Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Northern Indiana
Issued by NWS Northern Indiana
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629 FXUS63 KIWX 121725 AFDIWX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Northern Indiana 125 PM EDT Sat Sep 12 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Isolated showers and storms possible through the afternoon, mainly south of US 24. - Light rain showers Sunday afternoon possible with 20-30% chances. - Cooler Monday with highs in the 70s. - Turning warmer and humid Tuesday and Wednesday. Additional rain and storm chances (40-70%) late Tuesday into Wednesday. - There is a High swim risk forecast on Sunday for southeast Lake MI Beaches. Dangerous swimming conditions expected. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 124 PM EDT Sat Sep 12 2026 Surface observations show a warm front and 500 mb shortwave draped across northern Indiana. WAA and increased moisture transport have allowed for scattered showers and a few storms to persist through the morning and early afternoon, mainly along and south of US 24. Still holding onto 20-40% chance PoPs until about 21-22Z this afternoon as the warm front will continue lifting northeastward. An isolated storm or two will be possible due to surface based instability of around 1000 J/kg this afternoon. Shear and low/mid level lapse rates will be too weak for any organized strong or severe storms. Northwest Indiana and southwest Lower Michigan will likely remain dry today. There is quite the contrast in sky cover on visible satellite imagery across the area, with clear skies in the vicinity of Lake Michigan and overcast skies mainly along and east of I-69. Cloud cover is expected to keep highs in the low 80s today along and south of US 24, while temperatures should climb into the mid to maybe even upper 80s in locations that have stayed dry so far today. The rest of the weekend appears mainly dry except for 20-30% chances for widely scattered showers and storms Sunday afternoon with a cold frontal passage and associated upper level trough that passes through the Great Lakes. Rainfall amounts should be light, less than 0.10" for most locations. Incoming high pressure behind the front will create a tightening pressure gradient over the area, with wind gusts up to 20-25 mph Sunday afternoon and evening. CAA associated with northwest flow behind the front will make for a pleasant Sunday night with lows in the upper 40s to low 50s. A very fall-like day is ahead Monday with highs only in the low 70s. If you have plans to head to SE Lake Michigan beaches on Sunday, stay safe! Behind the cold frontal passage, dangerous swimming conditions are expected for southeastern Lake Michigan beaches in Berrien and La Porte counties. CAA and northwesterly flow Sunday behind the front will promote onshore flow and waves of 3-5 ft, meaning the swim risk will be High for both La Porte and Berrien counties. Moderate to strong rip and structural currents are expected. An upper level ridge will amplify across the central and eastern CONUS early next week. Surface high pressure builds over the eastern US on Tuesday, with return flow and moisture from the Gulf ushering in warmer than normal temperatures and humid conditions underneath the peak of the upper level ridge over the Great Lakes. Our far southwest will be the warmest with temperatures in the upper 80s for highs Tuesday and peak heat indices around 95. Another frontal system likely approaches by midweek with zonal flow aloft as the ridge breaks down. Have maintained likely PoPs of 40-70% Tuesday evening through Wednesday. There are still some uncertainties with this system in regards to exact timing and placement of the cold front. This system may be slow moving or potentially even stall to our northwest (still mixed model guidance results on how fast it actually comes through our area or not). Rain/storm chances midweek will be highly dependent on where the periphery of the ridge ends up (which model guidance has routinely struggled with in recent months). With forcing expected to be weak as of now, severe weather is not expected at this time, but we will have to monitor trends in the coming days. Our forecast area looks to remain sandwiched between hot and humid air to our south and cooler, drier air to our north for the foreseeable future, with a trend towards drier than normal conditions by late September. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 115 PM EDT Sat Sep 12 2026 Shortwave responsible for showers and MVFR ceilings at KFWA will push eastward over the next 2-3 hours, bringing a return to VFR conditions that will persist through the evening. No thunderstorms are expected. Some patchy fog then possible early Sun morning at KFWA given light winds and residual moisture but confidence in widespread/dense fog remains low. VFR expected to persist through the period at KSBN given drier conditions there. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...None. OH...None. MI...None. MARINE...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Johnson AVIATION...AGD