Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Quad Cities, IA IL

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118
FXUS63 KDVN 152308
AFDDVN

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL
608 PM CDT Wed Oct 15 2025

...Updated for 00z Aviation...

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Chances of light showers will continue tonight into Thursday,
  mainly for areas along and north of Interstate 80

- Temperatures will climb Thursday and Friday, with highs in the
  upper 70s to lower 80s by Friday

- A larger system will sweep through the Upper Midwest Friday
  night through Saturday, bringing the potential for widespread
  showers and embedded storms. No strong to severe storms are
  expected at this time.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
Issued at 223 PM CDT Wed Oct 15 2025

Our region will continue to be under a longwave upper-level ridge
through the day Thursday, along with a warm front extending from a
surface low pressure system currently located over central Colorado.
The baroclinic zone and a few weak mid-level impulses will continue
to support lingering chances (20-50%) of showers over the area, with
the highest chances coming north of Interstate 80. HREF ensemble
soundings shows periods of dry air continuing to linger through the
low-levels of the column, which should support light amounts of
rainfall through the day Thursday, despite Pwat values of 1 to 1.4
inches. Instability will be lacking, which further supports light
amounts of rainfall. HREF exceedance probabilities of 0.05" of
rainfall tonight through Thursday afternoon is around 20 to 50%
(highest near the Highway 20 corridor), so low to medium potential.
Either way, very low impact rainfall is expected.

Temperatures will increase Thursday, as the aforementioned warm
front lifts northward, leading to high temperatures in the middle to
upper 70s for most locations.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 223 PM CDT Wed Oct 15 2025

The long-term period starts off on a dry, but warm, note as warm air
advection ramps up further from Thursday. Both the GEFS and ECMWF
ensembles for 850 mb temperatures suggest 14 to 16 degrees C by
Friday afternoon, which is quite warm for this time of the year.
Nothing too out of the ordinary, but these values would place in the
top 50 highest 850 mb temperatures for 00z October 18th. With that
said, Friday looks to be the warmest day of the next seven days,
with highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s for most.

The main focus for the extended continues to be on a longwave trough
that is progged to move through the central CONUS Friday night
through Saturday night. An attendant cold front ahead of the main
trough will move into our area Friday night into early Saturday,
along with a northern stream mid-level shortwave that will phase
with the front. These forcing mechanisms will provide a period of
showers and a few thunderstorms - our best chances for widespread
rainfall in a while (60-90% chance). Instability will be somewhat
modest, with GEFS probabilities of 500+ J/kg of CAPE between 40 to
70%. Pwats will continue to be elevated, generally around 1 to 1.5
inches, which is over the 90th percentile on the ECMWF ensemble
climatological percentiles. Storms should be of the garden variety,
as LREF ensemble joint probabilities of SBCAPE >500 J/kg and 0-500
mb bulk wind shear >30 knots are much higher well south of the area
(only 10-20% for our region), so strong to severe storms are not
expected. In terms of rainfall, some beneficial rainfall is likely
as the 48-hr NBM probabilities of a half inch of total rainfall is
between 60 to 80 percent and between 30 to 50 percent for one inch
of rain.

Sunday will be a day of gradual drying from Saturday`s
precipitation, although some questions remain on just how much the
clouds will clear out, given lingering cyclonic flow/cold air
advection. Highs on Sunday will be slightly below average for this
time of the year, warming only to the lower 60s. Another round of
showers is possible Monday night through Tuesday, but there remain
some timing differences among the guidance, so confidence remains
low on this precip potential.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 605 PM CDT Wed Oct 15 2025

Predominantly VFR conditions expected through the TAF period at
KCID, KMLI and KBRL. KDBQ will start out the period with
LIFR/IFR conditions (ceilings), but should slowly lift to
MVFR after 16/05z and then improve to VFR by around 16/12z.
Spotty showers remain possible, especially early this evening
and then again late tonight through Thursday morning particularly
near KDBQ and KCID. Winds look to be around 10 kt throughout from
E/NE to E/SE with some sporadic higher gusts possible at times.

&&

.DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IA...None.
IL...None.
MO...None.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Schultz
LONG TERM...Schultz
AVIATION...McClure