Sunrise 6:44 AM   Sunset 7:53 PM Moonrise 2:16 PM   Moonset 3:17 AM

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AMZ330 Charleston Harbor- 1249 Pm Edt Thu Apr 18 2024
This afternoon - SW winds 5 to 10 kt with gusts to 15 kt. Tonight - SW winds 5 to 10 kt. Fri - SW winds 5 kt, becoming S 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. A slight chance of showers and tstms in the afternoon. Fri night - SW winds 5 to 10 kt. A slight chance of showers and tstms. Sat - SW winds 5 to 10 kt. A chance of showers and tstms in the afternoon. Sat night - SW winds 5 to 10 kt, becoming N after midnight. A chance of showers and tstms. Sun - NE winds 10 to 15 kt. A chance of showers and tstms. Sun night - NE winds 10 to 15 kt. Showers likely with a chance of tstms. Mon - NE winds 10 to 15 kt. A slight chance of showers. Mon night - NE winds 10 to 15 kt.
winds and waves higher in and near tstms.
unless otherwise noted, waves 1 foot or less.
charleston harbor water temperature 69 degrees.

AMZ300 1249 Pm Edt Thu Apr 18 2024
Synopsis for the coastal waters of south coastal south carolina and north coastal georgia - High pressure will persist through tonight. A slow moving front will bring unsettled weather to our area Friday through early next week. High pressure returns by the middle of next week.

FXUS62 KCHS 181703 AFDCHS

Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston SC 103 PM EDT Thu Apr 18 2024

SYNOPSIS
High pressure will persist through tonight. A slow moving front will bring unsettled weather to our area Friday through early next week. High pressure returns by the middle of next week.

NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/
This Afternoon and Tonight: Zonal flow will prevail aloft while at the surface high pressure will hold strong. Dry conditions are expected through this afternoon and overnight, with temperatures reaching into the mid to upper 80s. A sea-breeze circulation is expected to develop this afternoon, limiting the high temperatures to the upper 70s along the beaches. Overnight will see little change in the large scale flow, resulting in quiet, rain-free conditions. Low temperatures are expected to only dip into the low to mid 60s.

SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/
Friday: Mid-level ridging over the East Coast in the morning will shift offshore into the afternoon. Zonal flow then develops in the evening and persists overnight. Surface High pressure located to our southeast in the morning will move away into the afternoon.
Meanwhile, a trough will form along the coast. At the same time, a cold front will approach from the northwest. The front should reach our inland counties around daybreak Saturday. Moisture creeps higher ahead of the front, with PWATs rising to ~1.5" in the afternoon.
Synoptic models and the long range CAMS indicate scattered convection developing in the afternoon. One area will be well ahead of the front, inland and moving towards the coast. The other area will be associated with the afternoon sea breeze, moving inland.
Skies will start out mostly sunny, which will allow temperatures to rapidly rise. The combination of warm 850 mb temperatures and low- level thickness values support well above normal highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s, except cooler at the beaches. These temperatures will generate some instability in the afternoon, with MLCAPEs exceeding 800 J/kg in some spots. Shear is weak in the 0-1 km, but increases in the 0-6 km layer. DCAPEs exceed 800 J/kg across portions of our area. Therefore, a few marginally severe storms with damaging winds and/or large hail are possible. Locally heavy rainfall is also possible. The SPC has the Charleston Tri- County under a Marginal Risk for severe thunderstorms, and this seems reasonable, and the spot we're most likely to have the most convection. Any convection will dissipate in the evening, with it becoming dry after midnight. Lows will be very mild, generally in the 60s.

Saturday: The mid-levels will consist of zonal flow over our region.
Though, heights will gradually lower with time. At the surface, a cold front located across our inland zones at daybreak will slowly move southeast across our area during the day and into the evening, becoming located just to our south and southeast overnight. Plenty of moisture will remain in place in the vicinity of the front, with PWATs ranging from 1.25-1.5". The combination of lift from the front and the afternoon sea breeze trying to move inland will generate scattered convection in the afternoon. Before the convection develops, highs will peak well above normal, generally in the upper 80s to around 90 degrees, except cooler at the beaches. This heat will provide enough instability, with MLCAPEs exceeding 1,000 J/kg in some spots. Shear remains weak in the 0-1 km, but increases in the 0-6 km layer. DCAPEs also exceed 1,000 J/kg across portions of our area. Therefore, a few marginally severe storms with damaging winds and/or large hail are possible. Locally heavy rainfall is also possible. The strongest convection will dissipate around sunset. But remnant showers and thunderstorms should persist most of the evening and overnight. Lows will generally be in the 60s.

