515 FXUS62 KILM 140015 AFDILMArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 815 PM EDT Sat Sep 13 2025
.SYNOPSIS... High pressure extending across the Carolinas along with meandering offshore low will combine to produce breezy NE winds at times, continued dry weather under variably cloudy skies especially near the coast, for the remainder of this weekend. Low rain chances will return next week as an upper low meanders overhead.
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.UPDATE... Based on latest sat imagery trends, with expanding onshore and inland movement of clouds, ie. Cirrus and high altocu, will increase cloud coverage tonight into Sun across the area. May see stratocu move onshore if the northerly wind directions veer slightly to a more northeasterly direction. Min temps will range from the mid to upper 50s generally along and west of the I-95 corridor, to the mid 60s along the immediate coast due to the influence of 70s SSTs.
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.NEAR TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/... Water vapor imagery depicts a deep trough digging far into the eastern Gulf with high cloudiness veiling the area as a southerly mid-upper flow pulls debris clouds out of The Bahamas, where unsettled weather continues. Guidance tools suggest that a weak closed low is in the process of taking shape and a circulation should be noted south of the forecast area by late tonight, which will move very little through Sunday. At the surface, high pressure remains west through north of the area while a weak surface low is well offshore. Steady north to northeasterly winds are the result of this pressure pattern and will keep a flow of relatively cool and dry air into the area today, with mixed clouds and sun leading to max temps in the upper 70s to low 80s. While a slackening of the pressure gradient will lead to a period of lighter winds this evening into tonight, the gradient should tighten again later in the night, leading to winds picking up before dawn, especially near the coast. In addition, high cloudiness can be expected through tonight, limiting radiational cooling and keeping the chance for fog and low stratus low. Overnight lows in the upper 50s to low 60s are expected.
On Sunday, mid- to high-level cloudiness will continue to spread across the area with a circulation south of the area helping to funnel these clouds in from the southeast. The surface pattern will remain similar to past days, supporting a steady north to north- northeast wind with some gustiness developing around mid-morning. Dry air and subsidence should keep lower clouds limited, but some stratocumulus or altocumulus may develop around midday.
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.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... Omega blocking pattern will continue to reside across most of the conus through the period. For the Eastern Carolinas the broad mid level low will be overhead with a surface low developing along the frontal zone offshore. Shower coverage more or less remains unchanged as well with the possibility of some thunder for Tuesday. Highs will be in the lower to middle 80s with lows in the lower to middle 60s.
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.LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... No significant changes to the extended forecast mid to late week. The period is now all but dry with only residual pops which are low confidence anyway very early. The mid level pattern will turn briefly from the northwest/downsloping then ridging building over the area. This will lead to temperatures trending above normal more concentrated on highs. The lower moisture content of the air will allow overnight lows to approach seasonal values however.
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.AVIATION /00Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... VFR conditions are expected to prevail across the area through the 24 hr 00Z TAF issuance period. Have continued with no low stratus and/or fog overnight with the latest GFSLampGuidance dictating so. Southern end of the deep upper trof along the East Coast will try to close off across GA-SC area later Sun into Sun night. This positioning may draw in deeper moisture from off the Atlantic across the SE NC and NE SC later in the day and beyond the 24 hrs. At this point will indicate a veil of ci across the area with occasional ac/sc at the coast, especially later in the day. Persistent N-NE winds at 5 to 10 kt tonight, increasing to 10-15 kt few/occasional g20 kt after 14Z, especially at the coastal terminals.
Extended Outlook...Predominantly VFR continues but dependent on positioning of the upper low, MVFR clouds may get drawn across the terminals, especially at the coast Sun night into early next week.
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.MARINE... Through Sunday... Steady northeasterly winds will continue as high pressure remains north of the area and a weak low meanders well offshore. Speeds mostly between 15-20 kts are expected with gusts to around 25 kts through tonight. In addition, seas will remain elevated in the 4-6 ft range through tonight, except for areas shielded from the northeast winds west of Cape Fear, where 2-4 ft seas are expected within a few miles of shore. Winds and seas decline tomorrow as the gradient loosens, and the Small Craft Advisory should be allowed to expire at 12Z tomorrow. The long fetch and duration of these northeast winds means an 8 sec swell will be dominant contributor to the wave heights, with northeast wind waves sprinkled on top of these swells.
Sunday Night through Thursday... NE winds will remain in place for basically the term of the forecast. The surface gradient supports 15-20 knots initially lasting into Monday night trending down to 10-15 knots thereafter. Significant seas will be 4-5 feet initially diminishing by midweek to 2-3 feet for the most part.
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.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... The full moon and elevated north to northeast winds will keep water levels higher than normal this weekend. Minor coastal flooding expected for the immediate coast of southeast NC and northeast SC with the afternoon high tide cycle thru sun. Locations along the banks of the lower Cape Fear River from Wilmington southward can expect minor coastal flooding with the afternoon high tide cycle thru Mon.
Due to persistent and modest NE winds continuing Sun, expect the continuation of a strong north to south longshore current along the Pender, New Hanover and Georgetown County Beaches.
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.ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...Beach Hazards Statement from 6 AM EDT Sunday through Sunday evening for NCZ106-108. SC...Beach Hazards Statement from 6 AM EDT Sunday through Sunday evening for SCZ056. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 8 AM EDT Sunday for AMZ250-252-254- 256.
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SYNOPSIS...ILM UPDATE...DCH NEAR TERM...ABW SHORT TERM...SHK LONG TERM...SHK AVIATION...DCH MARINE...SHK/ABW TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...DCH
NWS ILM Office Area Forecast Discussion