271 FXUS63 KILX 241100 AFDILXArea Forecast Discussion...Updated Aviation National Weather Service Lincoln IL 600 AM CDT Wed Sep 24 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Light showers continue today with the greatest coverage south of I-72/Danville early this morning and again this afternoon/evening.
- A stretch of dry weather returns Thursday through at least early next week with temps returning to above normal (highs well into the 80s).
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.DISCUSSION... Issued at 134 AM CDT Wed Sep 24 2025
This morning, a closed upper low continues to spin over the central Great Lakes region with long wave troughing extending southwest across the central Great Plains. Early morning water vapor imagery reveals several shortwaves embedded within the trough including a wave over southern Illinois and another wave over Kansas. The closer wave in Illinois has been responsible for the light showers overnight but should shift into Indiana by mid to late this morning with a lull in precip coverage around midday. Additional scattered showers are expected to move across portions of central Illinois this afternoon and evening as the western wave digs across the mid Mississippi Valley. This next batch of rain is favored to stay near and south of the I-72/Danville corridor through this evening.
Meanwhile, an expansive surface ridge extending from the southern Great Plains into the Upper Midwest late Wednesday gradually builds across the Midwest by Friday. This will start a stretch of dry weather over the region. Models have backed off on precip chances Thursday with the surface ridge axis being slightly faster to build into the region, though cannot complete rule out (20% chance) a few lingering light and low-topped showers across far east central Illinois.
Forecast uncertainty increases over the weekend into early next week owing to a upper low cutting off over the lower Mississippi Valley this weekend with a Rex Block developing. As it usually the case with cutoff lows, predictability of its path is low as it is progged to meander over the deep south into the middle of next week. Showery activity is favored to stay to our south, but as the low meanders northward, this will introduce some chance for showers into the region. While the low is off to our south, temperatures will trend to well above normal with highs in the mid to upper 80s.
Deubelbeiss
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.AVIATION... (For the 12z TAFs through 12z Thursday Morning) Issued at 600 AM CDT Wed Sep 24 2025
MVFR and IFR ceilings are over portions of central Illinois early this morning, especially near the I-74 corridor, but should lift/scatter back to VFR by late this morning. There remains around a 20% chance for showers this afternoon near I-72, but better chances have shifted south of the terminals. Winds are expected to remain out of the north to northeast through the period, with speeds around 10-12kt much of the afternoon and early evening hours.
Deubelbeiss
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.ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
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NWS ILX Office Area Forecast Discussion