Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Central Illinois
Issued by NWS Central Illinois
Versions:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
327 FXUS63 KILX 190411 AFDILX Area Forecast Discussion...Updated Aviation National Weather Service Lincoln IL 1011 PM CST Tue Nov 18 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - There is a level 1 of 5 (marginal) risk for severe thunderstorms today south of a roughly Pana to Paris line. The primary hazard would be hail up to 1 inch in diameter. - The next opportunity for rain arrives late Thursday into Friday night. The axis of heaviest rain has shifted south, but there is still a chance for rain amounts greater than 1 inch south of I-70. && .UPDATE... Issued at 830 PM CST Tue Nov 18 2025 Late evening surface analysis shows an area of low pressure centered along the Ohio Valley with high pressure in place over the west-central Great Lakes Region. Shower/storm activity has pushed off to our south, with an expansive blanket of low stratus that has filled in behind it. Patchy dense fog has been reported south of I-70 where heavy rain fell earlier and stratus is more patchy. Visibility has improved some over the last hour or so as widespread stratus enters. Because of this, dense fog chances through the rest of tonight appear relatively low. Further north, drizzle is ongoing where subtle lift tied to a couple weak upper impulses coincides with trapped low-level moisture. Periods of drizzle look to continue through late tonight, with the focus being near and north of a Macomb to Champaign line over the next few hours. NMA && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 103 PM CST Tue Nov 18 2025 The low pressure system is moving eastward today, with a warm front draped over the southeastern part of the CWA. SPC has maintained a marginal risk (level 1 of 5) of severe weather for south of a Pana to Paris line. The dewpoint gradient looks to be along the southern CWA border. The triple point is expected to move through southern IL this afternoon, which would increase the chances for severe storms with hail, wind, or even a tornado, the further south you travel through the state. South of I-70, the CAMs show 1000-1200 J/kg of MUCAPE and ~30 knots of effective wind shear. The freezing level is around 9k-10k ft. Most (if not all) of the storms that develop down there today will be elevated, supporting the hail threat. However, if one of these storms can latch onto a boundary or become surface based, a tornado could spin up. For an example of how the afternoon redevelopment could go, let`s take a look at the HRRR. The HRRR shows a corridor of strong (maybe severe) storms traveling east along the I-64 corridor, just south of our CWA, from 19z-23z. The NAMnest is more north, with the storms stretching to the I-70 corridor. Area of concern for our forecast area would be approximately the I-70 corridor and south. Currently, the NAMNest looks to be initializing the general area of the ongoing cells the best. Wednesday would be a brief break in the rain as there is a lull between systems. Early Thursday morning, another low pressure system will pass through central and southeastern IL, bringing increased Gulf moisture and slightly warmer temperatures in for Thursday. Above freezing temperatures keep the precipitation type rain, thankfully. This system could deliver higher rainfall amounts compared to the ongoing system. From Thursday morning to Saturday morning, QPF of 1-1.5 inches is in the forecast. Temperatures stay near or just above normal for the next week. The warmest day this week is Thursday with highs in the upper 50s to low 60s and lows in the upper 40s to low 50s. Behind the low pressure system Friday, temperatures will drop back down to near normal. Copple && .AVIATION... (For the 06z TAFs through 06z Wednesday Night) Issued at 1011 PM CST Tue Nov 18 2025 Low stratus sticks around through most of the next 24 hours. IFR ceilings are widespread late tonight, with patchy drizzle occasionally dropping conditions into LIFR. Ceilings will be slow to improve on Wednesday, looking to reach MVFR category by late morning or early afternoon. Confidence in if and when ceilings improve to VFR is low with some of the more optimistic guidance suggesting as soon as Wednesday evening. Err-ed on the side of caution and kept MVFR ceilings in place through the end of the period. North-northeast winds will be relatively light through Wednesday, gradually veering to the east-southeast by nighttime. NMA && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$