Forecast Last Updated at Friday, September 22, 2023 at 6:37PM

Light Touch from Ophelia

The last day of Summer featured pleasant temperatures with increasing PM clouds. Low pressure east of South Carolina quickly intensified today, becoming Tropical Storm Ophelia. Ophelia will make landfall on the NC Coast Saturday morning and then move slowly north. SW'ern VA will pick up a couple of showers on Saturday, mostly in the morning. Temperatures will be cooler Saturday with lots of clouds. Sunday and Monday are quickly warmer again and pleasant. Beginning Tuesday, we enter a period of gray, damp, cool weather.

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Friday Hi: 71 Lo: 51 More clouds tonight; NNW wind 5-15 mph

Saturday Hi: 65 Lo: 53 Generally cloudy; A few showers, mostly in the AM; Cool; NW wind 5-15 mph

Sunday Hi: 70 Lo: 52 Partly sunny; Pleasant; Light wind, becoming SW

Monday Hi: 73 Lo: 54 Partly to mostly cloudy; Pleasant

Tuesday Hi: 66 Lo: 54 Generally cloudy; Light rain with fog developing; Turning cooler

Further Out

Wednesday - Overcast; Light rain at times with fog; Cool; High in the lower 60s; Low near 50 degrees
Thursday - Overcast; Light rain at times with fog; Cool; High in the lower 60s; Low near 50 degrees

Forecast Discussion

Fall begins tonight at 2:50 AM. It's fitting to have a pleasant last day of summer, albeit with increasing clouds tonight.

Low pressure east of SC today intensified quickly today, becoming Tropical Storm Ophelia. Ophelia makes a mess for Carolina beachgoers tonight and Saturday, but the precipitation shield remains mostly to our east. Expect a shower or two on Saturday, mostly in the morning. Temperatures Saturday will be cooler with a NE flow and more clouds.

Ophelia's remnant low moves slowly north Sunday and Monday, leaving us with much-improved weather Sunday and Monday.

Our real trouble begins Tuesday. An upper-level low hangs out in the Ohio Valley Tuesday through Thursday. High pressure centered in Eastern Canada pushes a cool wedge of air down the east side of the Appalachians. Sunshine will be difficult to find for 3-4 days. Areas of rain develop Tuesday, and fog sets up, especially along the Blue Ridge. Temperatures become very cool. Wednesday looks like the soupiest of this set of days.

Elsewhere in the tropical Atlantic. As it moves west, a disturbance west of the African Coast becomes the next named tropical system. The next name is Philippe.

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