OFFICIAL NOAA / NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
Raleigh Area Forecast Discussion
Latest issuance
October 28, 2026 at 1:50 AM EDT
000 FXUS62 KRAH 280550 AFDRAH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Raleigh NC 150 AM EDT Wed Oct 28 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... * No significant changes. && .KEY MESSAGES... As of 150 AM Wednesday... 1) While overcast skies are forecast today and Thursday morning, conditions will remain dry. 2) Forecast uncertainty remains high on next chance for measurable rainfall and amounts during the first week of November. && .DISCUSSION... As of 150 AM Wednesday... KEY MESSAGE 1... While overcast skies are forecast today and Thursday morning, conditions will remain dry. An area of low clouds has developed across eastern North Carolina and the clouds will spread west overnight, reaching the Triad around sunrise. There could also be some patchy fog as well around sunrise. The clouds will slowly rise in height during the day, but no rain is in the forecast. These clouds will continue overnight and into Thursday, slowly eroding from east to west during the day. The clouds will keep today's highs a couple degrees cooler than yesterday, closer to normal for this time of year, and result in mild low temperatures tonight, generally in the 50s. KEY MESSAGE 2... Forecast uncertainty remains high on next chance for measurable rainfall and amounts during the first week of November. Model guidance continue to struggle with the forecast pattern evolution through the first week of November with two primary drivers in this uncertainty. The first is the moisture associated with Tropical Cyclone Vance as it lifts through southwest Mexico and into the Four Corners and Southern Plains region Fri before shifting eastward into the Southeast Sat into Sun and perhaps Carolinas Sun night into Mon. Locally over the Carolinas ahead of this influx of deep-layer moisture, a reinforcing dry cold front will provide renewed high pressure persisting over the Mid-Atlantic into the Carolinas this weekend and could provide a favorable setup for isentropic ascent and overrunning given adequate forcing/moisture in place. However, outside of the GFS and its ensemble suite, most guidance is shunting the better QPF signal farther south with only light accumulations in NC Sun night into Tues night. The second and perhaps better signal may exist beyond the current forecast period as a strong mid/upper low shifts from the West Coast on Sun into the Central Plains into the mid-week timeframe. How and when this feature will develop is understandably uncertain as the driving features will not phase until this weekend. The general consensus among ensemble guidance highlights the Wed/Thurs-night window for increased rain chances, but details are muddy at this time. && .AVIATION /05Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... As of 125 AM Wednesday... TAF period: Although all sites should begin with VFR conditions, LIFR ceilings have already been observed in eastern North Carolina, and this area of clouds should advect west overnight. By mid- morning, LIFR ceilings are expected to have spread across all terminals, along with IFR visibilities, but ceilings should be dictating the flight categories. The LIFR restrictions should last the shortest amount of time at INT/GSO, with ceilings at all sites lifting to VFR by early afternoon. VFR ceilings will persist through the rest of the TAF period. Additional MVFR ceilings are expected to develop, but right now it appears likely that the next round of restrictions should hold off until at least 06Z. The wind will be out of the northeast, less than 5 kt to begin and eventually rising to 5-10 kt. Outlook: MVFR ceilings appear likely at all terminals between 06Z- 18Z Thursday, with isolated IFR ceilings possible. After that, dry VFR conditions are forecast through Saturday. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Green/Swiggett AVIATION...Green