Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Williamston, NC

NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/
As of 145 PM Thursday...

Key Messages...

- Patchy to areas of frost expected across the coastal plain tonight.

High pressure will build into the area tonight with light/calm winds and clear skies bringing good radiational cooling conditions. Temps will fall quickly this evening with lows ranging from the mid 30s across inland areas and mid 40s to lower 50s along the coast. A Frost Advisory has been issued for several inland counties from 06-13z Friday.

SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/
As of 130 PM Thursday...

Key Messages...

- A few coastal showers possible Friday afternoon into Friday night

High pressure will slide offshore Friday as a mid-level shortwave approaches and crosses the area Friday night. SW return flow will bring modest warming with highs in the lower 70s. A few coastal showers and an isolated thunderstorm will be possible Friday afternoon as a weakening coastal trough lifts across the area and Friday night and favorable jet dynamics briefly resides over the region. Otherwise, deep westerly downslope flow and weak dynamics will keep precip chances minimal through Saturday. Southerly flow will bring additional warming Saturday with highs climbing into the mid to upper 70s inland and lower 70s along the coast. Overnight temps will be mild Friday and Saturday nights with lows in the mid 50s to lower 60s.

LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/
As of 130 PM Thursday...

Key Messages...

- Scattered showers with isolated thunderstorms possible Sunday ahead of a strong cold front

- An Arctic front will push across the area Sunday night with much colder temperatures early next week. Near or below freezing temperatures expected Monday and Tuesday nights

A strong northern stream trough will dig into the central CONUS this weekend and then move to the East Coast early next week, bringing the coldest airmass of the season. Moderate southerly flow will persist Sunday head of the attendant Arctic front with scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms developing. Temps will remain well above normal with highs in the mid to upper 70s (lower 70s coast).

The Arctic front is progged to push across the area Sunday night with strong CAA and gusty NW winds developing on Monday.
Monday will likely see highs in the low to mid 50s and highs around 50 Tuesday, which is more than 15 degrees below normal for this time of year. Lows on Monday night are expected to drop below freezing with upper 20s to lower 30s across most inland areas and mid 30s to around 40 along the coast. The high pressure axis will slide offshore late Tuesday with SW return flow developing, which may keep temps from dropping quite as cool Tuesday night, but with light winds and clear skies, areas that decouple could drop below freezing once again.

High pressure remains centered across the Southeast Wednesday with southerly flow bringing warming temperatures, but still 5-10 degrees below normal with highs around 60. A mid level shortwave pushes across the Mid-Atlantic Wednesday night with an attendant sfc trough/front pushing through the area, however the airmass remains very dry and don't expect much in the way of clouds, let alone precip, with this system. Deep westerly downslope flow will actually bring a few degrees of warming temps on Thursday with highs expected in the mid 60s.

AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/
As of 1215 PM Thu...VFR SKC as high pres over area. Light nerly breezes today become mainly calm tonight. Bkn cirrus starts streaming through later tonight, then sct/bkn mid clouds with bases generally above 4.5k ft on Fri.

Outlook - Sat through Mon: Increasing clouds and moisture expected late this weekend with an approaching frontal system, with potential for ocnl sub VFR in showers and some embedded tstorms. Best chance for any thunder is on Sunday just ahead of arctic cold front. Dry and winds nwrly winds on Mon.

MARINE
As of 1 AM Thursday...

Key Messages...

- Small Craft Advisory conditions through this afternoon north of Ocracoke for 6 ft or greater seas.

- The potential for Small Craft Advisory conditions returns late Sunday becoming likely Monday behind a strong cold front.

- A period of Gale Force conditions possible Monday night into Tuesday.

Through Friday...The cold front has pushed well south of the region and high pressure will build into the area tonight, then will slide offshore Friday. The northerly surge has gradually been relaxing this afternoon and winds have dropped below SCA conditions, except a few gusts to 25 kt near the Gulf Stream.
However, seas around 6-8 ft continue north of Ocracoke Inlet and around 3-5 ft south. Guidance has been underdone with seas by around 1-2 ft and have extended the SCA for the waters north of Ocracoke through 6 pm, and may have to be extended a few hours. High pressure will transit the area overnight bringing good boating conditions with wind veering to Ely Thursday night and then southerly Friday as the high moves off the coast. Winds will be 10-15 kt with seas subsiding to around 2-4 ft by late tonight.

Friday night through Tuesday...High pressure remains offshore with primarily S to SW winds across the waters. A weak shortwave will serve to tighten the gradients Friday night with winds increasing to 15-20 kt and seas building to 3-5 ft, otherwise winds will be around 10-15 kt and seas around 2-4 ft. A strong Arctic front will approach the area late in the weekend and is currently progged to push across the waters Sunday night. SW winds increase to around 15-20 kt on Sunday and could see minimal SCA conditions develop with gusts around 25 kt and seas approaching 6 ft, with best chances near the Gulf Stream. Winds become NW behind the front with the true Arctic surge developing late Monday with winds increasing to 20-30 kt with a potential for Gale Force winds, especially in gusts, and seas building to 4-7 ft Monday night into Tuesday.

MHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NC...Frost Advisory from 1 AM to 8 AM EST Friday for NCZ029-044-045- 079-080-090>092-193-198.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 2 PM EST this afternoon for AMZ135- 156-158.
Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM EST this evening for AMZ150- 152-154.