Winston-Salem, North Carolina 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

697
FXUS62 KRAH 030041
AFDRAH

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
840 PM EDT Wed Sep 2 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...

* A Heat Advisory has been issued for Thursday from 11 AM until
  8 PM. Heat index values of up to 108 degrees should be
  expected within the advisory area.

* Threat for strong to severe thunderstorms across the northeast
  on Thursday expands to cover all of central NC on Friday and
  into Saturday. Primary hazard will be damaging straight-line
  winds, but isolated large hail is also possible.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
As of 215 PM Wednesday...

1) A Heat Advisory has been issued for Thursday 11 AM until 8
PM. Anomalously hot temperatures are expected to persist into
Friday and perhaps linger across the south into Sat.

2) A weakness in the anomalous ridge will favor isolated to
scattered severe storms Thursday evening.

3) Labor Day weekend through Monday gradually trends somewhat
more comfortable, with Friday and Saturday seeing our greatest
storm chances.


&&

.DISCUSSION...
As of 215 PM Wednesday...

KEY MESSAGE 1... A Heat Advisory has been issued for Thursday
11 AM until 8 PM. Anomalously hot temperatures are expected to
persist into Friday and perhaps linger across the south into
Sat.

A deep subtropical ridge of around 595 dam is firmly
established over the TN Valley in the 12z H5 RAOBs this morning
and is forecast to more-or-less remain in place while elongating
across the Carolinas Fri into Fri night. Highly anomalous H850
temperatures (at- or-above the 99.5 percentile) currently in
place over the Ohio Valley and southern/middle Appalachians,
will gradually shift south and into the Carolinas through Fri.
This pattern is highly favorable for an early September heat
wave with minimal convective chances due to influence from the
strong subtropical ridge.

Low-lvl thicknesses and diabatic techniques continue to line up
with statistical guidance and supports widespread upper 90s
continuing through Fri. A few locations may reach triple digit
air temperatures, but widespread greater than 100 degrees is not
expected. Heat index values across the forecast area are
expected to eclipse 100 degrees on Thursday with 102 to 108
expected for consecutive hours south and east of the Triad.
Additively, weak surface winds and abundant sunshine will
compound the risk for heat related illnesses, especially
individuals sensitive to the heat or partake in strenuous
outdoor activities in the afternoon during peak heating. Anyone
without effective overnight cooling is at greater risk for heat
illness as several days with anomalously warm overnight lows in
the mid/upper 70s will provide minimal relief from hot
afternoon temperatures and humid conditions. As such, a Heat
Advisory has been issued for Thurs (11 AM until 8 PM) and has
been expanded westward comparative to the Advisory currently in
place through this evening. Additional Heat Advisories will
likely be needed through at least Fri.

Increasing convective chances, approaching cold front and
northeast flow in its wake should put an end to the heat by Sun.


KEY MESSAGE 2...A weakness in the anomalous ridge will favor
isolated to scattered severe storms Thursday evening.

The anomalously strong ridge centered over the southern
Appalachians Thursday continues to remain in place. However, a
slight weakness in the ridge pattern takes shape, with model
guidance increasingly showing a trend toward some late day to
late evening isolated to scattered convection across our
northeast zones.

The GFS continues to show a weak disturbance sliding down
around the northeast part of the ridge, out of WV/VA and
clipping portions of the northeast Piedmont and Coastal Plain of
central NC late in the day. Storm coverage appears isolated to
scattered, perhaps enhanced along subtle surface boundaries. SPC
currently has a Marginal Risk of severe storms over our far
northeast Piedmont and northern Coastal Plain. Timing-wise, this
appears a late-day event, roughly in the 5pm to 11pm time
frame. Instability is sufficient but shear is marginal around
25-kt of deep-layer flow. However, certainly could see isolated
damaging winds as the primary threat given impressive DCAPE seen
in point soundings of 1000-1400 J/kg.


KEY MESSAGE 3...Labor Day weekend through Monday gradually
trends somewhat more comfortable, with Friday and Saturday
seeing our greatest storm chances.

