


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Raleigh/Durham, NC
Issued by NWS Raleigh/Durham, NC
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259 FXUS62 KRAH 131957 AFDRAH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Raleigh NC 357 PM EDT Wed Aug 13 2025 .SYNOPSIS... A series of disturbances in anomalously moist, west southwesterly flow aloft will move across the Carolinas through Thursday night. An area of low pressure and weak, backdoor cold front will move across NC on Friday, with following dry and seasonably warm high pressure for the weekend. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 355 PM Wednesday... A train of MCVs along the NC/VA border swwd through ern TN and swd into AL, will continue to track around a sub-tropical ridge over the swrn Atlantic. A couple of more may develop within what will probably be growing (in coverage and intensity) clusters of convection (a mix of cellular and multi-cellular) across especially the srn half of NC through this evening, along both a differential heating boundary from early day convection and aggregate outflow now centered near KEHO. A band of seasonably strong mid-level flow and effective shear around 30 kts was sampled by 12Z RAOB data across NC and even still by regional VWP data. Transient storm rotation may result, as has been noted in the cell now over srn Alamance Co. Those that develop and mature in the greater instability along and south of the differential heating zone over the srn Piedmont and Sandhills may rotate more strongly and pose a risk of hail and strong to locally damaging wind gusts. Otherwise, forecast Corfidi vectors through this evening suggest convection may display a tendency to backbuild from the srn Piedmont to the cntl Coastal Plain, which would favor a somewhat greater and more-concentrated risk of flash flooding. Convection should then gradually dissipate this evening, as both MVC forcing and instability diminish. It will otherwise be very muggy and mild overnight, with areas of stratus probable amid a very humid and rain-cooled boundary layer. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... As of 112 PM Wednesday... * Marginal risk of excessive rain again, though confidence on where is low A remnant MCV that is presently across southern AL is forecast to reach the southern Piedmont and the NC/SC border early Thursday morning. Guidance forecasts the MCV to track east into the Sandhills and southern Coastal Plain by the mid/late morning to early afternoon hours before moving toward the coast in the late afternoon and evening. To the northwest of the MCV, there appears to be a weak surface boundary draped SW to NE over the higher terrain. The 12z HREF members indicate convection could generate nearly anywhere over central NC on Thu, either along/east of the MCV or along the surface boundary to the northwest. Although, CAMs did not handle today`s situation very well so confidence is not great. I would not be surprised if some morning convection over our southern zones sets up as it did today along the MCV. Then, additional isolated to scattered activity develops in the aftn/eve along surface boundaries. There is a notable upper-jet streak across VA that may fuel this development. A marginal risk remains out over the area for excessive rain as PW`s remain well above normal. Areas that have received rain over the past few days will be most susceptible to flash flooding. Storm activity should wane by mid/late evening. Highs will hover in the mid 80s, with lows in the low 70s. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... As of 112 PM Wednesday... * Marginal risk of excessive rain Fri, though overall threat appears to lessen * Drier over the weekend into early next week, with next best storm chances by the middle of next week On Fri, a weak shear axis will persist along the NC/VA border, with a remnant MCV somewhere off the NC coast. The highest PW`s aoa 2+ inches will start to shift mainly across our southern areas of the southern Piedmont, Sandhills, and southern Coastal Plain. A jet streak will still be present over southern VA. Storm chances will be possible anywhere over central NC again, primarily along subtle surface boundaries. Although the marginal risk of excessive rainfall remains in place, it appears it may be somewhat overdone with a lack of discernible forcing. Highs should hover near average in the mid to upper 80s, with some heat indices near 100 over the Triangle and Sandhills. Lows will be in the upper 60s to low 70s Fri night. Heading into the weekend and into early next week, drier air starts to work in from the north. A mid-level ridge across the Mid MS valley will also start to exert its influence, allowing for subsidence across the region. While the storm chances cannot be completely ruled out, it does appear drier than the past several days. A trough trying to approach by the middle of next week could favor a frontal approach for better storm chances Wed. This same trough may keep tropical system Erin out to sea and away from NC. Much of the ensemble tracks show this trend, but it is still too far out to tell if any impacts might be felt. As for highs, we should generally hover in the mid/upper 80s, with perhaps some low 90s Mon. A slight cool-down from increased storm chances is possible Tue/Wed in the middle 80s. && .AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 155 PM Wednesday... MVFR ceilings over the northwest Piedmont (INT/GSO) will lift and likely scatter to VFR by 20Z, during which time the airmass throughout cntl NC will destabilize downstream of a couple of additional mid-level disturbances that will trigger scattered showers/storms through the afternoon-evening. While most should dissipate by around 02Z, yet another disturbance will probably move into at least the srn half of NC and impact FAY with renewed chances of convection and flight restrictions around or shortly after 12Z Thu. Otherwise, areas of IFR-MVFR stratus will be possible once again Thu morning. Outlook: Another good chance of showers and storms is expected Thursday afternoon and evening, followed by lower, more diurnally driven showers and storms Friday into the weekend. Morning fog and/or low stratus will also be possible each day. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SYNOPSIS...MWS NEAR TERM...MWS SHORT TERM...Kren LONG TERM...Kren AVIATION...MWS/CBL