IND issues Area Forecast Discussion (AFD) at Jun 18, 9:57 PM EDT070 
FXUS63 KIND 190157
AFDIND
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Indianapolis IN
957 PM EDT Tue Jun 18 2024
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Extended period of hot and humid conditions through this weekend
- Partly cloudy Tonight and Wednesday.
- Stray Shower or Thunderstorm possible through Thursday.
&&
.FORECAST UPDATE...
No major changes needed to the ongoing forecast other than to cut 
the POPs in the near term through 09Z as it becomes more clear that 
precipitation has wrapped up. There will be another subtle surge of 
forcing towards daybreak which could produce an isolated shower 
towards daybreak but coverage is not expected to be more than 
isolated.
Another mild night is expected with widespread cloud cover and low 
70 dewpoints not allowing for much radiational cooling. Clouds may 
begin to clear towards the morning hours tomorrow, but think that 
the bulk of drier air aloft won't arrive until later in the day.
&&
.SHORT TERM (This evening through Wednesday)...
Issued at 227 PM EDT Tue Jun 18 2024
Surface analysis early this afternoon shows a large area of high 
pressure in place just east of the middle Atlantic States. This was 
resulting in warm and humid southerly flow across Indiana and the 
Ohio Valley.  Aloft, water vapor showed a strong ridge of high 
pressure over the United States east coast, while a moderate through 
was found over the western CONUS. Water vapor also showed a plume of 
tropical moisture streaming from the Gulf of Mexico across the 
Tennessee river Valley to Indiana, OH and MI.  Radar this afternoon 
shows an area of showers under the plume over southern IL and SW 
Indiana. Surface winds were from the south and dew points were quite 
humid, in the lower 70s.
Tonight... 
The upper high pressure system to the east is expected to begin to 
retrograde a bit west tonight. This will slowly start the western 
progression of the tropical plume of moisture that has been our main 
weather feature today. However, until that occurs, southerly winds 
with high clouds will persist through the evening and overnight. As 
daytime heating is lost, instability will be lost which should limit 
shower chances, but due to the plume aloft and plentiful moisture 
available, any weak disturbances within the plume could result in a 
brief passing shower.  HRRR continues to suggest very light 
precipitation possible under the plume through the overnight. 
Confidence on specific locations and timing is low, thus a large 
blanket of low pops will be used across the forecast area. Again, 
there will be many dry hours and any precipitation amounts will be 
light. Given the warm and humid air mass in place along with the 
expected cloud cover, lows in the lower to middle 70s will be 
expected.
Wednesday... 
The upper pattern will become more dominated by the large upper high 
pressure system on Wednesday. The high will retrograde westward, 
steering any upper forcing dynamics well north of Indiana, to 
Ontario. This should also effectively begin to block the tropical 
plume, leading to increased sunshine as these mid and high clouds 
are lost. Forecast soundings start the day with some high cloud 
present, but these are lost as the day progresses. Furthermore, 
forecast soundings show attainable convective temperatures in the 
upper 80s with CAPE near 1000 J/KG. Thus as high clouds exit and 
stronger heating is achieved in the afternoon, CU development is 
expected and brief diurnal showers and storms will be possible. Once 
again will include chc pops across most of the forecast area, mainly 
for the afternoon for these light, isolated and brief diurnal 
showers and storms. Highs should be able to reach the lower to 
middle 90s.
&&
.LONG TERM (Wednesday night through Tuesday)...
Issued at 227 PM EDT Tue Jun 18 2024
Wednesday Night through the Weekend...
An extended period of high heat will continue through the weekend, 
and likely will redevelop again next week. Although the magnitude 
may not reach extreme heat indices of greater than 105, the extended 
duration and presence of very warm overnight lows will provide 
hazardous heat conditions across central Indiana during the long 
term.
This stretch of above normal temperatures will be initiated by the 
eastward progression of anomalously high heights aloft over the Ohio 
Valley. This will allow for greater atmospheric expansion and 
therefore higher temperature values throughout the entire lower 5km 
of the troposphere. Greater lower troposphere temperatures will 
be accentuated early this weekend as the ridge axis positions 
directly overhead, with highest temperatures expected to occur on 
Saturday afternoon (93-97F). 
In conjunction with this deep ridging aloft, there will be gradual 
south/southwest flow due to surface high pressure to the east and 
north. This will allow for elevated dew point temperatures to remain 
over the Ohio Valley, generally in the mid to upper 60s. The 
combination of highs in the 90s and dew points in the low 70s will 
push heat index values into the upper 90s through Thursday and 
possibly low 100s Friday and Saturday. As mentioned, this within 
itself is not overly hazardous, but the fact this is expected over a 
succession of 4 to 5 days with over night lows in the low 70s puts 
an even greater risk to vulnerable populations.  
There are a few potential mitigating factors for high heat and are 
mainly related to the potential for increased cloud cover and 
isolated rain chances over the middle of the week. If cloud cover 
becomes greater than 70% over the afternoon hours, highs may be 
suppressed lowering the heat risk. Still, overnight lows should not 
be greatly impacted with dew points remaining in the mid to upper 
60s. By Friday, the greatest moisture and lift axis should shift 
eastward, lowering the threat of afternoon clouds and rain chances 
for Friday through Sunday. 
Forecast confidence decreases late this weekend through early next 
week as a shortwave approaches from the north. High pressure over 
the Carolinas should impede shortwave progression some, but there is 
still high uncertainty in how far east a weak pressure trough and 
associated lift/precipitation will reach. Even so, ridging will 
remain aloft and any weak wave passage that does occur should only 
briefly impact surface conditions before upper 80s to low 90s 
surface temperatures return for the middle of next week. Even looking 
at the extended range (>10days), the pattern continues to favor 
general temperatures at or above normal for the next few weeks. With 
this in mind, expect more 90+ degree days heading into early July. 
One note about the HeatRisk graphics by WPC. This is an experimental 
product and values in the current pattern are higher than 
traditional criteria, and may not be perfectly calibrated to best 
represent the risk at this time. Thus, we advise users to take this 
into consideration when viewing the HeatRisk product.
&&
.AVIATION (00Z TAF Issuance)...
Issued at 652 PM EDT Tue Jun 18 2024
Impacts:
- Low potential for afternoon showers/storms tomorrow
Discussion: 
VFR conditions expected through the TAF period outside of a low 
chance for afternoon thunderstorms tomorrow which could bring brief 
MVFR to IFR vsbys.  Best chances to see convection will be at LAF 
with even lower chances at HUF and IND. Otherwise the BKN to OVC 
ceiling at 200 will gradually begin to clear after daybreak tomorrow 
with light southerly winds of 5-10kts through the TAF period.
&&
.IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&
$$
UPDATE...White
SHORT TERM...Puma
LONG TERM...Updike
AVIATION...White
Source: 
IND issues Area Forecast Discussion (AFD) at Jun 18, 9:57 PM EDT---------------
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