Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Northern Indiana
Issued by NWS Northern Indiana
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885 FXUS63 KIWX 181856 AFDIWX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Northern Indiana 256 PM EDT Tue Aug 18 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - The next chance of rain arrives tonight and persists through Wednesday. - Severe weather is not expected but a few strong storms may be possible in far NW IN/SW MI late this evening. Heavy rain is also not expected. - After pleasant conditions Thursday and Friday, more light rain is expected on Saturday. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 206 PM EDT Tue Aug 18 2026 Not a lot of wholesale changes to this forecast period. Cool front currently sitting over southcentral MI and orientated to the southwest into central IL still on schedule to begin pushing southeastward into the area this evening. Looks like after 6 PM EDT chances for some light showers increase out ahead of the incoming frontal boundary for our far northwestern parts of the CWA before some scattered thunderstorms along the front push in shortly afterwards and continues to move southeastward through the area overnight into Wednesday. Forecasted instability, mainly elevated, with values less than 1000 J/kg coupled with decent shear values ahead of and along the front with values around 70-80 kts, and surface dew points currently in the 60s across the area. Expectation in this environment with the later diurnal timing that some of the storms may become strong but would trend weaker through the evening as the front southeastward. On Wednesday, depending on the exact position of the frontal boundary, which at this time will most likely be over our far south/southeastern parts of the CWA. Which if this does pan out then there will be afternoon slight chances of showers and storms mainly for the southern half of the CWA with the close proximity of the frontal boundary to provide a bit of lift. However, severe storms are not expected with most of the area to the north of the boundary with a less than ideal environment especially with a drier airmass pushing in from the north in the wake of the front by Wednesday afternoon and evening. Zonal flow aloft across the region will bring slightly cooler temperatures across the area into Friday with highs in the upper 70s expected. Fairly nice weather with comfortable conditions will be in place for Thursday and Friday before another cool front associated with a trough dropping southeastward into the Great Lakes arrives late Friday and into Saturday increasing chances once again for showers and storms and before pushing quickly eastward. By Sunday, ridging over the central CONUS then begins to build northward into the region bringing another period of dry weather and a slight warming trend into next week with highs back into the low 80s. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 128 PM EDT Tue Aug 18 2026 VFR conditions with fairly light west to southwest winds are expected into this evening. A likely weakening area of showers and possibly a few thunderstorms is expected to move into the terminal area very late this evening or more likely just after midnight. In the wake of the rain chances, a period of lower CIGS is looking increasingly possible Wednesday morning. For now, introduced low end MVFR CIGS into the TAFs with some diurnal improvement expected by mid-late morning. It is worth noting that some guidance does bring CIGS down to IFR, but given low confidence opted to go quite that low yet. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...None. OH...None. MI...None. MARINE...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Andersen AVIATION...Izzi