427 FXUS63 KIND 061759 AFDINDArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 149 PM EDT Sat Sep 6 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Dry and cooler through early in the upcoming week including nights with lows in the 40s
- Warming trend back to the 80s as the upcoming week progresses
- No chance for rain across central Indiana through next weekend
&&
.SHORT TERM (This Evening through Sunday)... Issued at 149 PM EDT Sat Sep 6 2025
Comfortably cool afternoon in progress across central Indiana. Breezy westerly winds combined with scattered cu and temperatures at 17Z ranging from the mid 60s to lower 70s.
Cool but quiet weather is the story through the weekend as much of the eastern half of the country will be under the influence of a deep upper level low near James Bay. The trough associated with the low will amplify into Sunday with unseasonably cool mid level heights across the Ohio Valley.
Diurnal cu has formed across much of the northern 2/3 of the forecast area early this afternoon. Expect subtle expansion over the next few hours before diminishing quickly near sunset as heating is lost. The breezy conditions will continue as well through late day with peak gusts periodically around 20mph. Skies will clear for tonight with light westerly flow as the surface high settles across the region. Deeper subsidence will advect into the region from the northwest on Sunday which will limit cu development well below levels this afternoon. Still though...model sounding analysis does lend support for at least a few flattened cu to develop underneath a strong mid level inversion. Winds will veer to northwest on the front flank of the surface high poised to center across the region Sunday night.
Temps...tonight will be the first of several nights with ideal radiational cooling conditions. Lows should fall into the 40s across the forecast area with a potential for temps as low as near 40 in some of our typical cool spots across the northern half of the forecast area. Lows level thermals support highs Sunday similar to this afternoon...ranging from the upper 60s to lower 70s.
&&
.LONG TERM (Sunday Night through Saturday)... Issued at 149 PM EDT Sat Sep 6 2025
A deep upper level trough centered near James Bay will maintain the early taste of Fall through Monday with unseasonably cool air and the coolest mornings for central Indiana since May. The trough will move away to the east being replaced by more zonal flow aloft by as the week progresses...transitioning further to upper ridging by late next week with growing confidence in a return to summer like weather for the middle of the month.
High pressure at the surface and the presence of the upper trough to the northeast will keep the much cooler Canadian airmass aloft overhead with well below normal heights and temperature anomalies to start Sunday night with subtle improvement beginning Monday. Despite sunny skies highs will remain in the upper 60s across the north to low to mid 70s further south on Monday...a solid 10 degrees below normal for early September. Strong radiational cooling and a cool airmass aloft will support low to mid 40s for Monday morning. The coolest locations will be across the Wabash River Valley and in North Central Indiana where a few of our normal cool spots may slip as low as the upper 30s.
The overall pattern begins to shift as the upcoming week progresses...leading to a gradual warming trend back to the 80s but with dry weather persisting. The aforementioned upper trough will finally pull away from the region during the first half of the week with the surface high moving off to the east as well. The combination of return flow on the backside of the departing high pressure in tandem with a steady recovery in mid level heights support the onset of the warming trend that will bring daytime highs back into the 80s by late week. Dry conditions will produce large diurnal ranges as temperatures quickly fall after sunset...possibly as great as 35 degrees by the end of the forecast period.
Forecast confidence lowers by late week as longer range guidance and ensembles struggle to resolve fully how the pattern evolves. For now higher confidence exists in a warm and dry forecast continuing into next weekend and quite possibly well into the following week with daytime highs consistently in the mid and upper 80s.
&&
.AVIATION (18Z TAF Issuance)... Issued at 1215 PM EDT Sat Sep 6 2025
Impacts:
- Peak wind gusts up to 20kt this afternoon
Discussion:
High pressure is building into central Indiana with drier air early this afternoon. An area of diurnal cu has developed across the northern half of the area and that is likely to increase a bit in coverage through the afternoon. Westerly winds will occasionally gust through late day up to 20kts.
Cu and winds will diminish near sunset setting the stage for mostly clear skies overnight. Deeper subsidence over the Ohio Valley on Sunday will limit cu development for the afternoon with mostly sunny skies expected. Northwest winds will be around 10kts on Sunday.
&&
. FIRE WEATHER...
The lack of significant rainfall over the last several weeks has resulted in abnormally dry and minor drought conditions to develop across Indiana. With little to no rain in the forecast for the next 7-10 days, there may be an elevated fire weather threat each afternoon as daily min RH values fall into the 20% range. Wind gusts to 20-25 mph this afternoon and evening with low RH values will lead to an elevated fire risk. While afternoon winds will be weaker on Sunday, min RH values may still reach critical fire weather thresholds.
&&
.IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None.
&&
$$
SHORT TERM...Ryan LONG TERM...Ryan AVIATION...Ryan FIRE WEATHER...Ryan/CM
NWS IND Office Area Forecast Discussion