543 FXUS61 KPHI 081512 AFDPHIArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ 1112 AM EDT Wed Oct 8 2025
.SYNOPSIS... A strong cold front will pass through the region today, then much cooler high pressure will build into the area through the end of the week. The high pressure will shift offshore by Saturday, then a coastal storm will impact the region by Sunday and into early next week.
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.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Now that the cold front has cleared the area, drier air is filtering in from the north, and showers will continue to dissipate across the area through the early afternoon. Cloud cover will also continue to dissipate later in the afternoon. Despite afternoon sun, it will become increasingly breezy as the pressure gradient tightens. For most areas, northwest winds will gust up to 25-30 mph this afternoon. As a result, temperatures today will be noticeably cooler than recent days with highs only topping out in the mid 60s to low 70s.
For tonight, a secondary cold front will push through the region as skies remain clear with northerly winds diminishing to around 10-15 mph. It`s behind this secondary front, where a strong push of cold air will advect into the region. As a result, low temperatures tonight will bottom out mainly in the 40s, with 50s along the coast, and mid to upper 30s in the higher terrain. Although, temperatures support frost formation in some areas, winds should remain elevated enough to preclude any widespread frost development.
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.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... Much cooler and dry conditions expected to the end of the week following the strong midweek cold front. Widespread frost and some freezing temperatures is looking increasingly likely Thursday night for portions of the area.
Troughing from the midweek system will be shifting offshore into Thursday, then shortwave ridging will briefly pass through Thursday night through Friday. At the surface, strong high pressure (~1035 mb) will slide in from the Great Lakes through this period, centering itself across portions of eastern NY, northeastern PA, northern NJ, and southern New England by Thursday night. The high will then begin to shift offshore into the daytime Friday and Friday night.
Thursday will be the coolest day of the season so far, with high temperatures struggling to climb above the 60 degree mark into the afternoon. The higher terrain will likely experience high temperatures in the mid to upper 50s. 850 mb temperatures will fall to near 2C to 0C during the daytime, which will significantly hinder airmass modification despite sunny skies. A dry 10-15 mph northerly breeze will make it feel cooler.
By Thursday night, the center of the high pressure will reside across portions of northern NJ and northeastern PA. This is expected to result in optimal radiational cooling conditions for those areas and adjacent areas of SE PA and central NJ. This will support low temperatures in the low to mid 30s for areas NW of the I-95 urban corridor. Given the clear skies and nearly calm winds, widespread frost development appears increasingly likely. Sheltered valleys north of I-78 are forecast to experience their first freeze of the season. A Freeze Watch was issued for these areas to highlight this threat.
Interior southern NJ could also see some frost development as well, but this is somewhat less certain as winds could remain elevated enough farther south to prevent any significant frost development. The Pine Barrens have the best chance of frost development in this area, but at least some patchy frost is possible in the NJ suburbs too. Interior portions of Delmarva could drop into the upper 30s, but winds should prevent any widespread frost formation there. Additional frost/freeze headlines will likely be needed northwest of I-95 and perhaps into southern NJ in future updates for Thursday night into Friday morning.
By Friday, cold advection will have ceased as the high pressure shifts offshore. This will allow for some airmass modification, and afternoon high temperatures should easily reach into the mid 60s under mostly sunny skies. Surface winds will shift onshore, which could allow for some marine stratus to push in from the coast later in the day. Friday night will be much more mild compared to the previous night thanks to onshore winds advecting in higher dewpoints and increasing cloud cover. Forecast low temperatures by Saturday morning are in the 40s to low 50s, though some sheltered areas north of I-78 could dip into the 30s again with frost development possible. The previous night`s freeze will likely preclude the need for any frost hazards though.
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.LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... For the long term period over the weekend and into early next week, the main feature of interest will be the development of a potentially significant coastal storm near the North Carolina coast along a stalled frontal boundary. This storm is anticipated to strengthen and lift northward Sunday into early next week. Meanwhile, high pressure will remain in place locally through Saturday with moderating temperatures.
By Saturday, further modification of the airmass is anticipated, with afternoon highs in the mid 60s to near 70 degrees. Cloud cover will be increasing due to the developing coastal system to our south, but the daytime period should remain largely dry.
