Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Northern Indiana

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415 FXUS63 KIWX 270600 AFDIWX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Northern Indiana 200 AM EDT Mon May 27 2024 .KEY MESSAGES...
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- Scattered showers and storms will remain possible into tonight. A few stronger storms are possible, but the overall severe threat is low. - Lingering showers and thunderstorms may impact activities Memorial Day through Wednesday. - Hazardous swimming conditions for Lake Michigan beaches in La Porte County in Indiana and Berrien County in Michigan Memorial Day through Wednesday.
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&& .UPDATE... Issued at 520 PM EDT Sun May 26 2024 Line of sub-severe convection along a fgen/MCS outflow should exit our eastern zones by 22/23z with a lull in activity for most locations in its wake. Second round of convection for this evening/overnight continues to look diminished/limited with most of the area now worked over, with a more robust MCS on target to pass south of the area during this time. Incoming trough on the leading edge of an incoming vort max and weak sfc reflection (now near WI/IL border), and some added convergence from outflow bubble on the northern fringe of the maturing OH Valley MCS, will bring renewed chances for widely scattered showers/storms tonight. Cannot rule out an isolated strong- severe cell into areas mainly west of IN-15 9p,-midnight EDT as there will be adequate shear along the incoming sfc trough. Buoyancy will be somewhat limited however with the bulk of the energy going to what should be a dangerous MCS tracking east along the OH River. Only minor adjustments made to PoPs/Sky cover trends into tonight. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 1220 PM EDT Sun May 26 2024 A deepening area of low pressure approaches the Western Great Lakes today and moves into the Northern Great Lakes by Monday morning. As it does so, a warm front pushes into Michigan by this evening. Models expect low lapse rates to be the highest in the I-69 on eastward where the greatest amount of sunlight and least amount of thunderstorm overturning resides into the afternoon ahead of the approaching storm-filled warm front. Much of the shear lags behind this warm front so the most likely hazards out of a line like this include strong to damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph with heavy rain that could lead to flooding. There is some progressive nature to this initial line so that will likely limit the residence time of the rather moist ingredients including surface (into the 60sF) and low level dew points (above 10C in many southern locations). There has been some question about what happens behind this line. Do we get clearing or does a potential cold pool keep cloud cover around enough to restrict recovery of instability for an evening batch of severe thunderstorms? Additionally, what time do storms initiate? As late as the the 00z models, there were still a few models that hang onto a possibility of pop storms after the line, but it appears 12z guidance has since backed off that possibility. The 6z RAP seemed keen on initiating around 5pm, but that seems less likely than some of the other models bringing a line through our southern zones or just to our south around 8pm. By this point, shear would be better established with the low level jet overhead and helicity would be present as well allowing the introduction of the hazard of a few tornadoes. The mid level lapse rates are shown to be replenished behind the initial warm front line that had 8C/km mid lapse rates to work with this morning. This will also make large hail a possibility with the potential afternoon resurgence. If storms do initiate behind the line, storm motion will also be in question as the continued moist environment could allow any slower moving storms to produce quite of rain in a short time frame. The NAM40 also seems keen on keeping some storms southeast of US-24 into the overnight with strong to damaging wind and large hail being the main threats along with heavy rain that could lead to flooding. Aside from the lower res NAM, the HREF suite brings a midnight or 1am end time to this second batch of strong to severe storms with potentially a few isolated cells thereafter as the EML and lingering instability could keep a few cells going after dark. Again, 12z guidance appears to back off this second batch possibility altogether. The cold front moves southeast vacating the area Monday morning allowing surface dew points to drop back into the 50s indicating the dry air mass behind the front. But it`s a quick reprieve as another wave approaches the area for Monday night. Even the NAM only has 100 to 500 J/kg of MUCAPE around for this episode which indicates weak thunderstorms would be the expected outcome at strongest outcome. Highs Monday will also be cooler, in the upper 60s and low 70s with the negative theta-e advection behind the previous departed cold front. Still not much cooler for highs on Tuesday with upper 60s to low 70s, but models want to generate some more instability to the tune of 500 to 1000 J/kg, which would indicate more thunderstorms are possible during the afternoon, especially as another broad area of vorticity approaches Tuesday afternoon/night. Behind this area of vorticity, surface high pressure comes in and is expected to provide dry weather from mid to late week as a large ridge stations itself over the Central CONUS. Some lingering moisture may be able to sprout a few showers Wednesday morning, but that should be east of I-69. Expect 60s for Wednesday that trend warmer, reaching the 80s on Sunday. Our next chance for rain likely holds off until late Saturday. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY/...
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Issued at 153 AM EDT Mon May 27 2024 VFR conditions at the moment will deteriorate to MVFR/IFR over the next few hours, behind the cold front at KSBN (lower ceilings upstream) and at KFWA tonight along/behind the cold front. Light rain over KFWA atm associated with a convective complex to our southeast will gradually taper off for a brief period before a line of showers and thunderstorms along the cold front moves in. Right now the line of storms extends from Kalamazoo MI southwest to near KSBN and down into Monticello, IN. Lightning activity has persisted thus far, though expecting it to wane as we go into the morning hours. Expect we`ll see at least a rumble at KFWA as the approximate TOA is 8-10z, exiting by around 12z. Otherwise, the MVFR/IFR ceilings in the wake of the cold front will prevail through mid afternoon before returning to VFR again. Light showers or drizzle are possible at KSBN-probably between 12-16z associated with wrap around moisture from the passing surface low over central Lake MI.
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&& .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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IN...None. OH...None. MI...Beach Hazards Statement from 8 AM EDT this morning through this evening for MIZ177-277. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 8 AM this morning to 8 PM EDT this evening for LMZ043.
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&& $$ UPDATE...Steinwedel DISCUSSION...Andersen AVIATION...MCD