MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 0043
   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   1051 AM CST MON JAN 26 2004
   
   AREAS AFFECTED...INTERIOR SC AND INTERIOR SERN/S-CENTRAL NC
   
   CONCERNING...FREEZING RAIN 
   
   VALID 261651Z - 262115Z
   
   SIGNIFICANT FREEZING RAIN EPISODE THROUGH THIS EVENING ACROSS
   INTERIOR SC AND INTERIOR SERN/S-CENTRAL NC WITH 0.1-0.2"/HR RATES
   LIKELY...AND EXTREME RATES TO 0.5"/HR WITH CONVECTION. 
   
   STRONG SFC RIDGING CONTINUES SWD INTO THE PIEDMONT ASSOCIATED WITH
   ARCTIC AIR MASS OVER NERN CONUS AND IMPRESSIVE COLD AIR DAMMING
   REGIME. AT 16Z...SURFACE FREEZING LINE EXTENDS NEAR THE NC/SC
   COAST...FROM JUST INLAND OF ILM-MYR 15 N CHS TO 45 SE AGS TO ATL. 
   MEANWHILE...TROPICAL AIR /DEWPOINTS IN THE MID-UPPER 60S OVER FL
   PANHANDLE/ IS BEING TRANSPORTED NEWD OVER THE STATIONARY FRONT
   LOCATED E-W ACROSS SRN GA. AS SWLY 700MB WINDS INCREASE TO 40-50KT
   NEAR THE NERN GULF COAST BY 27/00Z...STRENGTH OF ISENTROPIC LIFT
   ACROSS GA/SC/SERN NC SHOULD INCREASE THROUGHOUT TODAY WITH ONLY A
   SLOW EWD PROPAGATION OF PRECIPITATION BAND. CONSIDERABLE LIGHTNING
   EXISTS WITHIN THIS TROPICAL PLUME ASSOCIATED WITH ELEVATED
   INSTABILITY THROUGH E-CENTRAL GA INTO CENTRAL SC. IT APPEARS FROM
   INCREASE IN CONVECTION SOUTH OF LA THAT SFC CYCLOGENESIS IS
   OCCURRING AND A WAVE CYCLONE WILL LIKELY PROPAGATE ALONG THE FRONT
   INTO FAR NRN FL BY 00Z. THIS SHOULD MAINTAIN NLY AGEOSTROPHIC FLOW
   COMPONENT AROUND 10KT AND SHALLOW FLOW OF SUBFREEZING AIR INTO
   CENTRAL/WRN SC. AT CAE...12Z ETA MODEL SOUNDING INDICATE A
   CONTINUATION OF SUBFREEZING AIR COMBINED WITH MUCAPE TO 100 J/KG
   THROUGH 27/03Z. CONVECTIVE NATURE OF PRECIPITATION SHOULD RESULT IN
   BRIEF FREEZING RAIN RATES UP TO 0.5"/HR FROM THE E-CENTRAL GA/SC
   BORDER NEWD INTO FAR SRN/SERN NC INLAND FROM THE COAST. LIQUID
   EQUIVALENT AT AGS ASOS MEASURED 0.42" BETWEEN 15-16Z WITH 2M
   TEMPERATURE OF 31F. THESE HEAVY FREEZING RAIN RATES WILL LIFT NEWD
   DURING THE NEXT 3-6 HOURS RESULTING IN DAMAGING ICE POTENTIAL.
   SURFACE TEMPERATURES ACROSS MOST OF THE DISCUSSION AREA SHOULD
   REMAIN IN THE MID 20S TO AROUND 30F THROUGH THIS EVENING.
   
   ..BANACOS.. 01/26/2004
   
   
   ATTN...WFO...MHX...RAH...ILM...CHS...CAE...GSP...
   
   33398032 33258099 33158142 33258185 33598222 34028242
   34498272 34818083 34967917 34897864 34747819 34277824
   33727946 33308032