760 FXUS62 KILM 101923 AFDILM Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 323 PM EDT Wed Oct 10 2018 .SYNOPSIS... Intermittent showers or thunderstorms will continue to rush across the Carolinas through tonight as Hurricane Michael makes landfall along the Florida coast. Michael will quickly move northeast Thursday into Friday, spreading periods of heavy rain and gusty winds across the area. A cooler and drier airmass will follow for the weekend. A cold front may bring showers and thunderstorms to the region Monday or Tuesday. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 200 PM Wednesday...Have issued a coastal flood warning for Brunswick coast as strong on shore winds are expected to cause moderate flooding during high tide on Thurs mid to late morning. The latest official NHC forecast brings the center of Michael across the inland CWA in the 16-20Z Thursday. With its approach, surf conditions will continue to deteriorate, with breaking waves likely to reach as high as 8 feet on Thursday. Therefore a High Surf Advisory has been raised and will remain in effect into Thursday night. For the remainder of today and tonight, guidance and radar trends indicate that shower activity will remain scattered in nature. However within those showers, the potential will exist for brief, very heavy rain, and a Flash Flood Watch remains in effect through 2 AM Friday. As Michael accelerates to the northeast and approaches the eastern Carolinas, rainfall will expand in areal coverage from SW to NE beginning Thursday morning. The highest rainfall amounts are expected to occur west of the I-95 corridor, where 3-4" amounts will be common, but locally as high as 5-6". These amounts will trend lower further east, with an average of 0.75-1.0" along the immediate coast. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... As of 300 PM Wednesday...Fall-like weather will arrive as Michael departs heading into Friday. Much drier air will wrap around the back end of Michael in deep NW winds. Complete change in air mass as pcp water values will drop down to less than a half inch by daybreak Fri. Expect clearing skies and diminishing off shore winds through Fri. Temps will drop down into the 60s before daybreak Fri with a rebound of temps up into the mid to upper 70s on Fri under mainly sunny skies. By Fri, a much drier air mass will be in place with dewpoint temps down into the 50s by Fri aftn and below 50s by Fri night. With light winds and clear skies, more ideal radiational cooling will allow temps to drop down into the 50s Sat night, possibly dipping below 50 in some traditionally cooler spots across the area. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... As of 300 PM Wednesday...A progressive shortwave will move across New England early in the long term period with near zonal flow across the Southeast United States. In response, surface high pressure will move across the Mid-Atlantic region during Saturday and quickly off the coast during Sunday. Return flow will begin Monday ahead of a strong cold front. The front could move through Monday night or early Tuesday morning with a chance of showers/tstms. Drier/cooler weather is on tap by next Tuesday/Wednesday. After near normal temperatures this weekend temperatures will become above normal once again Sunday through Monday in the pre-frontal environment. && .AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... As of 18Z...Showers for areas in SC will continue this afternoon which has been bringing terminals from VFR to lower categories including IFR for a few minutes then rebounding to VFR again. MVFR ceilings at the southernmost terminals will rise to VFR late this morning as the axis of precipitation moves northward toward LBT and ILM later in the day. Showers will develop offshore and move inland throughout the day with a strong SE wind and a long fetch of tropical moisture. There will be a brief break where coverage decreases before the arrival of the outer bands of Hurricane Michael around 04-11Z. During this time, showers offshore may affect the coastal terminals, but coverage should be limited. Despite isolated showers, expect VFR conditions on Wed. Overnight, winds will slowly increase and ceilings will drop to MVFR. As the storm approaches, rain chances will increase, especially around sunrise on Thu. Showers will move in with the arrival of Hurricane Michael around 13- 15Z. Winds will be out of the south at around 15-25 knots with higher gusts and increasing throughout the day. MVFR with IFR ceilings and visibilities are possible. Extended Outlook...Hurricane Michael is expected to impact the area Wednesday night through Friday, bringing periods of heavy rain with IFR ceilings, as well as sustained winds of 30-40 kt with gusts potentially in the 40-50 knot range. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 130 PM Wednesday...Tropical cyclone Michael will make its closest approach to area waters between about noon and 4 PM Thursday. Conditions should remain relatively stable, with winds 20-25 knots and seas 7-9 feet through the remainder of the afternoon and evening, then further deteriorate from south to north after midnight. All waters remain in a tropical storm warning, and sustained winds as high as 40 knots are expected to overspread the waters from south to north during Thursday. Gusts as high as 50 knots will also be possible, along with seas of 10-12 feet. SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... As of 300 PM Wednesday...Tropical storm force winds will diminish as they veer around from W to NW overnight Thurs into Fri morning and N by Fri aftn as they diminish to 10 to 15 kts. As winds diminish in off shore flow, seas will drop below SCA thresholds by Fri morning. Winds continue veering Fri night, to N-NE late Fri into Fri night as high pressure to the north shifts east. Winds will be down to 10 kts or less Fri night with seas down to 3 ft or less. LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 300 PM Wednesday...High pressure will ridge across the waters from the north Saturday resulting in northerly flow. The area of high pressure will quickly move off the Mid-Atlantic coast allowing the flow to veer to a southeasterly direction during Sunday. During Monday southerly flow will increase ahead of a strong cold front that could move through Monday night. Seas will be 3 ft or less but will increase in the wake of the strong front late Monday, especially away from the coast in offshore flow. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... As of 1000 AM Wednesday...Minor coastal flooding thresholds along the immediate coast, including the area beaches, will be met mainly during the morning High Tide cycles except during Thu evening high tides, when Michael progresses across the FA. Minor coastal flooding thresholds for Springmaid Pier in SC is 7.5 ft MLLW and for Johnny Mercer Pier in NC at 6.0 ft MLLW. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...Flash Flood Watch through late Thursday night for SCZ017-023- 024-032-033-039-054>056-058-059. Tropical Storm Warning for SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-054>056- 058-059. High Rip Current Risk through Friday afternoon for SCZ054-056. High Surf Advisory until 4 AM EDT Friday for SCZ054-056. Coastal Flood Advisory until 2 AM EDT Friday for SCZ054-056. NC...Flash Flood Watch through late Thursday night for NCZ087-096- 099-105>110. Tropical Storm Warning for NCZ087-096-099-105>110. High Rip Current Risk through Friday afternoon for NCZ106-108- 110. Coastal Flood Warning from 8 AM to 1 PM EDT Thursday for NCZ110. High Surf Advisory until 4 AM EDT Friday for NCZ106-108-110. Coastal Flood Advisory until 2 AM EDT Friday for NCZ106>109. MARINE...Tropical Storm Warning for AMZ250-252-254-256. && $$ NEAR TERM...CRM SHORT TERM...RGZ LONG TERM...SRP AVIATION...21