840 FXUS62 KTAE 250009 AFDTAEArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tallahassee FL 809 PM EDT Wed Sep 24 2025
...New UPDATE...
.UPDATE... Issued at 807 PM EDT Wed Sep 24 2025
No significant changes to the forecast from the near term below.
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.NEAR TERM... (Through Thursday) Issued at 153 PM EDT Wed Sep 24 2025
For the rest of today, a few isolated showers and storms may develop across the area this afternoon before fading this evening. With moisture increasing ahead of an approaching cold front and light to calm winds expected tonight, patchy fog will likely develop across a good portion of the area overnight into Thursday morning. Some of the fog could be locally dense with the HREF yielding a 30-40% chance of visibilities at or below 1/2 mile during the morning commute. Those higher probabilities are over the Florida Big Bend and up through the I-75 corridor of south Georgia. Lows tonight will hover a few degrees either side of 70.
The cold front slowly moves across the Southeast and central Gulf Coast on Thursday in conjunction with a positively tilted upper trough from the Great Lakes into the southern Plains. With afternoon instability and the nearby trough, expect better coverage of scattered showers and storms Thursday afternoon, especially west of the Flint and Apalachicola Rivers. As deep-layer shear increases late in the afternoon to around 20-30 kt, a few stronger storms may be possible, especially if they become semi-organized clusters. However, the storms will have to overcome some poor lapse rates. Gusty winds would be the primary hazard with any stronger storms. Farther east, rain chances will be closer to 20-30% away from the main source of lift. Highs tomorrow will range from the mid to upper 80s over the Wiregrass to the low to mid 90s farther east.
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.SHORT TERM... (Thursday night through Friday night) Issued at 153 PM EDT Wed Sep 24 2025
The trough begins to cut off Friday over the southeast US with the cold front slowly moving across our area. As the trough cuts off, hi- res models are hinting at a little extra lift Thursday night which could yield another surge of showers and storms near the Florida Panhandle. While instability will be at a relative minimum, there`s enough deep-layer shear that a strong gusty storm can`t be completely ruled out late Thursday night near the coast. There`s still some timing and coverage discrepancies in the forecast for Friday`s rain and storms. Some guidance is a bit faster with the overall progression of the system, while some keep it a bit slower. But, showers and storms are likely again Friday with a bit more instability, lift, and shear in place. While currently not outlined by SPC, I wouldn`t be surprised to see a Marginal Risk from SPC for parts of the area Friday with gusty winds being the main threat. While some locally heavier downpours are possible, the flood risk appears minimal given the recent developing drought. Rain and storms will gradually exit the area Friday night.
Lows both nights will be in the upper 60s to lower 70s with highs in the mid to upper 80s.
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.LONG TERM... (Saturday through Tuesday) Issued at 153 PM EDT Wed Sep 24 2025
The upper-level low kind of meanders over the Southeast and Appalachians through the early part of next week. Rain chances will still remain highest near the Suwannee Valley on Saturday as the cold front exits with low rain chances remaining in the forecast through early next week. Only isolated showers are expected at most each day from Sunday onward with no significant impacts expected. Highs will be in the upper 80s to lower 90s with lows in the mid to upper 60s.
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.AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 721 PM EDT Wed Sep 24 2025
Fog and low stratus is anticipated tonight to affect all terminals in some way. The fog development is most likely to affect ABY, VLD, and TLH terminals, while the low stratus is more likely to affect the DHN and ECP terminals. The terminals that experience fog could have vsbys as low as 3/4SM but would not be surprised if it fell to 1/4SM. Low cigs down to 200FT are possible for our western terminals in the morning hours. The poor flight conditions should begin to improve around 14z. Southwesterly winds around 5-10 kts will prevail through the day, with the potential for gusts around 15kts in the afternoon hours outside of any thunderstorms. Precipitable water values are forecast to be around 2 inches which means that the storms could produce heavy rainfall, reducing vsbys at the terminals. Ceilings for Thursday afternoon will likely remain MVFR.
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.MARINE... Issued at 153 PM EDT Wed Sep 24 2025
Light to gentle southwesterly winds will continue over the next couple of days ahead of an approaching cold front. Chances for showers and storms will increase through Thursday before tapering into the weekend. A few stronger storms with gusty winds are possible Thursday night into Friday. Winds over the weekend will become more northerly to northeasterly in the wake of the cold front. Seas will remain around 1 to 2 feet through the next 5 days.
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.FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 153 PM EDT Wed Sep 24 2025
Moisture will increase ahead of an approaching cold front through the rest of the week. Dispersions will be highest across south central Georgia on Thursday with the combination of high mixing heights and increasing southwesterly transport winds around 10-15 mph. Rain chances increase over the Wiregrass on Thursday, then spread across the area Friday. Some stronger storms are possible with gusty, erratic winds both Thursday and Friday. Rain begins exiting the area Saturday with winds becoming northwesterly behind the front.
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.HYDROLOGY... Issued at 153 PM EDT Wed Sep 24 2025
Rainfall totals over the next 3-4 days will likely be around 0.5 to 1 inch, with the highest totals being over the Florida Panhandle and southeast Alabama. Some locally higher totals are possible with the 90th percentile around 2 to 3 inches. Even with the higher end totals, this would not cause any flash flood concerns given the high flash flood guidance from recent developing drought conditions.
This rain likely won`t be a drought buster for our area, but any bit does help the drought situation.
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.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotter activation is not requested. However, spotters are always encouraged to safely report significant weather conditions when they occur by calling the office or tweeting us @NWSTallahassee.
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.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Tallahassee 94 71 92 72 / 0 0 30 50 Panama City 89 76 88 72 / 0 0 40 80 Dothan 94 71 87 69 / 10 10 70 60 Albany 96 71 92 70 / 0 0 50 50 Valdosta 94 70 93 71 / 0 0 20 30 Cross City 93 72 91 72 / 20 10 20 20 Apalachicola 86 76 86 74 / 0 0 20 60
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.TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...None. GA...None. AL...None. GM...None. &&
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NEAR TERM...Young SHORT TERM...Young LONG TERM....Young AVIATION...Montgomery MARINE...Young FIRE WEATHER...Young HYDROLOGY...Young
NWS TAE Office Area Forecast Discussion