Overall, the extended forecast has not changed drastically from
the past 24 hours or so for central NC. We are continuing to
track a cold front that will approach late Friday and Saturday,
pushing through early Sunday from the NE as somewhat cooler high
pressure builds down from the Mid-Atlantic states. Ensemble
based solutions continue to favor Friday and Saturday as our
best coverage of storms, with perhaps Saturday more widespread,
though that will ultimately depend on the position of the front.
During these two days, SPC has a Slight Risk of severe storms
during the afternoon into the late evening hours, for our
central and northern areas Friday and central to southern areas
Saturday. Based on AI/ML guidance, this severe trend has been
increasing, with a focus on damaging winds as the primary
threat. This appears to be driven in large part by 30-kt of
deep-layer shear and instability.

Much of the ensemble scenarios continue to indicate the front
pushing through Sunday morning or early afternoon, thereby
shunting most of the convection to our west and south. However,
lingering isolated to scattered storms could linger over the
western and southern Piedmont. Interestingly, a third of the EPS
ensemble members show the front hung up over the area, thereby
keeping storms in the forecast. This scenario is worth
considering but for now the consensus is drier with highs around
the middle 80s Sunday through Tuesday. Lower humidity is
favored with cool high pressure nosing down into the area.

The strong anomalous ridge appears to build back in after Labor
Day, favoring a return to the 90s by midweek. Storm chances
appear isolated at best during this time frame.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
As of 840 PM Wednesday...

Of most immediate concern for aviators this evening is the cluster
of strong wind-producing storms from just E of RDU to near RWI,
moving toward the SSW. A mention of thunder either at the site or in
the vicinity has been included for the next couple of hours at RDU,
RWI, and FAY. Otherwise, with sct clouds around 5-7kft and sct-bkn
clouds at 15-20kft, VFR conditions will prevail through much of Thu,
with a couple of exceptions. First, in areas that have seen rain
such as RWI, a period of MVFR to IFR conditions is possible 09z-12z
early Thu morning. Then, there is a risk of isolated to scattered
storms late in the TAF period, mainly after 22z and primarily at
RDU/RWI, however coverage through 00z Fri should be low and
confidence that a storm will move near/over any TAF site is also
low, so will not include a mention at this time. Outside of
storms, surface winds will remain light, under 10 kt, and variable.

Looking beyond 00z Fri, the risk for a few storms will linger
through Thu evening, mainly at RDU/RWI. There is a risk for patchy
fog/stratus for a few hours early Fri morning, mainly at FAY. Then,
the chance for afternoon and evening showers/storms will increase
Fri afternoon, mainly in the N and NE with highest chance at
RDU/RWI, but still possible around GSO/INT. Storm chances will be
high areawide Sat/Sat night as a cold front slips southward into NC.

&&

.CLIMATE...
Our forecast highs and lows are within about 3 degrees of the daily
records listed below.

Record High Temperatures:

September 2: KRDU: 99/1912
September 3: KGSO: 101/1921 KRDU: 99/2010 KFAY: 101/2010
September 4: KGSO: 100/1925 KRDU: 100/1925 KFAY: 100/1944
September 5: KRDU: 98/2023 KFAY: 99/1932


Record High Minimum Temperatures:

September 2: KGSO: 73/1912 KRDU: 75/1912 KFAY: 75/2020
September 3: KGSO: 73/2020 KRDU: 78/1933 KFAY: 77/2020
September 4: KGSO: 72/2018 KRDU: 74/1921 KFAY: 75/2020
September 5: KGSO: 73/2018 KRDU: 74/2012 KFAY: 74/1935

&&

.RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Heat Advisory from 11 AM to 8 PM EDT Thursday for NCZ007>011-
023>028-040>043-074>078-083>086-088-089.
Heat Advisory until 8 PM EDT this evening for NCZ010-011-
024>028-040>043-075>078-084>086-088-089.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...AS/AK
AVIATION...Hartfield