


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Raleigh/Durham, NC
Issued by NWS Raleigh/Durham, NC
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429 FXUS62 KRAH 031048 AFDRAH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Raleigh NC 645 AM EDT Wed Sep 3 2025 .SYNOPSIS... High pressure to our north will extend southward through the area today. A weak cold front will approach from the west tonight and early Thursday. This front will stall out and hold to our northwest through Saturday, allowing warmer air to flow into the region. The front will push into the area Saturday night and Sunday, with cooler high pressure then returning for Sunday night through Tuesday. && .NEAR TERM /TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 125 AM Wednesday... Surface high pressure will weaken over the East Coast today. Meanwhile, an upper level shortwave will pass just northwest of the region in association with a strong upper low that will approach Lake Superior. Have maintained a dry forecast across the forecast area, but can`t rule out a rogue shower making its way into Forsyth County this afternoon. High temperatures will be slightly warmer than yesterday, with most locations reaching the lower 80s, although some upper 70s are still likely. While many locations will have another night with lows in the 50s, some locations will only fall into the lower 60s. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT/... As of 125 AM Wednesday... By Thursday morning, the upper level low should be nearly stationary north of Lake Superior with a nearby surface low. A surface boundary should pass over the Appalachian Mountains on Thursday, but it appears that the greatest moisture will remain to the north, once again limiting the chances for precipitation. The latest forecast almost completely removes the chance for any showers/storms, although once again it appears that Forsyth County could possibly be clipped by afternoon showers/thunderstorms. A shift in the wind from northeasterly to southerly will allow highs to increase about 5 degrees, with all locations expected to rise into the 80s. Similarly, lows will be warmer Thursday night, with all locations forecast to only drop into the 60s. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 1255 AM Wednesday... * Much above normal temps likely Friday/Saturday, then cooling back off starting Sunday. * Scattered showers and storms possible over the weekend. Fri-Sat night: The deep mid level low will continues to wobble over Ontario Fri, before opening and lifting into W Quebec by Sat, with troughing and strong cyclonic steering flow over the Midwest, Great Lakes region into the Ohio Valley. This will allow an approaching surface front to stall out to our NW Fri, over or just W of the central Appalachians and back into KY/TN, before nudging back NW Sat as the mean flow remains parallel to the surface front. The weakening surface ridge pushing offshore will place NC in a prefrontal WAA pattern, reinforced by rising heights aloft as mid level Bermuda ridging builds westward toward the Southeast coast, resulting in climbing low level thicknesses to 10-15 m above normal Fri/Sat. Fri is likely to be dry, with little to no CAPE, minimal shear, near normal PWs, and no mechanisms evident to force ascent. Fri highs should be in the upper 80s to lower 90s. The prefrontal heat continues to build Sat, bringing our warmest day, with highs expected to be in the upper 80s to mid 90s. Deep layer bulk shear will remain rather poor, but with the building heat and gradually increasing PW to just above normal, we`ll see an increase in SBCAPE to 500-1000 J/kg Sat, supporting isolated to scattered showers and storms from late Sat afternoon through the evening. Sun-Tue: Longwave troughing will persist over E NOAM early Sun, with the trough axis still to our W, but a series of waves diving through the mean trough over the Great Lakes and Northeast will gradually help nudge the longwave trough axis eastward. The axis will stay to our W through Sun, however, given the lagging southern portion of the trough at and S of our latitude, so it`s unclear if there will be a sufficient push aloft to get the cold front over the Appalachians Sun. The greater cloud cover and better chance for showers and storms Sun, esp across the S and E portions of the CWA, should take the edge off of the hot temps, with Sun highs in the upper 70s NW to upper 80s SE, but the pronounced cooling will likely hold off until Mon/Tue when the cool post-frontal surface high drifts E over the Great Lakes and finally provides enough impetus to push the front through our area. The front will settle to our S and near the Carolina coast by Mon morning, as the surface high`s center tracks over Lk Erie and Lk Ontario, eventually shifting to Maine and the Canadian Maritimes by Tue. The resulting NE flow and CAA in a wedging configuration will bring a return to below normal temps, with highs in the mid 70s to lower 80s, and low shower chances in the SE only. -GIH && .AVIATION /11Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... As of 645 AM Wednesday... TAF period: After morning fog dissipates at RWI, VFR conditions are expected through the TAF period. The wind will be calm or out of the north during the day, eventually shifting out of the south by this evening. Outlook: A passing shower will be possible Saturday afternoon/evening, then again on Sunday. Otherwise dry VFR conditions are forecast. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...Hartfield NEAR TERM...Green SHORT TERM...Green LONG TERM...Hartfield AVIATION...Green