Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Northern Indiana
Issued by NWS Northern Indiana
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877 FXUS63 KIWX 032031 AFDIWX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Northern Indiana 331 PM EST Wed Dec 3 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Light snow this afternoon into early tonight, most areas less than 1 inch. Some freezing fog/drizzle will be possible this evening. Limited impacts expected. - Cold overnight lows in the single digits across the area Thursday night into Friday morning. Wind chill temperatures expected to fall below zero. - Periods of light Lake Effect showers for areas near Lake Michigan beginning Saturday night through Monday with less than 1 inch of accumulation and limited impacts. - Another system will move into the region Monday night through Wednesday bringing increased chances for snowfall across the area. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 235 PM EST Wed Dec 3 2025 A cold frontal boundary draped northeast to southwest in a line across central MI into northern IL and ultimately central MO will move southeastward across the forecast area this evening and is already bringing some light snow to the South Bend area. Some freezing drizzle was also observed and this chance for freezing drizzle will continue to expand southward through this evening into early Thursday morning before switching over to all light snow showers. With models having a hard time resolving the exact placement of a thin warm air nose inversion across the lower levels associated with a southwesterly surface flow being entrained/lifted into the frontal boundary. This has also kept the stratus deck this afternoon firmly in place and will also keep the hazy/misty conditions through the evening until the frontal boundary moves southward allowing for drier air to usher in behind the front from the north and west. Colder temperatures will also arrive on Thursday with some locations on the southeast shores of Lake Michigan seeing slightly warmer temperatures early on than elsewhere due to being modified over the relatively warmer lake waters with water temperatures in the 40s currently. This modification will be reduced as winds slacken through the day on Thursday. This also will decrease the lake effect clouds late in the day. Friday morning lows across the area aside from the Lake Michigan shore locations will see single digit lows with locations in northeast IN and far northwest OH potentially seeing subzero single digits. Wind chills in these areas may see -5 to -10 degree wind chills. The saving grace here in the wind chill department will be the fact that winds will be light minimizing the impact. However, this will be still splitting hairs as it will be very cold and if going outdoors Friday morning dress accordingly and cover any exposed skin to prevent frostbite. Also keep your pets and livestock in mind with the cold temperatures. The very cold temperatures will moderate fairly quickly and highs on Friday should rebound into the 20s. Yes, only a minor improvement. Further improvement expected on Saturday with highs flirting with the freezing mark. Another shortwave moves into the Great Lakes on Sunday with another reinforcing shot of colder air and northwesterly flow which will bring chances for some LES showers for areas downwind of Lake Michigan and low temperatures Monday and Tuesday morning will once again dip into the single digits across the area. Monday`s highs will only get into the lower 20s. This cold northwesterly flow will continue through Tuesday morning before a clipper type disturbance pushes in from the northwest which will help to provide some isentropic warming and increase chances of snow showers across the area. This could bring a quick 1 to 2 inches of snowfall for region with perhaps some LES enhancement for areas near Lake Michigan which may bring locally higher amounts. Wednesday high temperatures look to once again flirt with the freezing point and may slightly surpass it in some locations. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 1154 AM EST Wed Dec 3 2025 Cigs will continue to linger around upper end of IFR and lower end of MVFR as trapped low level moisture remains in place. Some vsby restrictions will continue, but stronger winds at the sfc are limiting more widespread fog at this point. Main challenge continues to be precip chances with a frontal boundary arriving this afternoon. While low levels are moist, 12Z soundings show a very large dry layer above this area and below the DGZ, lending to concerns as to how much precip may occur. Only precip reaching the ground at this time is in west central Lower MI where lake enhancement is helping with the dry layer. Have opted for a tempo group at KSBN for now and a prob30 at KFWA for handling potential light snow as CAMs are just not overly impressive with the setup. In the wake of the front, cigs will improve somewhat to MVFR (due to NW flow and lake effect clouds at KSBN) and possibly VFR at KFWA further from the lake influence. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...None. OH...None. MI...None. MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 7 PM EST Thursday for LMZ043-046. && $$ DISCUSSION...Andersen AVIATION...Fisher