288 FXUS62 KRAH 061828 AFDRAHArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Raleigh NC 228 PM EDT Sat Sep 6 2025
.SYNOPSIS... A cold front to our northwest will approach this evening. The front will move through Sunday, stalling out along the coast. Cool high pressure will then follow and extend down from the Mid-Atlantic through the middle of next week.
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.NEAR TERM /TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 208 AM Saturday...
* Warmest day of the next 7 days with upper 80s NW to low/mid 90s elsewhere. Heat indices approaching 100 along/east of US-1
* Scattered showers and storms capable of damaging straight-line winds
A deep trough with embedded shortwaves will rotate to our northwest today and tonight mainly across the OH valley and Great Lakes region. Ripples of energy rotating through the base of the larger trough will track through the Carolinas this afternoon through the overnight hours. At the surface, a pre-frontal trough will be present over the western part of NC, ahead of a cold front slated to approach later tonight from the Mid-Atlantic, OH/TN valley region.
A warm and humid airmass will be in place today, with conditions typical for July with low-level thicknesses, depending on which model you look at, upwards of 1420-1428 m, supportive of low to mid 90s. The saving grace will be storms developing in the early afternoon over the NW, favoring more upper 80s in the Triad with cloud cover developing. Although heat indices will not reach advisory criteria, they will top out near 100 along/east of US-1. And given our cool August, some people might be caught off guard with this heat we have not had for some time. Those especially sensitive to heat should take extra precautions as heat-related illnesses can occur quickly without adequate cooling or hydration.
As for storm chances today, nearly anywhere in central NC has the potential for scattered showers and storms. Much of the CAMs do suggest the best chance along/west of US-1, where instability will be higher, ranging from 1500-2500 J/kg of surface and mixed-layer CAPE. Deep-layer shear reaches upwards of 30 kt. As we have been advertising, damaging straight-line winds are the primary severe threat, especially along/west of US-1, though isolated hail is possible as well. CAMs suggest the main batch of storms will focus along the pre-frontal trough in the late afternoon and track east during the evening hours along an effective front/outflow boundary, with coverage weakening with eastward extent over the Sandhills and Coastal Plain. However, isolated development is possible east of the pre-frontal trough along possible outflow from early convection east of the Triad late last night. Thinking the main severe risk will be from about 2 to 8 pm.
The front is expected to approach the northern counties during the early morning hours of Sun. Although most CAMs suggest convection waning after midnight, cannot rule some isolated to scattered activity overnight as models suggest a few embedded mid-level MCVs/shortwaves tracking through from the SW. Lows will range from the low/mid 60s N to near 70 in the S.
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.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... As of 130 PM Saturday...
* Much cooler day Sunday.
* Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms possible in the morning through afternoon.
By Sunday morning, the surface cold front should be out of the region, while the mid/upper trough will continue to push through the area through the day. This will allow for showers associated with the frontal passage to continue Sunday morning through the afternoon. A few embedded thunderstorms will also be possible, especially in the east where instability is expected to be greater.
Temperatures should be much cooler Sunday than on Friday. There will be a large temperature gradient Sunday afternoon over central NC. Highs look to range from near 70 in the north to the low 80s in the south. Minimum temperatures Sunday night will dip into the mid 50s in the northwest to the low 60s in the southeast.
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.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... As of 130 PM Saturday...
* Below normal temperatures, moderating to near normal through the week.
* Mainly dry conditions expected, with isolated showers possible Tuesday and Wednesday in the east.
Canadian high pressure will build into the region before starting to break down through the extended period. This will allow for the below normal temperatures to continue through the extended period, while slowly moderating to near normal. Monday through Wednesday should have maximum temperatures generally in the 70s, rising to the 80s on Thursday and Friday. A reinforcing, dry cold front should bring cooler temperatures back next weekend, with highs in the 70s expected again on Saturday. Minimum temperatures should be near to slightly below normal, with lows generally expected in the mid 50s to mid 60s each night.
The best chance of rain looks to be from a stalled front off the coast. If the front is able to retrograde inland at all, isolated showers may be possible Tuesday and/or Wednesday afternoon in the far east. However, most of central NC should be dry for the long term.
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.AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 225 PM Saturday...
24 hour TAF period: Showers and storms will continue to develop along a pre-frontal trough and progress ewd to at least the Triangle through this eve, with a decrease in coverage and intensity after sunset, generally as they move east of the Triangle. The storm over GSO produced gusts of 50-55 kts, so expect that possibility with stronger storms through this evening, though most t-storm wind gusts should be in the 25-35 kt range. The usual sub-vfr vsbys and cigs will also accompany the storms where they occur. In the wake of the showers and storms tonight, low stratus is still expected to develop, generally in the 08Z to 12Z time frame. Lower confidence on how low the base of the stratus will be, but IFR/LIFR is likely, possibly dipping to VLIFR. Cigs may lift a bit to MVFR/IFR, but linger through the remainder of the TAF period.
Outlook: Sub-VFR stratus and/or fog may linger into Sun aftn to early evening. Scattered showers/storms will be possible Sun aftn/eve, especially near FAY/RWI. Largely VFR should prevail thereafter, however a stalled front offshore of the SE US could favor a chance of sub-VFR conditions in showers Tue/Wed.
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.RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None.
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SYNOPSIS...Kren NEAR TERM...Kren SHORT TERM...Helock LONG TERM...Helock AVIATION...KC/Kren
NWS RAH Office Area Forecast Discussion