Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Des Moines, IA

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756 FXUS63 KDMX 130544 AFDDMX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Des Moines IA 1244 AM CDT Thu Jun 13 2024 ...Updated for the 06z Aviation Discussion... .KEY MESSAGES... - Showers and thunderstorms earlier today with more possible later this evening. - Robust thunderstorms expected across southern Iowa tomorrow afternoon with severe storms and heavy rain likely, - Hot through the end of the week and early next week with temperatures in the 90s and heat indicies in the low 100s for some. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 243 PM CDT Wed Jun 12 2024 Showers and thunderstorms have moved across northern Iowa from late morning into the early afternoon. Very dry air is in place near the surface, most notable in soundings which show over 1200 J/kg of CAPE, steep lapse rates, and a deep inverted-V shape. This has resulted in breezy environmental winds with convection enhancing the winds further. So far gusts in northern Iowa with showers have gusted 40-55+ mph. The more robust thunderstorms are shifting off to the east this afternoon, but showers will linger across the area into the after across the area. Much later this evening a secondary round of thunderstorms is expected to sweep across norther area, skimming northern portions of the area. HREF runs this morning have shown UH tracks identifying better updrafts mainly across northern to northeast Iowa very late tonight. Gusty winds will remain a concern, along with hail with good updraft support, with any storms that develop in the area overnight. This will weaken towards early morning and continue to move into eastern Iowa and parts of Wisconsin and Illinois. Our attention then turns to Thursday. Another embedded wave will pass across the area with a boundary hanging up across southern Iowa in the afternoon. This boundary will provide the focus for thunderstorms develop in the afternoon and evening. Expect to see much more robust convection on Thursday with SPC increasing to an Enhanced (Level 3 of 5) in southeast Iowa. Storms will have no problem initiating with a boundary to fire on and CAPE of 2000-3000 J/kg, along with another inverted-v sounding shape. This will be highly supportive of gusty winds with storms and larger hail with strong updrafts. CAMs have been fairly consistent in developing gusty wind with the storms that develop in southeast Iowa, including the HRRR consistently putting out some high end thunderstorms gusts. Given similar dry air in place with doubled instability tomorrow, this makes sense with the gusts we`ve seen so far today. Tornadoes would also be possible, though not the main concern, with modest SRH in soundings and curved low level hodographs. Also of concern is hydrologic impacts. Weak flow keeps storm motions slow and storms in CAMs look to look to line up and train along the boundary. PWATs are 2"+ in the vicinity of the boundary in southeast Iowa, so a few areas could pick up some heavier rain. At the same time, heat will continue to be a concern with temperatures into the 90s across central and southern Iowa with heat indicies in southern Iowa pushing 100 degrees. Temperatures moderate some into Friday and Saturday, but it will still remain pretty warm with temperatures into the 80s. Additional thunderstorms are possible into Saturday with another wave passing across the area. The pattern remains active into early next week with another robust wave progged for Monday. This one could bring another chance for severe storms with SPC outlining a day 6 outlook in our north. At the same time heat continues to build into early next week with temperatures in the 90s and heat indicies near 100. There will be little relief overnight as low still remain in the 70s. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY/...
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Issued at 1244 AM CDT Thu Jun 13 2024 Outside of a small cluster of storms near KALO, VFR/mostly clear skies were in place across the forecast area early this morning. This should continue for several more hours, but the convective evolution is uncertain later this morning and through the early evening hours. A weak front is expected to pass through the area during the late morning and afternoon hours, with scattered storms developing along it. The question is how far north and east initiation begins, with more confidence farther south toward KOTM. Thus, that location is the only spot where thunder has been mentioned for now due to low confidence in location and timing. Confidence does increase that clearing and VFR conditions should occur toward the end of the period Thursday evening.
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&& .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Hagenhoff AVIATION...Small