975 FXUS61 KRLX 042341 AFDRLXAREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Charleston WV 741 PM EDT Thu Sep 4 2025
.SYNOPSIS... A cold front brings showers and a few isolated thunderstorms this evening. A greater chance of thunderstorms late Friday. High pressure returns Sunday with dry weather into next week.
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.NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/... As of 740 PM Thursday...
No changes needed to the forecast. Cloud cover and stratiform rain kept conditions from destabilizing enough this afternoon to promote development of strong thunderstorms. Nonetheless, a broken line of showers is currently sweeping the central and northern lowlands of WV as a cold front sites along our western periphery. Heavy downpours and embedded lightning are the main risks with these, but a localized strong downburst or two may occur in the tail-end cells or any leading cells ahead of the line. Confidence is low in severe activity the rest of the evening given loss of daytime heating.
As of 1123 AM Thursday...
A cold front is approaching the middle Ohio Valley today, and much- needed rainfall is spreading east ahead of it. According to SPC, there is a marginal risk of severe weather later this afternoon, depending on the extent of clearing and destabilization that could occur after this first swath of rain. Radar and satellite currently show a widespread stratus deck across the Ohio Valley, and at this point, we`re thinking that the chance of sufficient destabilization for widespread severe weather is low today. Despite low instability, 0-6 km shear will be ample for isolated thunderstorm development, with 30-40 kts expected today ahead of the front. Vertical wind profiles are favorable for a few gusty showers.
The probability of flooding is very low today due to the dry weather over the past month. Expect anywhere from 0.25-0.75" of rainfall today.
A secondary reinforcing cold front will approach from the west late Friday. This could bring a better chance of severe weather than today with more destabilization expected by the late afternoon, with some models predicting anywhere from 1,000-2,000 J/kg of MLCAPE developing by 18-00Z. In addition, shear will be ample for thunderstorm organization. CAMS are still trying to iron out thunderstorm timing, but current projections show the best chance could be close to 00Z Saturday.
Clouds and showers will keep temperatures in the 70s today, but Friday will be a much warmer day with highs expected to be into the middle 80s with more sunshine.
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.SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... As of 1123 AM Thursday...
Post-frontal clouds and showers will linger Saturday with much cooler weather areawide. Temperatures will only reach the upper 60s to lower 70s for daytime highs. Clearing Saturday night will allow overnight temperatures to drop into the upper 40s and lower 50s. Sunday will feature the best weather of the weekend with highs in the lower 70s under a mostly sunny sky as high pressure over the Great Lakes brings a refreshing northerly breeze.
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.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 1123 AM Thursday...
High pressure will remain over the Great Lakes Monday with another comfortable day across the middle Ohio Valley and central Appalachians. High pressure will keep dry weather around through much of the work week. A gradual warming trend will begin Tuesday as high pressure slides to the east and winds become southerly again. Expect highs to rebound back into the 80s across the lowlands by midweek.
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.AVIATION /23Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 733 PM Thursday...
A broken line of showers and a few thunderstorms is currently traversing the lowlands and will be closing in on CKB and EKN in the next hour or two. Lightning and heavy downpours will accompany with IFR conditions possible. After this activity dissipates, VFR will resume, however its window will be brief as calm winds will promote fog and low stratus formation at most sites overnight. IFR or lower conditions will be possible. Light winds look to remain in place at HTS and PKB due to a cold front lingering nearby, so fog may not be quite as dense at these locations.
VFR resumes by ~13-14z Friday with breezy to gusty SW`rly winds picking up about the same time ahead of the cold front. By ~00z Saturday, models show a line of strong to severe thunderstorms crossing the area from west to east. Strong, damaging winds will be the primary threat, but there is the chance for a tornado, although the chance is on the lower side. Heavy downpours will also accompany any cells and could small hail.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY...
FORECAST CONFIDENCE: High.
ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Timing, location, and intensity of fog/low stratus and showers/storms could vary from the forecast.
EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.
UTC 1HRLY 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 EDT 1HRLY 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 CRW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H M L L HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H BKW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H EKN CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H M M L L L PKB CONSISTENCY H M H H H H H H H H H M CKB CONSISTENCY M H H M H H H M M H H H
AFTER 00Z SATURDAY... IFR possible in heavier showers and storms within another cold front Friday night and Saturday. IFR possible in fog and stratus again early Sunday morning, at least in and near the mountains.
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.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...None. OH...None. KY...None. VA...None.
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SYNOPSIS...JMC NEAR TERM...LTC/JMC SHORT TERM...JMC LONG TERM...JMC AVIATION...LTC
NWS RLX Office Area Forecast Discussion