362 FXUS62 KILM 061800 AFDILMArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 200 PM EDT Mon Oct 6 2025
.SYNOPSIS... High pressure will remain northeast of the area through Wednesday. A cold front will bring an end to the warm stretch of weather beginning Thursday. Cool temperatures to follow for end of the week, with an offshore low possibly increasing rain chances next weekend.
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.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... The stagnant weather pattern of the last several days will finally begin to evolve ahead of a mid-upper trough shifting rapidly across the Midwest over the next couple of days. The weak upper anticyclone over eastern NC will be pushed southwestward as the ridge flattens ahead of the incoming trough, resulting in the mid-upper flow changing from south- southeasterly today to weak and chaotic overnight, then southwest to westerly on Tuesday. Meanwhile, surface high pressure north of the area will be pushed away, but will help maintain a generally easterly onshore flow through tonight, which becomes more southeasterly on Tuesday. In addition, the coastal trough is expected to remain in place and hi-res guidance tools suggest another round of scattered nocturnal showers will affect mainly the eastern areas, including the Cape Fear region this time around. Although not all places will see rain, some isolated areas may pick up to a tenth to quarter inch, while others see just a few hundredths. Lightly wet roads during this extended dry period can become slick as water mixes with dust and oil on the road, so keep this in mind for the morning commute on Tuesday. Otherwise, another warm day with a mix of clouds and sun can be expected after any showers clear out.
Temperatures will remain above-normal for this time of year, with daytime highs in the low-mid 80s and overnight lows in the mid-upper 60s.
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.SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... Another warm night Tuesday night with lows in the mid 60s, with a chance of patchy fog developing overnight due to calm winds before high clouds start to move in from the west towards morning. One last day of unseasonably warm temps Wednesday with continued WAA around offshore mid-level ridge and ahead of incoming trough. Highs Wednesday in the mid 80s. Cold front is forecasted to move across the area late Wednesday before stalling offshore. While PWATs Wednesday are high (1.75+ inches, which is above 90th percentile for this time of year), instability appears to be quite weak due to poor lapse rates. Thunder is generally capped at slight chance Wednesday/Wednesday night while pops are 50-60%. Lower instability will also lower rainfall totals, with 0.25-0.75" currently forecasted for Wed- Wed night. Lower temps and dewpoints move in behind the front by Thursday morning, with lows in the upper 50s.
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.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... Below normal temperatures in store for the long term period due to CAA behind the front and a wedge of high pressure develops at the surface Thursday into Friday. Predominantly dry Thursday, with a chance of low stratus lingering through midday with low level inversion. Low pressure looks to develop along the stalled front off the Southeast coast late Friday as upper shortwave digs into the area. The low is currently forecasted to move up the coast Saturday and be near the Mid-Atlantic region Sunday into Monday. How close this low gets to the coast will determine our rain chances and our wind gusts Friday and Saturday, with best chance for showers and gusty winds across coastal counties. Dry air moves in behind the low Sunday and Monday.
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.AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... Primarily VFR conditions are expected through the period, although low chances for brief MVFR to IFR vis or cig restrictions exist again tonight if any shower directly impacts a terminal. Inland areas are not completely safe from a shower, but chances are too low to mention. MVFR mist is possible at the inland terminals as winds lighten up, but clouds from the coastal showers may thwart any attempt at mist formation despite initially clear skies after daytime cumulus dissipates this evening. This will need to be re- evaluated in future updates. Any early-morning restrictions should end soon after sunrise and leave a VFR day through the end of the period.
Extended Outlook...VFR conditions prevail most of the time. Low to moderate confidence in patchy dense fog during the early morning on Wednesday, with rain chances returning starting Wednesday afternoon as a cold front approaches from the west.
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.MARINE... Through Tuesday...High pressure north of the waters will shift eastward through the period, causing winds to gradually veer with time from ENE to ESE. Speeds will tend to decrease as the high moves away and the gradient loosens, but a coastal trough is still expected to hold near the coast, keeping onshore winds in play and a chance for showers tonight into early Tuesday. Accordingly, wave heights should very gradually subside from the 3-5 ft range this afternoon into the 3-4 ft range on Tuesday. The main wave group continues to be an 8-sec SE swell with a diminishing contribution from an easterly 12-13 sec swell.
Tuesday Night through Saturday...Relatively benign marine conditions Tuesday night into Wednesday with southeast winds less than 10 kts and seas 3-4 ft from 8 sec SE swell. A cold front is forecasted to move across the waters Wednesday evening into overnight hours before stalling off the coast, with chance of thunderstorms with frontal passage. Winds and seas pick up behind the front, with NE winds 20- 25 kts and gusts to 30 kts by Thursday morning. Winds remain elevated into next weekend as pressure gradient remains tight between inland wedge and a low pressure system developing along stalled front Friday and Saturday. Seas 4-5 ft Thursday morning increase to 5-8 ft by Thursday afternoon, and remain around that height through Saturday, primarily due to NE swell. Depending on position of the low as it moves up the coast, scattered thunderstorms possible across the local coastal waters Friday into Saturday.
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.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... Onshore flow and rising astronomical tides due to the full moon today will likely bring minor tidal flooding with each high tide cycle across most of the beaches and along the lower Cape Fear River, including downtown Wilmington, at least through the first half of this week.
Rip currents: High rip current risk is in effect for east and southeast facing beaches in our area due to 4-5 ft SE swell continuing to impact our beaches. High rip risk is forecasted to continue through tomorrow before improving on Wednesday. May see high rip current risk return Thursday into the weekend for beaches north of Cape Fear due to strengthening ENE swell and a developing low pressure system off the coast.
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.ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...High Risk for Rip Currents until 8 PM EDT this evening for NCZ106- 108. Coastal Flood Advisory from 7 AM to 10 AM EDT Tuesday for NCZ106-108-110. Coastal Flood Advisory until noon EDT Tuesday for NCZ107. SC...High Risk for Rip Currents until 8 PM EDT this evening for SCZ054- 056. Coastal Flood Advisory until 11 AM EDT Tuesday for SCZ054-056. MARINE...None.
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SYNOPSIS...ILM NEAR TERM...ABW SHORT TERM...VAO LONG TERM...VAO AVIATION...ABW MARINE...VAO/ABW TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
NWS ILM Office Area Forecast Discussion