


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Mt. Holly, NJ
Issued by NWS Mt. Holly, NJ
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831 FXUS61 KPHI 210736 AFDPHI Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ 336 AM EDT Thu Aug 21 2025 .SYNOPSIS... Hurricane Erin will make its closest pass to the Mid Atlantic through today, bringing significant coastal and marine hazards to the region. Erin will push farther out to sea tonight into Friday as weak high pressure will builds into the area, with fair weather expected through Saturday. A cold front will approach the region on Sunday, then move offshore by Monday, bringing more unsettled conditions. Cooler and drier high pressure will then build into the region into the middle of next week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Hurricane Erin will bring significant coastal hazards to the New Jersey and Delaware coastlines through tonight. While the closest point of approach of Erin will be ~300-400 miles southeast of our area, the wind field of Erin will continue to grow in size with Tropical Storm force winds reaching just off our coasts. The main impacts from Erin will be strong gusty winds, life threatening rip currents, strong powerful seas yielding beach erosion, and coastal flooding. Refer to the Marine and Coastal Flooding sections below for further details. Outside of coastal areas, overcast skies, breezy northeast winds, but dry conditions are expected today. Sustained winds around 10-15 mph are anticipated where winds may occasionally gust upwards of 25- 35 mph. With the cloudy and breezy conditions, high temps will remain below normal with highs only in the upper 60s to low 70s. For coastal areas, a much different day is anticipated as northeast winds will be much stronger with sustained winds of 25-35 mph where gusts upwards of 50 mph are possible along the immediate coast. No changes have been made to the Wind Advisory, which begins at 10 AM this morning until midnight tonight from Ocean County southward. Monmouth County should fall short of advisory criteria due to shorter fetch off the Atlantic. A few showers from the outer bands of Erin may reach our coastline, but nothing of significance in terms of precipitation is expected while under overcast skies. The more concerning threat to coastal locales will be the aforementioned threat of powerful seas causing beach erosion, rip currents, and tidal/coastal flooding, where further details can be found in their respective sections below. Conditions will begin to improve for all areas tonight as Erin begins to accelerate northeast away from the area. Skies will begin to scatter out after sunset from west to east, giving way to clear skies after midnight. Gusty winds may linger into the early evening, but overall will diminish as the night progresses. Low temps will fall into the low 50s to low 60s. For the latest updates on Hurricane Erin, please proceed to the National Hurricane Center`s website: www.nhc.noaa.gov. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... As Hurricane Erin pushes well away from our are into Friday, weak ridging will build across the region. This will give us a nice break from the active and lousy weather conditions we`ve experienced much of this week. Temperatures will return toward normal values, with forecast high temperatures in the mid 80s and lows in the mid 50s to mid 60s for most areas. Friday will see pleasantly dry air thanks to dewpoints mixing out into the 50s and even some upper 40s under a light northerly breeze. Friday night into Saturday morning will feature below normal temperatures in the mid 50s to low 60s in many areas. As surface high pressure shifts offshore into Saturday, surface flow will turn southerly, which will begin to increase temperatures and dewpoints a few degrees compared to Friday, but still a very pleasant late August day. The dry air and ridging will result in mostly sunny/clear skies through Saturday as well. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Another pattern change on the horizon beginning Sunday through Monday as rather amplified upper troughing develops across the Great Lakes and Midwest region. This troughing pattern will be unusually strong for late August standards. More humid and showery/storm conditions can be expected Sunday through Monday before a cold front arrives sometime Monday, ushering in a cooler and much drier airmass in its wake into the middle of next week. The synoptic pattern will be favorable for widespread convection Sunday through Sunday night, with some activity likely lingering into Monday as well. The exact details of this convection remain unclear at the moment, but this is not a particularly favorable setup for severe storms or flash flooding. We`ll continue to monitor any potential threats from these showers and storms in the coming days though. Temperatures will remain near to slightly below normal with highs in the upper 70s to mid 80s Sunday and Monday and lows in the 60s Sunday night. Following frontal passage on Monday, cooler and much drier air will follow into the middle of the week with very pleasant weather conditions expected. Highs will be mainly in the 70s, lows mainly in the 50s, and dewpoints in the 40s and 50s. Not bad for late August, with conditions more typical of mid to late September. && .AVIATION /08Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... The following discussion is for KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY and surrounding areas. Through 12Z...IFR ceilings should prevail at all terminals with occasional instances of LIFR possible at KACY. Isolated showers and mist possible, only included in TAFs where confidence is greatest. Northeast winds increase to around 10-15 kt with occasional gusts up to 20-25 kt. Moderate confidence. Thursday...Anticipate IFR ceilings to persist through about 18Z, before gradually improving to MVFR thereafter. Skies may begin to scatter out at KRDG/KABE after 21Z. Northeast winds to peak around 15-20 kt sustained. Gusts upwards of 20-25 kt at KRDG/KABE, upwards of 25-30 kt at KTTN/KPNE/KPHL/KILG and upwards of 30-35 kt at KMIV/KACY. Moderate confidence. Thursday night...Lingering MVFR ceilings early, improving to VFR and at all terminals after 03Z (may linger as late as 06Z at KACY). North winds around 7-12 kt with a few gusts early in the evening around 20 kt. Moderate-high confidence. Outlook... Friday through Saturday night...VFR. No significant weather. Sunday through Monday...VFR conditions should generally prevail, however scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast through this period. && .MARINE... Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect for the waters offshore Manasquan Inlet to Fenwick Island through tonight with a Gale Warning in effect for the waters offshore Sandy Hook to Manasquan Inlet through tonight. For the lower Delaware Bay, a Gale Warning is in effect through midnight tonight. For the upper Delaware Bay, a Small Craft Advisory is in effect through tonight. Northeast winds continue to steadily increase today as Hurricane Erin approaches with sustained winds between 25-35 kt expected. Wind gusts upwards of 40-45 kt are expected on the Atlantic coastal waters with gusts upwards of 30-40 kt expected on the Delaware Bay before gradually diminishing overnight. Occasional showers possible across all waters which may cause locally higher gusts. Seas of 8-12 feet this morning will steadily build up to 12-17 feet this afternoon before gradually beginning to abate tonight for the Atlantic coastal waters. Rough and choppy waters are expected on the Delaware Bay. Outlook... Friday through Saturday night...Small Craft Advisory conditions expected, mainly due to elevated seas from departing Hurricane Erin. Sunday through Monday...Conditions should remain below advisory criteria, however scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast. Rip Currents... STAY OUT OF THE WATER! For today, northeast winds 25-35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. Dangerous surf zone conditions continue as breaking waves peak at 7-12 feet along with long period southeasterly swells (15-18 seconds) still associated with Hurricane Erin. A HIGH risk for the development of life-threatening rip currents continues for the Jersey Shore and the Delaware Beaches. For Friday, conditions begin to improve but still expecting high waves of 5 to 9 feet and a long period 13 to 16 second swell with Hurricane Erin pulling away. A HIGH risk for development of life-threatening rip currents will remain through the end of the week. A HIGH risk of rip currents is likely to persist through Saturday, and possibly Sunday as well. A High Surf Advisory and High Risk for Rip Currents statement are in effect through Friday for the New Jersey and Delaware Atlantic coasts. Waves in the surf zone will reach and exceed 8 feet, and a high risk of rip currents will persist through the end of the week. For specific beach forecasts, visit weather.gov/beach/phi && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... Prolonged and strengthening onshore flow will result in periods of coastal flooding through the end of this week. Water will slowly pile up as onshore flow continues through at least Thursday. Swells from Hurricane Erin will also enhance the threat for tidal flooding and push of water onshore, especially on Thursday when the most significant and widespread coastal flooding impacts are expected. For this evening`s high tide, minor flooding is forecast along the coasts of Sussex and Kent Counties in DE and Cape May County in NJ. Spotty minor flooding is anticipated elsewhere along the ocean coastline and within the New Jersey side of the Delaware Bay. A widespread impactful coastal flood event is expected as Erin passes by Thursday into Friday. The Coastal Flood Watches were upgraded to Coastal Flood Warnings for all counties along the Atlantic Ocean and within Delaware Bay as confidence has increased in widespread moderate flooding occurring across the coast. There is potential for locally MAJOR coastal flooding impacts, especially in Sussex County, DE, where we are now forecasting water levels to reach MAJOR flood stage (8.0 feet MLLW) at Lewes. The greatest inundation and impacts can be expected with the Thursday evening high tide. Widespread minor flooding is forecast with the Friday morning high tide, then additional moderate coastal flooding is possible with the Friday evening high tide. Along the tidal Delaware River, widespread minor flooding is expected, beginning with tomorrow night`s high tide and continuing through the high tide late Friday Night/early Saturday morning. A Coastal Flood Advisory was issued for communities along the tidal Delaware River, beginning tomorrow night and continuing through Saturday morning. Currently, no widespread coastal flooding is forecast for our Chesapeake Bay shoreline until Saturday morning`s high tide, though confidence is low on exactly how widespread the tidal flooding will be. && .CLIMATE... Near record breaking coldest high temperatures are forecast for today. Records for our climate sites are listed below: Record Coldest High Temperatures August 21 Site Record/Year Allentown (ABE) 61/2007 AC Airport (ACY) 66/1956 AC Marina (55N) 67/1956 Georgetown (GED) 69/1990 Mount Pocono (MPO) 54/2007 Philadelphia (PHL) 64/2007 Reading (RDG) 60/1990 Trenton (TTN) 63/2007 Wilmington (ILG) 65/2007 && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...Coastal Flood Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 5 AM EDT Saturday for PAZ070-071-106. NJ...Coastal Flood Advisory from 9 PM this evening to 2 AM EDT Saturday for NJZ016. Coastal Flood Warning until 2 AM EDT Saturday for NJZ023-024. High Risk for Rip Currents through Friday afternoon for NJZ014- 024>026. High Surf Advisory until 6 PM EDT Friday for NJZ014-024>026. Wind Advisory from 10 AM this morning to midnight EDT tonight for NJZ024>026. Coastal Flood Warning from 5 PM this afternoon to 2 AM EDT Saturday for NJZ012>014-020>022-025>027. Coastal Flood Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 5 AM EDT Saturday for NJZ017>019. DE...Coastal Flood Advisory from 9 PM this evening to 2 AM EDT Saturday for DEZ001. Coastal Flood Warning until 2 AM EDT Saturday for DEZ002>004. High Risk for Rip Currents through Friday afternoon for DEZ004. High Surf Advisory until 6 PM EDT Friday for DEZ004. Wind Advisory from 10 AM this morning to midnight EDT tonight for DEZ004. MD...None. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM EDT Friday for ANZ430. Gale Warning until midnight EDT tonight for ANZ431. Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM EDT early this morning for ANZ450>455. Gale Warning until 6 AM EDT Friday for ANZ450. Tropical Storm Warning for ANZ451>455. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Staarmann NEAR TERM...DeSilva SHORT TERM...Staarmann LONG TERM...Staarmann AVIATION...DeSilva/Staarmann MARINE...DeSilva/Hoeflich/Staarmann TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...Hoeflich/Staarmann CLIMATE...Staarmann