Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Nicholls, GA

NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/
Main Highlights Today and Tonight:

- Near record warmth inland areas with highs near 90F

- Elevated wildfire risk

- Patchy dense fog along the I-75 corridor/Suwannee River Valley

Dry, sunny, and warm weather continues with stacked ridging over the region. Elevated fire danger persists today with low minimum relative humidity values over inland locations. Near record highs will be possible across inland locations this afternoon with temps in the upper 80s to around 90, while an East Coast sea breeze will keep coastal locations a bit cooler and closer to 80F. Enough moisture coupled with calm winds early this morning and again late tonight will prompt patchy inland fog development over portions of NE FL and SE GA, with highest chances for patchy dense fog just west of I-75 and along the Suwannee River Valley. Low temps continue in the 50s inland and around 60F along the Atlantic Coast.

SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/
- Fog potential each morning especially inland - Dry & warm weather persist as temperatures near record highs

The surface high pressure over the FL peninsula, extending in from Bermuda, begins to weaken on Friday as an approaching cold front pushes towards the area late Saturday night. Warm and dry weather persists into the weekend, as southwest flow develops with the high pressure shifting towards the Atlantic. Warmest temperatures of the week will occur during this forecast period as temperatures will be above seasonal norms. Daytime highs will reach into the lower to mid 90s across inland locations, where some locations could match or break their record highs each afternoon. The weak onshore flow will bring cooler temperatures in the lower to mid 80s along the coast.
Overnight lows will be in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Late evening/early morning fog potential as low-level moisture and near calm winds could bring periods of patchy to areas of fog inland each morning, with patchy "superfog" possible near smoke from any ongoing wildfires.

LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/
Main Highlights This Period:

- A period of elevated onshore flow behind the front Monday.
- Cooler temperatures at the start of next week behind the front.

Sunday, a cold front pushes through the area by the evening hours.
Another day of dry weather again is likely as the line of showers associated with the front is not expected to hold together by the time it nears the local area, but a few light showers along the coast during the evening hours on Sunday may be possible. Behind the front, a period of elevated northeasterly winds is expected with breezy winds along the coast on Monday. Dry air filters in once again into the area behind the front, continuing the dry weather conditions into midweek.

With the fropa occurring on Sunday, there will likely be a gradient in the temperature spread. The warmest temperatures will be ahead of the front across NE FL, with highs remaining in the 90s for one more day, while behind the front cooler highs across SE GA in the mid to upper 80s. By the start of the new week, the fropa will bring more seasonable temperatures, with highs in the mid 70s to low 80s.
Temperatures will begin to tick upwards once again by midweek as high pressure settles over the area.

AVIATION /06Z THURSDAY THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY/
Predominant VFR conditions are expected through the period, though patchy fog and smoke from nearby wildfire (KGNV) may lead to temporary obscuration through the overnight hours. Easterly winds will ease toward calm through the overnight hours, become south- southwesterly around 5 knots Thursday morning 13z/15z and then shift to east-southeasterly during the afternoon hours with the Atlantic sea breeze push. Winds decrease to near calm once again a few hours after sunset near the end of the current TAF period.

MARINE

High pressure ridging will be the prevailing feature through the weekend, with the flow gradually shifting more southeasterly to southerly over the next several days. A mostly dry frontal passage is expected Sunday Night, then a surge of northeasterly winds develops in the wake of the front Monday into Tuesday bringing Small Craft Advisory conditions with the potential for Gale force gusts.

Rip Currents and Surf:

Solid Moderate Risk of Rips will continue for NE FL/SE GA beaches in the SE/onshore flow the rest of the week and into the weekend with surf/breakers mainly in the 2-3 ft range. High risk of rips and potential high surf advisory conditions expected early next week in strong NE wind surge behind cold frontal passage.

FIRE WEATHER
- Low Inland Min RH Values Each Day and This Week

High pressure remains over the area, continuing the dry, sunny, and very warm conditions for inland locations into the weekend. This, combined with the exceptional/extreme drought, will continue the elevated fire risk across the area. Critically low Min RH values inland will repeat each afternoon lowering to the mid 20s to low 30s into Saturday. Wind flow pattern will steadily transition to southerly and then southwesterly by Friday, allowing for the Gulf seabreeze to move further inland and the Atlantic seabreeze staying closer to the coast. Dispersions remain in the good range through the week, with higher dispersions likely to develop this weekend.
Dry conditions will persist into the next week as another frontal boundary pushes in on Sunday.

FOG POTENTIAL AND OTHER REMARKS: Patchy inland fog will develop each morning this week. There will be potential for Localized "superfog" each morning near the vicinity of any smoke from ongoing wildfires.

CLIMATE
Record High Temperatures at NE FL/SE GA climate sites:

April 16: JAX 90/1972, CRG 91/2011, GNV 90/1967, AMG 92/1967

April 17: JAX 93/1967, CRG 90/2006, GNV 90/1945, AMG 91/1967

April 18: JAX 94/1967, CRG 89/2018, GNV 91/1967, AMG 92/1967

April 19: JAX 92/1995, CRG 91/2013, GNV 94/2011, AMG 91/1968

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
AMG 91 58 91 61 / 0 0 0 0 SSI 79 63 86 65 / 0 0 0 0 JAX 89 59 92 61 / 0 0 0 0 SGJ 83 60 87 62 / 0 0 0 0 GNV 90 56 92 58 / 0 0 0 0 OCF 89 56 91 60 / 0 0 0 0

JAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
FL...None.
GA...None.
MARINE...None.