Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Charleston, WV
Issued by NWS Charleston, WV
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765 FXUS61 KRLX 210935 AFDRLX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston WV 535 AM EDT Fri Aug 21 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... 12Z Aviation Forecast Discussion update. 06z Aviation Forecast Discussion update. No significant changes from the previous forecast. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1) Additional showers and thunderstorms anticipated today and for Saturday into Sunday. A big break is then forecast with settled weather beginning Sunday afternoon and lasting into midweek. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1... There is high confidence of shower and storm activity for today mainly across the mountains and to our southern portions of the CWA this afternoon and evening. Some of the showers could become heavy downpours with PWATS around 1.5 inches and DCAPE values around 1000 J/kg as well as moist low and mid level forecast soundings. This is justified with a marginal for excessive rainfall from WPC where shower activity will be possible for today. A short wave trough is the culprit for this potential activity which should be moving off to the east by tonight. For Saturday, a broad upper level trough courtesy of a broad low pressure system traversing over the Great Lakes will drop a frontal boundary down toward the area out toward the west of the region. This will promote shower and thunderstorm activity ahead of the front in the warm destabilized sector across the area from Saturday going into Sunday. Thereafter, the cold front will sweep through sometime in the morning on Sunday. SPC has us in a marginal threat for severe thunderstorms on Saturday into Sunday. This would be supported by high instability, modest shear and modest upper level dynamics. We cannot rule out heavy downpours as well with PWATs slightly over 1.5 inches, moist soundings, drier air in the lowest levels along with high DCAPE, however they would likely be very isolated in nature and so concerns for widespread flash flooding is unlikely at this time. The main threat will be damaging wind associated with stronger to severe storms which will be isolated in nature. Cold frontal passage is then expected by late sunday morning which will open up for settled weather the rest of Sunday although a diurnal pop up shower or storm cannot be ruled out during the afternoon, especially across the northeast mountains. However, models have us relativity dry going into midweek and central guidance does not have any precipitation probability higher than 10% lasting into Wednesday morning. Expect below seasonable temperatures with cooler and drier weather ahead until mid week when a few low pressure systems forecast to impede the region will likely affect us through the rest of the work week with shower and thunderstorm chances. && .AVIATION /09Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Areas of dense fog has encompassed the area and is affecting most sites with VLIFR in VIS and/or CIGs. After 13/14Z, VFR will take back control of the sites which should last predominately throughout the rest of the period. The only exception would be possible showers and storms at CRW/EKN/BKW during the afternoon if hit directly could cause some restrictions to VIS/CIGs, however would be very temporary. Winds will be light and likely variable throughout the period unless under heavy thunderstorm activity. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: MEDIUM. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Restrictions from fog and low stratus this morning could vary from TAFs. Thunderstorm timing this afternoon could vary from TAFs. EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. DATE FRI 08/21/26 UTC 1HRLY 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 EDT 1HRLY 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 CRW CONSISTENCY M M M M M M L H H H H H HTS CONSISTENCY M M M M M M L H H H H H BKW CONSISTENCY L M L M M M M M H H H H EKN CONSISTENCY M M M M M M L H M H H H PKB CONSISTENCY L M M M M M L H H H H H CKB CONSISTENCY M M M M M M L H H H H H AFTER 12Z SATURDAY... IFR conditions possible in showers and thunderstorms Saturday afternoon through Saturday night. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...None. OH...None. KY...None. VA...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...JZ AVIATION...JZ