Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Northern Indiana
Issued by NWS Northern Indiana
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408 FXUS63 KIWX 301021 AFDIWX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Northern Indiana 621 AM EDT Sun Aug 30 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Scattered showers are expected today from northwest Indiana extending northeast into south central Lower Michigan. Isolated thunderstorms are possible, but severe weather is not expected. - Heat and humidity will build early this week with peak afternoon heat indices expected to reach around 100 for Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. - Slightly better chances for showers and thunderstorms (20-40%) arrive for the second half of the upcoming week. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 330 AM EDT Sun Aug 30 2026 Scattered showers continue to develop this morning from northern Illinois extending east across southern Lake Michigan into much of central Lower Michigan. This showers are developing along an axis of strengthening low/mid level theta-e advection and coincident with strengthening isentropic upglide. Some respectable elevated moisture advection should provide some 100-300 J/kg MUCAPEs in a relatively narrow axis from northern Illinois into central Lower Michigan this morning where moisture transport appears to be maximized this morning. A subtle, weak mid level short wave also appears to be kicking out of northeast Iowa/southeast Minnesota which should further enhance isentropic forcing closer to 12Z this morning. Will maintain an isolated thunder mention and scattered rain shower PoPs across these locations. Outside of this narrow MUCAPE axis, low level moisture transport is somewhat more limited across the remainder of the forecast area, so some question as to southeast extent of isolated thunder potential and higher PoPs. Otherwise, warm advection today should promote warmer conditions with highs in the lower to middle 80s. Scattered showers/cloud cover do make this a below normal confidence temperature forecast today for northwest half of the area where showers should be more numerous. By later this afternoon into this evening guidance generally agrees that stronger isentropic lift in the 310-315k layer should become focused across northwest Ohio and approaching the eastern Great Lakes, with another zone of stronger advective forcing taking shape from SE MN into southwest WI as a low level jet refocuses. It is possible some low PoPs will need to be extended through tonight across northern locations, but given this weakening trend in advective forcing will keep PoPs below mentionable levels for most areas. For late tonight into Monday, mid level ridge axis will shift across the southern Great Lakes allowing more pronounced mid level WAA and warm 700 mb temps of +10 to +14 deg C to overspread local area. It is possible some isoalted showers/storms could develop at the nose of this stronger mid level WAA but confidence is low given lack of deeper mid/upper level forcing. Heat concerns start to increase for Monday due to the persistent low level warm/moist advection with peak afternoon heat indices expected to reach the mid 90s. By late Monday night into Tuesday low level flow is expected to veer more west-southwest as longwave upper ridging gets somewhat dampened by larger scale upper low across US/Canadian border. This westerly flow regime will allow low level theta-e ridge to the west to become more firmly entrenched locally and may result in heat indices around 100 degrees both Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. An associated cold front with the southern Canadian negative height anomaly is expected to drop across the southern Great Lakes late Wed into Thu. A conservative approach to PoPs still seems in order for late Wednesday given stronger dynamic forcing should be located well to the north of the local area and likely persistence of warm mid level thermal profiles and possible moderate surface based CIN. Medium range guidance still suggests a transition to more amplification of longwave pattern late this work week into next weekend with position of mean upper ridge axis across central CONUS. This should prevent additional significant heat concerns but would likely result in episodes of higher PoPs as some northwest flow waves interact with a potential instability gradient across the region. && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z MONDAY/... Issued at 618 AM EDT Sun Aug 30 2026 A veering low level jet and accompanying strong elevated warm/moist advection will continue to allow for scattered shower development this morning. An upstream upper speed max and a weak, subtle mid level short wave ejecting out of the Corn Belt will allow for continued strengthening of isentropic lift across northern Illinois/southern Great Lakes over the next several hours. This advective forcing should result in greatest coverage of rain showers at KSBN from mid morning through mid afternoon, with a period of rain showers also expected to affect KFWA again this afternoon. Stronger low level moisture transport is expected to remain confined along an axis from north central IL into central Lower MI today which should keep most pronounced moisture axis and greatest potential of isolated thunder just west to northwest of KSBN. It is possible some thunder mention may be needed at KSBN given weak elevated CAPE however. Coverage of rain showers should diminish later this afternoon but a refocusing of low level jet across northern Illinois this evening could allow for some more showers to spill into northern Indiana tonight. Otherwise, westward displacement of stronger low level moisture transport today should allow for continuation of VFR conditions with primarily mid level cigs through the period. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...None. OH...None. MI...None. MARINE...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Marsili AVIATION...Marsili