FXUS62 KCHS 071832 AFDCHS
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston SC 232 PM EDT Tue Apr 7 2026
.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
All sections.
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.KEY MESSAGES...
- 1) There is an elevated fire danger through mid week.
- 2) There is a High Risk of rip currents at all area beaches
through Wednesday.
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.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1: There is an elevated fire danger through mid week.
Dry high pressure will continue building in from the north and west through late week. Mid-20s dewpoints Wednesday afternoon across inland areas will produce critical RH of 20-30%. NE winds 15-20 mph with some gusts to 25 mph will combine with the low RH to create an increased fire danger. A Fire Danger Statement continues until 7pm this evening and we'll likely need another one on Wednesday.
KEY MESSAGE 2: There is a High Risk of rip currents at all area beaches through Wednesday.
Increasing NE winds and building swells will result in a High Risk for rip currents at all area beaches through Wednesday. High Risk for rip currents will likely continue into Thursday at all area beaches.
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.AVIATION /18Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
VFR will prevail. The main challenge is determining the wind speeds/gusts. Any wind gusts this afternoon should briefly settle down this evening. A tighter pressure gradient will develop after midnight during which time we expect increasing wind speeds with some gustiness. Fairly breezy conditions expected during the day Wednesday with sustained winds 15-20 kt and gusts to 25 kt.
Extended Aviation Outlook: VFR. Breezy NE winds continue into Thursday.
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.MARINE...
High pressure will strengthen inland tonight and into Wednesday producing an increasingly pinched gradient across the local waters. This setup will yield increasingly hazardous marine conditions across all the local waters for an extended period of time with significant improvement in winds and seas not expected through Friday. Gale Warnings remain in effect for all waters (outside Charleston Harbor), beginning first in the outer GA waters this afternoon then expanding into the nearshore waters by midnight. The Gale Warnings then remain in effect until early Thursday. Wind gusts to around 40 knots are expected, with a few gusts approaching 45 knots possible at times. Charleston Harbor will even be close to gale force gusts Wednesday morning, and it is possible that a short- lived Gale Warning could be needed there as well. Furthermore, some model guidance would suggest that gales for the waters could continue into Thursday afternoon across the existing warning area, and it is possible that the current warnings could need to be extended in time.
The potential for gales diminishes greatly by Thursday evening and once the Gale Warnings come down, they will need to be replaced by Small Craft Advisories. Winds will likely come down below Small Craft Advisory thresholds on Friday, but seas could remain quite elevated through Saturday.
High Surf: With very strong northeast winds across the coastal waters, seas are expected to significantly build tonight and into Wednesday. There is an increasing probability for 5+ ft breakers in the surf zone, and a High Surf Advisory is now in effect from 8 am Wednesday through 8 pm Thursday. At least minor beach erosion can be expected with the combination of strong and persistent northeast winds with 5+ ft breakers in the surf zone.
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.CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...High Risk for Rip Currents through Wednesday evening for GAZ117-119-
139-141. High Surf Advisory from 8 AM Wednesday to 8 PM EDT Thursday for GAZ117-119-139-141.
SC...High Risk for Rip Currents through Wednesday evening for SCZ048>051.
High Surf Advisory from 8 AM Wednesday to 8 PM EDT Thursday for SCZ048>051.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from midnight tonight to 8 PM EDT
Thursday for AMZ330. Small Craft Advisory until midnight EDT tonight for AMZ350-352- 354. Gale Warning from midnight tonight to 2 AM EDT Thursday for AMZ350-352-354. Gale Warning until 2 AM EDT Thursday for AMZ374.
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BSH/JRL