


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Raleigh/Durham, NC
Issued by NWS Raleigh/Durham, NC
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925 FXUS62 KRAH 061016 AFDRAH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Raleigh NC 615 AM EDT Fri Jun 6 2025 .SYNOPSIS... A weak area of low pressure will move off the NC coast this morning. A series of mid and upper-level disturbances will overspread and interact with a frontal zone that will settle into and stall over NC this weekend through early to mid next week. && .NEAR TERM /TODAY AND TONIGHT/... As of 230 AM Friday... * Isolated severe storms possible across the NW Piedmont late this afternoon/early evening Rain associated with a weak area of low pressure and it`s attendant warm front lifting slowly northeastward through the area has mostly dissipated. Residual low-level moisture will support widespread stratus and some patchy fog, potentially dense(highest HREF probs across the northern Piedmont) through daybreak. As the low moves offshore later this morning, subsidence and drying in it`s wake will promote scouring out the low clouds and fog from west to east through mid to late morning between 12 to 16z. Abundant afternoon sun will allow for very warm highs, with most places topping out in the upper 80s to around 90. MCVs associated with ongoing MCS over the southern/central Plains, will approach the NC mtns by mid to late afternoon, then track east across the area tonight. Renewed lift/forcing from these disturbances will support the development of one or two convective clusters, which are expected to move off the higher terrain and into the western Piedmont between 20-02z. Environmental parameters, including modest vertical shear of 25- 30kts and ML CAPE values between 1000-2000 J/KG will be sufficient to support isolated strong to severe storms, with the primary hazard being damaging wind gusts. The threat is greatest between 4 to 8 pm. As the storms attempt to move east into the central Piedmont between 00 to 06z Saturday, nocturnal cooling and increasing boundary layer stabilization should result in significant weakening and possibly dissipation of convection. Overnight lows 65 to 70. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT/... As of 345 AM Friday... An MCS moving across the OH Valley and southern Appalachians on Friday night looks to move across central NC early Saturday morning, but by this point models are in good agreement that any precipitation associated with it will be largely fizzled out. High- res models appear to depict another weak upper impulse and associated area of precipitation over the central Appalachians and eastern KY/TN on Saturday morning, which may provide a focus for showers and storms as it moves east across central NC in the afternoon and evening and interacts with a surface lee trough that will be in place. Amid rich low-level moisture (dew points in the upper-60s to lower-70s) and high temperatures reaching the upper-80s to lower-90s, SBCAPE will be in the 1000-2000 J/kg range. Furthermore, bulk shear will be around 30-40 kts. So some strong to severe storms will be possible, and SPC has our entire region in a slight (level 2 of 5) risk. The best chance appears to be in the south and east where instability will be greatest, and damaging winds look to be the main threat. However, ML guidance does not appear too impressed, and the CAMS vary significantly on the coverage and intensity of convection, with the ARW and FV3 much less robust compared to the HRRR, NSSL, and especially NAM Nest. So still a lot of uncertainty and confidence is still low. The good news for outdoor activities is the entire day does not look like a washout, but it will be hot and humid. Saturday`s heat indices could reach the upper-90s in the far SE, with lower-to-mid-90s elsewhere. As a shortwave moves east across the OH Valley on Saturday night, mid- level heights will begin to fall and may provide forcing for additional showers, but the severe threat will come to an end with loss of daytime heating. Widespread cloud cover will keep low temperatures mild, in the mid-60s to lower-70s. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 415 AM Friday... Broad troughing over the Southeast US with embedded disturbances and moderate to strong instability will bring an unsettled period from this weekend into Wednesday. Shower and storm chances are above climo each day, maximized in the afternoons and evenings. A surface low and associated shortwave will move NE from the OH Valley into the lower Great Lakes on Sunday, which will help push a cold front towards to our region. Confidence in widespread convection is higher on Sunday given the mid-level height falls, approaching cold front, and even greater instability (2000-3000 J/kg of CAPE). So POPs are about 60-70% everywhere. Continued favorable shear on the order of 30-40 kts means another day of strong to severe storms is possible, and given stronger mid-level lapse rates, isolated large hail can`t be ruled out in addition to damaging winds. Thus the SPC has introduced a Day 3 slight (level 2 of 5) risk for severe storms across most of central NC outside of the NW which is in a marginal (level 1 of 5), as there is more uncertainty there on how cloud cover from upstream morning convection affects boundary-layer heating. Rain chances will come to an end on Sunday night as a weakening cold front moves through. The cold front looks to fizzle out on Monday, and with mid-level height rises behind the departing shortwave plus weaker flow aloft, Monday should feature a relative minimum in shower/storm coverage. POPs are only in the slight to low chance range, highest SE. However, this reprieve looks to be short-lived, as a more potent mid- level trough or closed low over the Upper Great Lakes pushes a stronger cold front that either reaches us on Tuesday night or stalls just to our N/NW. So POPs are back in the likely range on Tuesday, and more severe weather is possible given enhanced southwesterly flow aloft around the Great Lakes low/trough and continued moderate destabilization. As the trough lifts NE from New England into SE Canada on Wednesday and Thursday and is replaced by ridging building in from the west, shower/storm coverage should decrease somewhat especially by Thursday. With any cold fronts fizzling out or stalling just N/NW of our region, expect high temperatures to remain near to slightly above normal through the entire period. The warmest day looks to be Monday given the minimum in precipitation chances, with highs in the upper- 80s to lower-90s. Otherwise, expect mainly mid-to-upper-80s. Lows will be kept mild due to extensive moisture and cloud cover, generally mid-60s to lower-70s. && .AVIATION /11Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 615 AM Friday... As the low moves offshore later this morning, subsidence and drying in it`s wake will promote scouring out of sub-VFR restrictions in stratus and fog from west to east between 12 to 16z. By late afternoon and evening, upper level disturbances tracking into the western Piedmont will bring a chance of showers and storms at KINT and KGSO. However, nocturnal cooling/stabilization will likely lead to weakening convection as it attempts to progress eastward between 00 to 06z Saturday, with predominately VFR conditions expected through the remainder of the night. Outlook: A good chance of mainly afternoon and evening showers and storms will accompany a frontal zone that will settle into and linger over NC through early to mid next week. Areas of morning fog/stratus will also be possible, particularly where rain occurs the previous afternoon-evening. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MWS NEAR TERM...CBL SHORT TERM...Danco LONG TERM...Danco AVIATION...CBL/MWS