Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Indianapolis, IN

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976
FXUS63 KIND 301716
AFDIND

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Indianapolis IN
116 PM EDT Thu Jul 30 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Quiet weather with near normal temperatures today and tonight

- Showers and thunderstorms return late on Friday and continue
  through the weekend. There is an excessive rainfall threat
  Friday night through Saturday for most of central Indiana.

- Warming trend likely for the first week of August

&&

.DISCUSSION (This evening through Thursday)...
Issued at 116 PM EDT Thu Jul 30 2026

Surface high pressure has built into the region and a cool and a dry
air mass is in place. Temperatures have risen into the low-mid 80s
and dew points have dropped into the mid 50s in a few places.
Efficient boundary layer mixing has allowed dew points to fall below
guidance (as low as the 5th percentile). Additionally, high
temperatures may run a few degrees above guidance. Still, near
average readings are expected this afternoon.

Surface high pressure along with light and variable winds may allow
for patchy fog tonight like previous nights. However, increasing
high cloud cover tonight may limit coverage in comparison. Fog is
most probable along rivers and in rural/agricultural areas.

Aloft, troughing over the northeastern US will promote northwesterly
flow across the Midwest. Ensemble guidance is in good agreement
showing a shortwave trough diving southeast within this flow,
arriving later Friday evening. Showers and thunderstorms are
possible as early as Friday night. Guidance then slows the shortwave
down as western ridging amplifies. This should bring higher rain
probabilities into the day Saturday, potentially into early Sunday.
Locally heavy rainfall amounts are possible owing to the slow system
motion.

Looking into next week, the weekend shortwave departs eastward while
the polar jet lifts north. Though there is no strong signal for
either troughing or ridging, the jet stream residing well to our
north should allow temperatures to creep upwards. A warming trend is
therefore favored next week with highs potentially reaching into the
upper 80s / near 90 at times. Some guidance keeps the jet stream
active, with frequent storm systems embedded within the broader
flow. This may act to keep daily precipitation chances above average
through next week as well. However, the signal regarding
precipitation is less clear than for temperatures.

&&

.AVIATION (18Z TAF Issuance)...
Issued at 116 PM EDT Thu Jul 30 2026

Impacts:

- Low probability ground fog tonight

Discussion:

VFR conditions expected through the TAF period.

Surface high pressure directly over central Indiana will provide
quiet weather through tonight. Diurnal cumulus around 5000 ft agl
should dissipate around 00z. High cirrus begins to arrive overnight
ahead of an upper-level low pressure approaching from the west. Mid
and high-level cloud cover thickens late in the TAF period as the
upper-low arrives Friday evening.

Winds should remain light and variable today into tonight, becoming
southerly on Friday as high pressure slides eastward. Patchy fog is
possible tonight but less coverage compared to recent nights owing
to increasing high clouds.

&&

.IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&

$$

AVIATION...Eckhoff
DISCUSSION...Eckhoff