705 FXUS62 KILM 041039 AFDILMArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 639 AM EDT Sat Oct 4 2025
.SYNOPSIS... High pressure ridging across the area from the north will result mostly dry weather through the weekend. A cold front will approach from mid to late next week with some rain chances.
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.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... High pressure centered across the Mid-Atlantic region today will persist into tonight as it ridges across the Carolinas. A weak coastal trough will also linger, and may allow for isolated showers to move onshore today. Time-height cross sections show very dry conditions above H8 through today, with some moisture below H8 leading to some cloudiness at times. Overall, skies will be partly cloud and high temperatures will be slightly warmer today as the air- mass moderates. Expect lows tonight to be slightly above normal.
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.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... Latter half of the weekend looks dry as well as sfc high pressure is still situated just off to the NE and deep-layer moisture is lacking with upr-level ridging along the eastern Seaboard. Expect another day of breezy ENE wind under partly to mostly cloudy skies with temps right at normal for early October...highs in the lwr 80s with lows in the lwr/mid 60s.
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.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... Generally benign weather next week with sfc high pressure shifting farther offshore and no major weather systems anticipated. Seasonable conditions Monday and Tuesday are similar to those of Sunday, before a cold front crosses the area Wednesday or Thursday. The front will not be tapping into a lot of Gulf or Atlantic moisture and the best mid-level shortwave energy will miss to the north, so for now PoPs are only 20% those two days. With the weak CAA following the fropa, expect cooler temps...highs Thursday and Friday only in the mid 70s with lows in the 50s away from the immediate coast.
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.AVIATION /12Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... High confidence in VFR conditions today and tonight. High pressure will ridge into the Carolinas with a lingering, weak coastal trough. The airmass will continue to remain dry above H8, with some rounds of moisture in the H925-H8 layer with CU/SCU moving in from the ocean. Also, can`t entirely rule out an isolated shower moving onshore today, but not enough coverage to include in the TAFs.
Extended Outlook...VFR conditions are expected to prevail. May have some patchy fog during the early morning Sunday into the first part of next week. Low rain chances return by midweek as a cold front approaches from the west.
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.MARINE... Through tonight...Persistent NE-Ely flow will continue across the coastal waters, also promoting the dominant 6-8 second seas. Seas from the local fetch, in addition to the old swells (11-13 seconds), will combine to support marginal Small Craft Advisory thresholds through tonight. Widely scattered showers in an area of weak/shallow convergence off the coast will move across the coastal waters at times.
Sunday through Wednesday...Forecast has trended a bit lower for winds and seas this period as the SCA is now set to expire sooner (today) with mainly 4-5 ft waves and gusts up to 20-24 kt Sunday and Monday. This as sfc high pressure moves farther offshore and the pressure gradient relaxes over the local waters. The sub-SCA conditions will continue through Wednesday until the next cold fropa occurs, likely bringing strong SCA conditions thereafter for Thursday and Friday.
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.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... Other - Rip Currents: There is a high risk of rip currents for Georgetown County beaches today and likely again for Sunday, as ENE wind waves of 6-7 seconds and ENE swell of 11-12 seconds make it to shore and create 2-5 ft surf heights.
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.ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...None. SC...High Risk for Rip Currents through this evening for SCZ056. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until noon EDT today for AMZ250-252-254- 256.
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SYNOPSIS...ILM NEAR TERM...SRP SHORT TERM...MAS LONG TERM...MAS AVIATION...SRP MARINE...MAS/SRP TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...MAS
NWS ILM Office Area Forecast Discussion