Winston-Salem, North Carolina 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

212
FXUS62 KRAH 081008
AFDRAH

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
608 AM EDT Wed Jul 8 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...

* Heat Advisory issued today


&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
As of 200 AM Wednesday...

1) Scattered storms area-wide this afternoon, with dangerously high
heat indices across the Sandhills and Coastal Plain.

2) Long duration heat concerns coming to an end after today.


&&

.DISCUSSION...
As of 200 AM Wednesday...

KEY MESSAGE 1... Scattered storms area-wide this afternoon, with
dangerously high heat indices across the Sandhills and Coastal Plain

Early morning satellite, radar, and surface analysis show decaying
convection across eastern NC. Surface obs show a northeasterly wind
shift at many sites, driven primarily from the outflow from Tuesday
night`s convection. This wind shift is oriented roughly along US-64
as of 06Z. A weak synoptic backdoor cold front remains across
northern VA this morning, with a secondary weak trough across the
western Piedmont. Meanwhile to the west, a quasi-stationary upper
wave over AR/TN is beginning to open up and trek northeastward
through the lower OH valley.

For today, the upper trough to our west will provide a broad area of
ascent across the Mid Atlantic/Southeast. Modest upper support from
the approaching wave, along with the proximity of the aforementioned
outflow boundary and Piedmont trough, will support another round of
afternoon showers and storms. Much like the past several days, deep
layer shear is lacking but we have plenty of MLCAPE to work with
(1500-2500 J/kG) and PW`s remain anomalously high (2-2.2"). Any
storms that form will be capable of gusty winds and locally heavy
rainfall. The majority of the forecast area remains outlooked within
a SPC MRGL risk. Storm chances ramp up after 18Z and should linger
into the mid/late evening hours per 00Z HREF, tapering off area-wide
after midnight.

To the south of the stalled outflow boundary, temps will warm
considerably into the mid/upper 90s. This, combined with dewpoints
in the mid 70s, will yield another afternoon of dangerously high
heat index values and we`ve gone ahead with another Heat Advisory
for locations south and east of Raleigh (Sandhills, central and
southern Coastal Plain). Starting it a little earlier today as heat
index values will already be above 100 in some spots by 11 AM. If
storms get going in these areas early, the Advisory may be cancelled
prior to it`s expected ending time of 8 PM.

KEY MESSAGE 2...Long duration heat concerns coming to an end after
today.

A strong mid-level anticyclone over the FL peninsula, 00z RAOBS
sampled 595 dam Tues evening, ridging up into the Carolinas will
become suppressed southward Thurs as a meandering shortwave trough
over the TN Valley begins to shift eastward. Additionally, near
normal PWAT values will advect into the area Thurs and combine with
westerly downsloping flow, albeit weak, to allow surface dew points
to mix out into the 60s where greatest low-lvl thickness and
associated 2m temperatures will likely still reach into the upper
90s Thurs and Fri. This should limit heat indices max out in the low
100s. Heat Risk does still feature a level 3 risk for the Sandhills,
eastern Piedmont and the southern Coastal Plain, but 2-meter
temperatures are only 5-10 degrees above normal for mid-July with
some degree of acclimation likely starting to set in. Nevertheless,
be aware of the signs of heat exhaustion, especially if you much be
outside and partake in strenuous activity.

A break from the seasonably anomalous heat is expected as increased
cloud cover and precipitation chances increase Fri through Sun as a
convectively perturbed, and seasonably moist, shear axis slowly sags
southward through the Mid-Atlantic and into the Southeast. Mid-lvl
convergence on the backside of troughing over the northern Atlantic
may also sufficiently strengthen surface high pressure over the
Northeast to push a backdoor cold front into the Carolinas Sun night
into Mon.

&&

.AVIATION /12Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
As of 608 AM Wednesday...

Fog has avoided most of the terminals this morning (aside from RDU
and occasionally RWI ). What fog remains should quickly mix out by
13Z with VFR weather expected at all sites through mid afternoon.

Attention turns toward the presence of a stalled surface boundary
and lee troughing, which should serve as the focus for another round
of afternoon showers and storms. The most widespread convection is
expected from approx 20Z - 02Z before waning after midnight. Brief
MVFR restrictions can be expected within any given thunderstorm.

Outlook: A persistent summertime pattern will support
generally VFR conditions outside of daily afternoon and evening
convection through the end of the week. Brief MVFR/IFR restrictions
will be possible in thunderstorms each day, with localized late
night or early morning fog or stratus following heavier rainfall.
Outside of convection, no widespread or prolonged aviation impacts
are expected.

&&

.RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Heat Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 8 PM EDT this evening for
NCZ042-077-078-085-086-088-089.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...Leins/AS
AVIATION...Leins/np