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Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Central Illinois
Issued by NWS Central Illinois
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654 FXUS63 KILX 162033 AFDILX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 333 PM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Potential for widespread rain continues into this evening south of I-70, but otherwise showers with a few thunderstorms should be spotty, mainly south of I-72 this evening. - A stretch of below normal temperatures and mostly dry conditions arrives Wednesday and continues through the weekend. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 333 PM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024 A poorly defined cold front is currently stalled out near the Illinois River and will finally sweep southeastward across the remainder of central and southeast IL tonight, with a few clusters of thunderstorms still possible ahead of the front possible south of I-70, providing potential for additional widespread rain, possibly locally heavy. Precipitable water analyzed by SPC mesoanalysis still indicates a corridor of 2 to 2.3 inches of precipitable water from central MO into southeast IL, which supports the heavy rain potential as shortwave disturbances propagate through the base of a trough over the Midwest. The main concern will be for a few corridors of repeated thunderstorms/training where flow parallels ongoing thunderstorms, while heavy rainfall from the past 24 hours, generally 1 to 3 inches near and south of I-70, has saturated soils in the area. A flash flood watch continues until 1 AM in this area. Conditions Wednesday should be dry aside from a slight chance of showers near the departing cold front south of I-70. High pressure will then settle into the region Wednesday night into the weekend, providing dry conditions. High pressure will weaken early next week, with a weak trough over the central U.S. that should allow moisture to return to the area along with chances for showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures will also drop off considerably the next several days as a cooler air mass follows tonight`s front, with highs expected in the upper 70s to lower 80s and lows dipping into the upper 50s to lower 60s for the next several days. First, though, tonight`s lows should range from mid 60s to around 70 south of I-70 as moisture has yet to scour out from the humidity of the last few days. 37 && .AVIATION... (For the 18z TAFs through 18z Wednesday Afternoon) Issued at 1242 PM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024 Scattered MVFR cigs and isolated IFR are affecting central IL terminals as a cold front approaches the area. Scattered showers and a few thunderstorms are possible as the front sweeps through the area this afternoon and evening, followed by improved cigs. Winds S-SW 10-15 kts with higher gusts to around 20 kts, switching to N-NW 5-10 kts behind the front. 37 && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch until 1 AM CDT Wednesday for ILZ066>068-071>073. && $$