Today’s Video:
Good morning everyone! Drier conditions were able to settle into the region yesterday after quite a rainy Saturday and this will continue to be the case through Tuesday given surface high pressure working across the area. Shown below is simulated cloud cover, revealing a mix of sun and clouds through the morning hours with plentiful amounts of sunshine as the afternoon progresses. Tonight will feature mostly clear conditions, though some wispy high-level clouds will be possible in far southern IN. However, we’ll watch for additional upper-level clouds to work across the state Tuesday, especially later in the day as we watch our next incoming storm system from the Central Plains.
Our next storm system will be lifting into IL Tuesday night and not really impacting IN until late Tuesday night when a preluding dose of light rain showers lifts through the northern two-thirds of the state. This batch of light rain will quickly weaken through the morning hours Wednesday and then the main wave pushes in with additional shower activity (potential for a few rumbles of thunder) Wednesday evening into the overnight before exiting into OH Thursday morning. The surface low pressure and cold front will still be positioned to the west at this point, so watch for isolated showers/drizzle to remain a possibility with some breaks in the clouds through the remainder of the day into early Friday.
The storm system impacting us mid-late week will be quite a powerful one as the surface low tracks through the Central Plains into the Great Lakes, likely strengthening as it does so and tightening the space between isobars (lines of equal pressure). This will result in enhanced wind speeds, especially with the main wave of shower activity and then directly behind it. Wind gusts will easily be topping 45mph from Wednesday night through Thursday night and given a stout low-level jet present in the region, gusts could be approaching 50mph+. If you have any loose objects hanging around outside they will definitely blow around in this wind. Warmer temperatures will be inbound with these strong southerly winds and will allow for high temperatures Wednesday to rise to near 70ºF south of I-70, and then to the lower 70s for most during the day Thursday.
Total precipitation through the next 7 days: The bulk of the precipitation shown below will come Wednesday night. Precipitation across the Central Plains will be losing their intensity tracking through the Ohio Valley, so many in IN will be staying at 0.5″ or less of liquid. There will be better storm activity south of the Ohio River and if any of this can make it northward into the state, can locally enhance these totals.
We are in desperate need of some dry time for field preparations and work across the area as this winter and the opening of meteorological spring have been above average in the precipitation department. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel as after this upcoming system we will be looking at a stretch of less active conditions due to an amplifying upper-level trough digging into the Eastern US and shunting the enhanced precipitation risks well south and east of the area. In fact, most of the country as a whole will observe a reprieve from most precipitation risks during the week following our incoming system.
Wind forecast over the next four days:
High/low temperatures over the next 10 days for Fort Wayne, South Bend, Indianapolis and Evansville:
If you have any questions do not hesitate to reach out! Have a great day!