Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Quad Cities, IA IL

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646
FXUS63 KDVN 061951
AFDDVN

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL
251 PM CDT Mon May 6 2024

.KEY MESSAGES...

- An organized line of storms is expected to move through the
  outlook area late tonight between 1 AM to 7 AM (west to east
  through the area). This system will pose a risk for damaging
  winds and isolated tornadoes.

- For Tonight: The Storm Prediction Center has a Slight Risk
  for severe storms to the south and west of the Quad Cities
  with a Marginal Risk covering the rest of the area.

- Isolated storms may redevelop Tuesday afternoon and evening, a
  few of which could be strong.

- Scattered showers and storms remain possible on Wednesday
  before temperatures cool off late in the week. There is a
  Slight Risk for severe storms across the south on Wednesday
  with a Marginal Risk to the north.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
Issued at 245 PM CDT Mon May 6 2024

Tonight into Tuesday Morning

The forecast remains on track with a squall line expected to
track through eastern Iowa, northeast Missouri, and northwest
Illinois late tonight into early Tuesday AM. This complex of
storms will cover a large spatial area so rain chances are high
at 90-100% across the outlook area. The convection will
initially develop across Kansas this afternoon/evening before
growing upscale and tracking to the ENE into Missouri, Iowa, and
Illinois tonight.

Confidence has increased on the line of storms still packing a
punch as it reaches the western to even central counties of the
outlook area. While forecast MLCAPE is on the low side
(250-1000 J/kg), low-level shear is high with 25+ kts in the
lowest 1 km and 30-35 kts for 0-3 km. The strong environmental
shear will help to balance the gust front on the leading edge of
the convection, creating more concentrated lift and enhancing
the potential for stronger storms.

As for timing, the QLCS should reach the western counties
between roughly 1 to 2 AM, central areas (near the Quad Cities)
between 2 - 4 AM, and far eastern counties between 5 - 7 AM.

SPC has expanded the Slight Risk for severe storms to the NE,
now encompassing areas to the south and west of the Quad Cities,
with a Marginal Risk for the rest of the forecast area. The
primary threats are scattered damaging wind gusts around 60 mph,
with a low potential for a few higher gusts over the far
southwest counties. There is also an isolated QLCS tornado
risk (5% within 25 miles of a point), highest in the
aforementioned Slight Risk area.

PWAT values near 1.25" are forecast with strong WAA forcing.
Thus, rainfall on the order of 0.50" to 1" is likely for much of
the area. Scattered showers and isolated storms could develop
mid to late morning on Tuesday behind the departing QLCS, but
these are not anticipated to pose a severe risk at this time.

&&

.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
Issued at 245 PM CDT Mon May 6 2024

The Upper Midwest is forecast to remain under general troughing or
cyclonic flow aloft through the period. Flow aloft will be
southwesterly a 500 MB through Wed/Thurs it becomes more
northwesterly as the current storm system departs. This will allow a
series of troughs and ridges in the northwest to move across the
area into early next week. The trend for chances of showers and
storms continues about every 24 to 36 hours. There will be periods
of quiet weather in between. Timing on rain chances will likely vary
over the next few days. Temperatures are trending below normal
Friday through Sunday.

The long term period begins Tuesday/Tuesday night with a closed 500
MB low over the northern PLains. At the surface, a cold front wiil
move eastward across Iowa and Illinois through 00 UTC on Wednesday.
A decaying MCS will likely be moving across our northwest Illinois
counties at 12 UTC on Tuesday and exiting the area. Models show
skies clearing quickly and do show some instability across the area
ahead of or right behind the front which will lead to the risk of
showers and storms during the afternoon. There could be some
isolated severe storms with CAPE of 500 to 1000 J/KG and about 20
knots of 0 to 6 km shear. The main threats will be hail and damaging
wind gusts. The amount of instability will depend on how quickly
skies clear.

On Wednesday, the closed 500 mb low will transition to an open wave
with a positive tilt as it moves across the area.  At the surface, a
low is forecast to lift east northeastward from northwest Missouri
into northeast Illinois or northern Indiana by 12 UTC Wednesday.
This would bring the surface low and warm and cold fronts across the
area during peak heating on Wednesday. SPC has a slight or level 2
out of 5 risk of severe storms on Wednesday for the area along and
south of a Keosauqua to Iowa to Princeton Illinois with a Marginal
or level 1 out of 5 risk for severe storms north of that line.
Current model guidance shows the potentail for a high shear low CAPE
event but it will depend on the track of the surface low and how
much instability moves this far north.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY/...
Issued at 105 PM CDT Mon May 6 2024

A large complex of showers and thunderstorms will move in late
tonight impacting all of the terminals between approximately 06Z
to 10Z. This will lead to periods of MVFR/IFR due to lower
ceilings and reduced visibilities in heavier rain. The strongest
cells could produce wind gusts near 50 kts from the WSW.
Additional scattered showers and a few storms may redevelop
later Tuesday morning into the afternoon; however, have low
confidence on the areal coverage with this round. For this
reason, did not mention rain in the TAFs for Tuesday PM with
this update.

&&

.DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IA...None.
IL...None.
MO...None.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Uttech
LONG TERM...Cousins
AVIATION...Uttech