Guidance continues to vary in the exact evolution of the coastal storm from Saturday night through early next week, but we growing increasingly concerned about the potential impacts locally from this storm. There is still a fairly wide range of outcomes. A weaker and/or farther south solution with the surface low would translate to less severe impacts and lower chances of showers for our region. A stronger and/or farther north placement of the surface low pressure would translate to greater and potentially much more severe impacts to our area, especially along and near the coast. This may include potential for moderate to major coastal flooding, significant beach erosion, and strong to damaging winds near the coast and possibly inland across the coastal plain. Again, to be clear, a lot of uncertainty with this system, but it bears monitoring very closely, as significant impacts remain possible.
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.AVIATION /15Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... The following discussion is for KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY and surrounding areas.
Today...VFR conditions have returned for ABE, RDG, and TTN, although there could occasionally be MVFR conditions in these area for another couple of hours. MVFR conditions will remain for ILG, MIV, PHL, PNE, and TTN into the early afternoon, before a return to VFR. ACY is the lone TAF site with IFR, which will improve to MVFR, then VFR this afternoon.
Winds have shifted to northwest everywhere and will remain northwest through the rest of the day. Winds speeds will increase to 10-15 knots, with gusts 20-25 knots. Moderate-high confidence overall.
Tonight...VFR/SKC. North winds around 5-10 kt. High confidence.
Outlook...
Thursday through Friday...VFR. No significant weather.
Saturday...Restrictions possible in low clouds. Gusty winds possible.
Sunday...Restrictions likely in low clouds and showers. Gusty northeast winds.
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.MARINE... The Small Craft Advisories on the Atlantic coastal waters and lower Delaware Bay are in effect through tonight. A Small Craft Advisory has also been issued for the upper Delaware Bay beginning at 2 PM this afternoon and continuing through tonight.
South-southwest winds of 15-20 kt with gusts around 25 kt are expected to continue through this morning with seas around 3-5 feet. By this afternoon, winds will transition to northwesterly around 15- 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt possible continuing into tonight in wake of cold frontal passage. Seas build to 4-7 feet tonight. Showers likely today, before fair weather returns tonight outside of ongoing SCA conditions.
Outlook...
Thursday through Thursday night...Small Craft Advisory conditions expected across the Atlantic waters, though with conditions improving by afternoon and into the night. North to northeast winds 15-25 kts with gusts up to 30 kts possible. Seas 4-7 feet.
Friday through Friday night...No marine hazards expected. Fair weather.
Saturday...Winds and seas building, potential to advisory levels. A chance of showers.
Saturday night through Sunday...A coastal storm will begin to impact the region. Gale force winds likely developing, with potential for storm force winds on Sunday. Seas building 12-18 feet. Showers and sea spray likely restricting visibility.
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.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... A combination of high astronomical tides (King Tides) and modest northeast winds is expected to result in areas of minor coastal flooding with the Thursday morning high tide, and potentially the Friday and Saturday morning high tides as well. Coastal Flood Advisories have been issued to highlight this threat for the Thursday morning high tide along portions of the Atlantic coast and Delaware Bay. Minor coastal flooding may linger on the back bays after the time of high tide, especially in Sussex (DE) and Ocean Counties. These advisories could be extended to cover additional high tide cycles if confidence increases in additional high tides causing minor coastal flooding.
There is a risk of moderate to potentially major coastal flooding impacts beginning Sunday and into early next week as a strong coastal storm impacts the region. Guidance varies in potential outcomes of this storm with regard to impacts locally, however we are growing increasingly concerned about the potentially significant impacts from this storm along our coasts. At this time, the greatest threat of impacts could be along the Atlantic coasts of southern New Jersey and Delaware, and Delaware Bay. People with interests in these areas should remain alert for future updates regarding this storm.
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.PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...Freeze Watch from Thursday evening through Friday morning for PAZ054-055-061-062. NJ...Coastal Flood Advisory from 8 AM to 3 PM EDT Thursday for NJZ013-014-020>027. Freeze Watch from Thursday evening through Friday morning for NJZ001-007. DE...Coastal Flood Advisory from 8 AM to 3 PM EDT Thursday for DEZ002>004. MD...None. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 2 PM this afternoon to 8 AM EDT Thursday for ANZ430. Small Craft Advisory until 8 AM EDT Thursday for ANZ431. Small Craft Advisory until 2 PM EDT Thursday for ANZ450. Small Craft Advisory until midnight EDT Thursday night for ANZ451>453. Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM EDT Friday for ANZ454-455.
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SYNOPSIS...Staarmann NEAR TERM...DeSilva/Robertson SHORT TERM...Staarmann LONG TERM...Staarmann AVIATION...DeSilva/Robertson/Staarmann MARINE...DeSilva/Staarmann TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
NWS PHI Office Area Forecast Discussion