Southeast Weather Update

Sunny Skies Spread Across Much of the Southeast

After days of clouds and cool conditions, sunshine returns Friday and spreads through the weekend Fox19. Temperatures will rise noticeably — highs reaching the low 70s across parts of the Carolinas and into the 80s from Tennessee to Alabama Fox19. By next week, South Carolina could see highs near 90 degrees Fox19.

Central and southern Alabama saw heavy cloud cover Thursday, but those clouds will clear from west to east National Weather Service. Eastern areas may struggle to reach 80 degrees, while western parts push into the mid-80s National Weather Service. The transition marks the arrival of a crisp, pleasant fall pattern.

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Charleston Faces Tidal Flooding Friday and Saturday

The Charleston area and South Carolina Lowcountry will experience minor to moderate tidal flooding around high tides Friday at 7:23 a.m. and 7:48 p.m. EDT National Weather Service. Additional minor flooding is possible Saturday morning and evening National Weather Service. The root cause: a full moon amplifies tidal pull, and strong northeast winds push water up into bays and harbors.

Ron Morales, a warning meteorologist for NWS Charleston, explained that full moons create what forecasters call "king tides." He noted that "every time there's a full moon or a new moon, the tides are going to be higher" National Weather Service. Coastal road closures and brief inundation of low-lying areas are expected, but the flooding will subside as winds ease.

Eastern North Carolina Remains Breezy Before Improvement

Coastal North Carolina is still dealing with a weakening cold-air wedge that will keep conditions breezy and cool through the weekend National Weather Service. Northeast wind gusts are reaching 40 to 50 mph in eastern areas National Weather Service. These strong winds are the main driver of the coastal flooding risk farther south in South Carolina.

Atlantic Tropical Systems Pose No U.S. Threat

Tropical Storm Fay is weakening rapidly over the open Atlantic Ocean southwest of the Azores, with maximum winds of just 50 mph National Hurricane Center. The system will dissipate this weekend in an unfavorable environment and never threaten land National Hurricane Center.

A second tropical disturbance forming near western Africa had a 70 percent chance of developing into a named storm late this week National Hurricane Center. However, forecasters expect any system to remain in the eastern Atlantic and track away from North America National Hurricane Center. The U.S. mainland faces minimal hurricane threat over the next seven days.