Hail and Damaging Winds in Indiana, April 26, 2017

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
715 PM EDT Wed Apr 26 2017

.SYNOPSIS...
Issued at 156 PM EDT Wed Apr 26 2017

Expect increasing clouds and the chance for showers and even a few
thunderstorms as a cold front moves through the forecast area
tonight into Thursday. Severe weather is not expected at this
time. High temperatures will be a bit cooler on Friday, only
reaching into the 60's. Rain is expected again this weekend as
another system moves through the region. Thunderstorms are
possible.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(This Evening through Thursday)
Issued at 334 PM EDT Wed Apr 26 2017

Entering a fairly active weather period with several high amplitude
waves ejecting out of the southwest CONUS and impacting our area.
First such wave already beginning to lift NE and will bring a chance
of rain later this evening and overnight. Chances for
widespread/moderate rain are on the low side, outside of our far
western CWA. Midlevel wave dampens and pivots more NNW overnight
while best upper level support remains just to our NW. Trailing cold
front does not arrive until diurnal minimum of instability and will
be intersecting increasingly hostile environment as it tracks east
with residual dry air and loss of parent forcing for ascent. Still,
most places will probably see some light showers with morning cold
frontal passage and latest hi-res guidance does show convection
presently entering southern Illinois will clip our western zones
this evening. A few strong storms with gusty winds may be possible
with the evening activity but instability is very limited by the
time this wave arrives and not expecting any severe threat.
Convection should gradually trend down as it lifts NNE late this
evening.

Anticipate dry conditions by Thursday afternoon. Non-diurnal temp
trend expected given morning cold front passage. Overnight temps
will likely hover in the 60s and then hold steady or slightly
decline during the day as CAA wing rotates through.

&&

.LONG TERM...(Thursday Night through Wednesday)
Issued at 334 PM EDT Wed Apr 26 2017

Of slightly more concern is potential for heavy rain over the
weekend. Strong Pacific jet (around 160 kts at 300mb) will carve out
a healthy PV anomaly over the southwest CONUS by early Saturday with
downstream ridge amplification in our our region. Rain chances begin
again Friday afternoon with initial surge of low level theta-e and
WAA but this initial rain will be light/SCT with lackluster moisture
advection and weak isentropic upglide. LLJ strengthens Friday night
as trough inches closer but most guidance sources keep focus of
moisture convergence/precip to our south, which makes sense given
the pattern aloft.

Main timeframe to watch will be later Saturday into Sunday and
Sunday night. Several waves of moderate/heavy precip expected during
this time as upper low approaches, sends warm front north, and then
eventually cold front arrives late Sunday. Deterministic QPF taken
at face value would suggest prodigious rain but smaller scale
convective elements often wreak havoc with final solution and latest
12Z GFS actually shows main axis of heaviest rain will set up to our
west and southwest. Periods of rain certainly expected, and may be
heavy at times, but given recent (relatively) dry conditions, spring
green-up, and low levels on area rivers, suspect it will take a lot
to cause any significant flooding. Moisture advection/PW values
don't really ramp up in our CWA until late Sunday, ahead of quick-
hitting cold front, and orientation of front with respect to
mid/upper level pattern does not seem favorable for a long duration
of continuous heavy rain. Given very low confidence on flooding
potential, will hold off on any ESF issuance at this point.

Some, very low, threat for severe weather on Sunday but late arrival
of cold front and very marginal instability to begin with will
severely limit potential. Some light wraparound showers possible
through Monday but main story will be cooler temps. Mainly dry
conditions expected midweek, though will have to watch next trough
swinging through the southern CONUS. Latest runs keep bulk of this
precip to our south but something to watch given wet weekend.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Thursday Evening)
Issued at 709 PM EDT Wed Apr 26 2017

Tricky forecast this evening with the incoming front and the
chance of thunderstorms. Thunderstorms will move from SW to NE
reaching the terminals between 01z and 04z. After thunderstorms
pass rain will linger at the terminals into the morning with best
chance of rain just after midnight. Flight conditions should
remain VFR during the storms with winds 5-10 kts out of the S and
SW and then deteriorate to MVFR cigs by morning near Lake
Michigan. Lower confidence MVFR cigs will reach FWA so left out of
forecast. By tomorrow afternoon conditions should return to VFR
and winds will increase to 15 kts out of the SW.

&&

.IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...NONE.
MI...NONE.
OH...NONE.
LM...Small Craft Advisory until 2 AM EDT Friday for LMZ043-046.

&&

SYNOPSIS...MCD
SHORT TERM...AGD
LONG TERM...AGD
AVIATION...Heidelberger

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Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
539 AM EDT Wed Apr 26 2017

INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-005-
015-016-024-025-270945-
La Porte-St. Joseph IN-Elkhart-Lagrange-Steuben-Noble-De Kalb-Starke-
Pulaski-Marshall-Fulton IN-Kosciusko-Whitley-Allen IN-White-Cass IN-
Miami-Wabash-Huntington-Wells-Adams-Grant-Blackford-Jay-Berrien-
Cass MI-St. Joseph MI-Branch-Hillsdale-Williams-Fulton OH-Defiance-
Henry-Paulding-Putnam-Van Wert-Allen OH-
539 AM EDT Wed Apr 26 2017 /439 AM CDT Wed Apr 26 2017/

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southwest
Michigan...northern Indiana and northwest Ohio.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

There is a chance of thunderstorms over western portions of the area
this afternoon and tonight. An isolated storm with strong gusty winds
is possible west of Route 35.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday

There is a chance of thunderstorms Thursday. An isolated severe
storm is possible over northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio, and the
adjacent counties in southern Michigan.

There is a chance of thunderstorms Saturday night through Sunday
night. Locally heavy rainfall is possible in this timeframe.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time.

&&

Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio for further details or updates...or
check our web site at weather.gov/iwx

LMZ043-046-270945-
New Buffalo MI to St Joseph MI-Michigan City IN to New Buffalo MI-
539 AM EDT Wed Apr 26 2017

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of The Nearshore
Waters of Southeastern Lake Michigan.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

A small craft advisory is in effect today. There is a chance of
thunderstorms this afternoon and tonight. An isolated storm with gale
force wind gusts is possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday

There is a chance of thunderstorms Thursday morning and Saturday
night through Sunday night. Hazardous conditions for small craft are
possible Monday.

&&

Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio for further details or updates...or
check our web site at weather.gov/iwx