Sunday: Mid-level troughing will start to develop over the Southeast U.S. as the day progresses. A surface front will be located to our south and southeast during the day, possibly with a trough situated across our area. Lots of moisture will remain in place around the vicinity of the front, and into our area. An impulse of energy is forecasted to move along the front during the day, tapping into lift from the front, the afternoon sea breeze, and the moisture to generate numerous convection in the afternoon. The details will still need to be refined with future forecasts. But it's certainly looking more wet than dry, with locally heavy rainfall a concern, especially if there's lots of rainfall the previous two days.
Temperatures will be cooler than the previous two days, generally within a few degrees of normal.

LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/
Mid-level troughing will persist over the Southeast U.S. into Monday, then shift offshore Monday night. Zonal flow returns on Tuesday, followed by weak longwave troughing over the East Coast on Wednesday. A surface front located just off our coast Sunday night will bring numerous showers to our area. Showers will end from west to east on Monday, as drier air moves in from the west. High pressure will then bring dry conditions through Wednesday.

AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/
VFR conditions will prevail at CHS/JZI/SAV terminals through 18Z Friday.

Extended Aviation Outlook: A slow moving front should bring occasional flight restrictions Friday through Sunday. Flight restrictions are looking most likely late Sunday.

MARINE
Today and Tonight: High pressure will remain the dominant weather feature across local waters while a weak trough exits further offshore across the western Atlantic to our north. The pattern will support quiet weather conditions across local waters with southwest winds generally around 10 kt or less this morning turning south and increasing to 10-15 kt this afternoon as a seabreeze takes shape and eventually shifts inland. The seabreeze could briefly result in southerly winds gusting up to 20 kt along the Charleston County coast and across the Charleston Harbor this afternoon, before winds decrease late afternoon into early evening. Winds should tip back south-southwest overnight and remain at or below 10 kt while high pressure prevails. Seas will range between 2-3 ft through tonight.

Friday: Surface High pressure located to our Southeast in the morning will move away into the afternoon. Meanwhile, a cold front will approach from the northwest, reaching our land areas around daybreak Saturday. In the morning, expect backing winds, followed by gusty winds along the land/sea interface in the afternoon due to the formation of the sea breeze. Gusts should be around 20 kt in the Charleston Harbor with its passage. In the evening, winds will veer and increase as some coastal jetting develops overnight.

Weekend into next week: A cold front located across our inland zones at daybreak Saturday will slowly move southeast across our area Saturday. It'll be spread across our waters Saturday night, then shift further offshore by Sunday night or Monday morning. Winds and seas don't appear to be high enough to prompt Small Craft Advisories. Expect southerly/southwesterly flow ahead of the front and northerly/northeasterly flow behind it. High pressure will build in behind the front.

CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
GA...None.
SC...None.
MARINE...None.

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Moores Landing
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Thu -- 04:16 AM EDT     Moonset
Thu -- 05:05 AM EDT     4.75 feet High Tide
Thu -- 06:44 AM EDT     Sunrise
Thu -- 11:19 AM EDT     0.91 feet Low Tide
Thu -- 03:15 PM EDT     Moonrise
Thu -- 05:40 PM EDT     4.52 feet High Tide
Thu -- 07:51 PM EDT     Sunset
Thu -- 11:36 PM EDT     0.81 feet Low Tide
Tide / Current data from XTide NOT FOR NAVIGATION

Moores Landing, ICWW, Sewee Bay, South Carolina, Tide feet

Charleston Harbor Entrance
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Thu -- 01:20 AM EDT     0.97 knots Max Flood
Thu -- 04:17 AM EDT     Moonset
Thu -- 05:14 AM EDT     -0.00 knots Slack
Thu -- 06:45 AM EDT     Sunrise
Thu -- 08:40 AM EDT     -1.65 knots Max Ebb
Thu -- 11:46 AM EDT     0.00 knots Slack
Thu -- 01:51 PM EDT     1.01 knots Max Flood
Thu -- 03:16 PM EDT     Moonrise
Thu -- 05:47 PM EDT     -0.00 knots Slack
Thu -- 07:52 PM EDT     Sunset
Thu -- 09:08 PM EDT     -1.66 knots Max Ebb
Tide / Current data from XTide NOT FOR NAVIGATION

Charleston Harbor Entrance, South Carolina Current, knots

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