesday.

The cold front settles into the area Monday and stalls over the
region through Tuesday. With the close proximity of the front
isolated afternoon showers/tstms are in the forecast, with the
best chances across the northern/northwestern half of the area
both days. Not as hot Monday compared to today, with highs
ranging from the low to mid 80s across our far N/NE counties, to
the upper 80s to around 90 S/SW. At this time the 17/00z NAM is
considered an outlier as it depicts much more cloud cover and
holds highs in the 70s for much of the area. High temperatures
Tuesday are expected to be a few degrees lower than Monday and
ranging from the upper 70s/around 80F N, to the lower/mid 80s S.
Forecast lows Monday night/early Tuesday morning are generally
in the upper 60s to lower 70s.

&&

.LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
As of 335 AM EDT Sunday...

Key Messages:

- Hurricane Erin is likely to stay well offshore of the local
  area as it makes its closest approach later this week. The
  main impacts are expected to be at area beaches as dangerous
  swimming conditions develop.

- Below average temperatures with isolated-scattered showers and
  thunderstorms possible Wednesday and Thursday as a cold front
  drops south. Temperatures remain below average by the later
  portion of the week.

The main focus for mid to late week will be Hurricane Erin and
just how close it tracks to the local area. The general 17/00z
ensemble/model consensus continues to show the system recurving
well offshore away from our area, with even an eastward shift in
the 17/00z ECMWF, which had been on the western side of the
consensus guidance. This is thanks to the amplification of a
trough to our north by mid-week which will shunt the upper ridge
back to the west. As this trough drops southward, it will
create a weakness in the flow aloft and steer Erin towards the
north then northeast. At this time, the main impacts expected
from the system locally are large waves, dangerous rip currents,
some minor coastal flooding, and beach erosion. The timeframe
of greatest impacts will likely be from Wednesday afternoon into
Thursday. Continue to monitor the latest from NHC in regards to
Hurricane Erin.

Otherwise, the front that will be in the vicinity of the area
earlier in the week looks to nudge south of the region
Wednesday. The front will be fully through the area Thursday
into Friday and below normal temperatures are expected through
the end of the week, with highs in the upper 70s/around 80F at
the coast to lower 80s inland Thursday through Saturday. Low
temperature will mainly be in the 60s inland to around 70F at
the coast. Shower/tstm chances are forecast to remain in the
20-40% range Wednesday/Thursday. However, Thursday is trending
drier based on the latest guidance.

&&

.AVIATION /08Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
As of 155 AM EDT Sunday...

High pressure is centered over the region as of 06z. VFR under a
clear sky with a calm to light NE wind. Primarily VFR this
morning, aside from some brief IFR/MVFR vsby from after 07-08z
to around sunrise, and mainly at SBY and PHF. Mostly sunny and
VFR later this morning into the aftn. The wind will generally be
light out of the SW at RIC, SBY, and PHF, before becoming S
later this aftn. At ORF and ECG, a light NE wind will become SE
later this aftn. There is a 20-40% chc of evening showers/tstms
at RIC and SBY. Otherwise, dry and VFR tonight with a calm to
light wind.

A cold front approaches from the N late tonight into Monday,
which may potentially bring an isolated shower/tstm and brief
period of sub-VFR CIGs (north) early Monday. Afternoon/evening
isolated to scattered showers/tstms may bring brief periods of
sub- VFR conditions Tuesday through Thursday. Otherwise, primarily
VFR.

&&

.MARINE...
As of 335 AM EDT Sunday...

Key Messages:

- A cold front drops across the coast Monday into Monday night,
  bringing increasing NE winds.

- Large swell and a high risk of rip currents are expected as
  early as Tuesday and continuing Wednesday and Thursday as
  Hurricane Erin tracks through the western Atlantic.

High pressure remains the dominant feature across the area this
morning and is responsible for the benign marine conditions
ongoing across the local waters. The low off the Carolina coast
has moved further out into the western North Atlantic, which has
allowed the gradient to relax across the area and caused winds
to diminish. Generally light to gentle winds are being measured
by marine observation sites. Waves in the Bay are around 1 ft,
with seas of 2- 4 ft in the Ocean.

High pressure will continue to build southwards across the area
today as it gradually moves eastward. A weak backdoor front
will slowly move towards the area today and winds will shift to
the southeast to south throughout the day ahead of the front. As
the front starts to move through the area on Monday, winds will
return to the northeast. There is some deviation in just how
strong the CAA behind the front will be on Monday afternoon into
Tuesday. Have nudged winds up a little bit on Monday
night/Tuesday to account for this, but have kept winds generally
below SCA. We will continue to monitor any trends in guidance
for possible SCA conditions during this timeframe and adjust the
forecast as necessary.

Hurricane Erin is currently moving WNW and is located north of
Puerto Rico. The current forecast continues on track with Erin
turning far enough north passing between the coast and Bermuda,
remaining well offshore the US coast. The wind field of
Hurricane Erin is forecast to become quite expansive over the
next few days and the gradient between the high to the NE and
Hurricane Erin will cause NE winds to remain elevated on Tuesday
behind the front. As Erin shifts further north offshore, the
increased pressure gradient will be the strongest mid to late
this week with SCA winds likely Wednesday night through at least
late Thursday. The main threat from Erin will be the increased
waves. 4-6 ft swell (potentially up to 8 ft) will approach the
area Tuesday and continue to increase through Wednesday
night/Thursday morning, peaking at 8-12 ft (4-6 ft in the Ches.
Bay). Waves greater than 5 ft will likely linger through the
week in the coastal waters.

With continued onshore swell and moderate periods, a moderate
risk of rip currents is in effect for all beaches today. Wave
heights will then begin to increase on Monday resulting in a
continued moderate risk for all beaches. A high rip current risk
is expected next week beginning Tuesday as large long period
swell (12-16s) arrives ahead of Hurricane Erin. High rip current
risk will likely continue through a majority of the week and
possibly into the weekend.

&&

.AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MD...None.
NC...None.
VA...None.
MARINE...None.

&&

$$

SYNOPSIS...AJB/AJZ
NEAR TERM...AJZ
SHORT TERM...AJB/AJZ
LONG TERM...AJB/AJZ
AVIATION...AJZ
MARINE...KMC/NB