497
FXUS63 KLOT 191952
AFDLOT

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Chicago/Romeoville, IL
252 PM CDT Wed Jun 19 2024

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Widely scattered thunderstorms are possible this evening
  mainly along and north of a Dixon to Waukegan line which
  could produce locally gusty winds.

- Hot and muggy conditions will prevail through the end of the
  week, although cooler conditions are expected near Lake
  Michigan on Thursday and Friday.

- Periodic chances for thunderstorms will continue, though most
  hours will remain dry.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 252 PM CDT Wed Jun 19 2024

Through Tonight:

Increasing coverage of cumulus this afternoon combined with
deep mixing has helped keep heat indices mostly in check so far
this afternoon with temperatures in the upper 80s to lower 90s.
Expect a couple more degrees of warming yet this afternoon with
peak heat indices in the 95-100 degree range.

Dry conditions prevail at this hour; however, attempts at
shower/storm development is already underway across portions of
northwest Illinois into south central Wisconsin ahead of an
approaching cold front. Expect this activity to gradually expand
in coverage as it shifts southeastward into the Rockford area
and along the Wisconsin-Illinois stateline. RAP mesoscale
analysis highlights a narrow axis of 1000-1500 J/Kg of MLCAPE
ahead of the front which intersects a region of DCAPE values to
1000 J/kg (inverted V soundings) with slow storm motions and
little shear (~15kts) suggests that any storms that develop
would be rather pulse-like and capable of strong downbursts
resulting in locally gusty winds to 50 mph for areas mainly
along and north of a Dixon to Waukegan, IL line. A very
localized gust to 60 mph can`t be fully ruled out.

Hit and miss isolated storm development still can`t be fully
ruled out south of these areas into Chicago and south of I-80
but this potential remains low with most areas expected to
remain dry. Accordingly will continue capping shower/storm
chances at 20% in these areas.

In the wake of the frontal passage over the lake, expect fog
development over the lake overnight into Thursday morning, this
could ooze inland particularly along the immediate shoreline. It
is possible that it pushes further inland, per the latest RAP,
but confidence in that scenario occurring is not especially high
and will let the evening shift get another look at that
potential.

Petr


Thursday through Wednesday:

A frontal boundary will be meandering across the cwa on Thursday
and will likely be the focus for at least isolated
thunderstorms with perhaps the best coverage along/north of I-80.
With northeast winds off of Lake Michigan, there may also be
enough convergence for isolated thunderstorms in the Metro area
as well. Overall confidence is low and current 30-40% pops
north to 20% south seem reasonable for now. Some of this
activity may linger into Thursday evening, but there should be a
gradual decrease in coverage with most of Thursday night dry.

High temps on Thursday may be back into the lower 90s for most
areas, especially south of the boundary mentioned above. Lowest
confidence for temps is generally from I-88 north and then
across then near the lake. Temps will be coolest near Lake
Michigan, perhaps only in the upper 70s/lower 80s right along
the shore. Where temps do make it to the lower 90s, heat index
values may be in the mid/upper 90s.

Most recent trends in guidance would suggest that Friday into
Friday night may end up mainly dry across the area. If any
precip did develop, probably near the IL/WI state line Friday
afternoon. Lowered pops to just slight chance (20%) on Friday
and removed pops for Friday night. High temps on Friday are
likely to be back in the lower to possibly mid 90s for most
areas, except cooler near Lake Michigan with northeasterly
winds. Heat index values would again be in the mid/upper 90s,
away from the lake.

Winds turn southwest Saturday and increase with gusts possibly
into the 30 mph range, ending any cooling near the lake. High
temps will reach the mid 90s for most locations but with
dewpoints in the mid/upper 60s, heat index values will peak in
the upper 90s to around 100.

Thunderstorm chances will be increasing Saturday afternoon into
Saturday evening as a cold front moves across the area. Best
timing may be after sunset which may limit instability and
coverage. Despite a larger scale feature, guidance still
showing a range of possibilities from the potential for heavy
rain to only scattered coverage. Blended pops are in the likely
range (70%) and this seems fine from this distance, though
duration is likely to only be a few hours at any one location.
Precip also looks to be progressive with perhaps some lingering
showers Sunday morning with most of Sunday likely ending up dry.
Dry weather is then expected through at least Tuesday morning.
By that time the models show another potential chance for
thunderstorms sometime from Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday
morning and while confidence is low, this has been a time period
the models and their ensembles have been highlighting for
potential thunderstorms.

The frontal boundary Saturday night/early Sunday morning will
bring slightly cooler and slightly drier air, but given peak
sun angle and mainly sunny skies, high temps Sunday and Monday
may still reach the upper 80s for most locations. cms

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 1238 PM CDT Wed Jun 19 2024

Forecast concerns include...

Chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and Thursday afternoon.
Wind shift to northeast this evening.
Chance for fog and low cigs early Thursday morning.

There remains a chance for thunderstorms this afternoon into
early this evening, mainly northwest of the Chicago area
terminals but confidence is low for exactly where any storms
will develop and opted to maintain tempo mention for now.
Further refinement or removal may be needed with the next
update. Additional thunderstorms are expected east of the
terminals this afternoon into northern IN and are expected to
remain east of GYY.

Southwest winds will gust into the 20kt range early this
afternoon with gusts likely diminishing through the afternoon
as directions turn more westerly. Depending on thunderstorm
coverage northwest of the the terminals, a wind shift to the
north/northwest is possible early this evening. Eventually
winds are expected to become northeast in the early/mid evening.
Further refinement will also be needed with winds as trends
emerge later this afternoon. Winds are then expected to remain
northeast for the rest of the period, into Thursday afternoon.

Fog is expected to develop over southern Lake Michigan tonight
and may move inland across eastern Lake County IL and northeast
Cook County. There is not much consensus for how far inland and
how close to ORD this fog may move. Some fog mention at ORD is
possible with later forecasts, but opted not to included it in
this forecast. Patchy/shallow fog/mist is possible further
inland as well, but confidence too low for mention. Its also
possible the fog over the lake will lift into an ifr or low mvfr
cig inland. Current scattered mention seems fine for now.

There is another chance of thunderstorms Thursday afternoon,
with the best chances perhaps just northwest of the Chicago
terminals. Confidence is too low to include mention with this
forecast, but some thunder mention may be needed with later
forecasts. cms

&&

.CLIMATE...
Issued at 347 AM CDT Wed Jun 19 2024

With a low temperature of 78 degrees, Chicago broke its warmest
low temperature record for June 18th yesterday, while Rockford
tied its daily warmest low temperature record of 74. A few
additional temperature records (namely today`s warmest low
temperature records and Saturday`s high and warmest low
temperature records for Chicago and/or Rockford) may be
threatened over the next few days.

Here are the daily high and warmest low temperature records
for Chicago and Rockford for each day through Saturday, June
22nd:

             Chicago
----------------------------------
Day:           6/19 6/20 6/21 6/22
----------------------------------
Record High:    102  104  101   97
Record Warm Low: 78   78   74   76

             Rockford
----------------------------------
Day:           6/19 6/20 6/21 6/22
----------------------------------
Record High:     99  101  100   97
Record Warm Low: 76   73   71   73

Ogorek

&&

.LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IL...None.
IN...Air Quality Alert until midnight CDT tonight for INZ001-INZ002-
     INZ010-INZ011.

LM...None.

&&

$$

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