625  
FXUS63 KILX 160826  
AFDILX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL  
226 AM CST MON FEB 16 2026  
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
- AREAS OF DENSE FOG ARE ONGOING THIS MORNING. USE CAUTION IF  
TRAVELING AS VISIBILITY MAY CHANGE RAPIDLY AND OFTEN.  
 
- UNSEASONABLY WARM AIR (20-25 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL) ON DECK FOR  
THIS WEEK, PEAKING WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY WITH MID-TO-UPPER 60S  
TEMPERATURES. GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS ON TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY WILL  
ACCOMPANY THIS WARMUP. THERE IS A 50-80% CHANCE FOR WIND GUSTS  
EXCEEDING 30 MPH.  
 
- A CONDITIONAL THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER REMAINS POSSIBLE BUT  
NOT PARTICULARLY LIKELY IN THE WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY TIMEFRAME.  
 

 
   
DISCUSSION
 
 
ISSUED AT 226 AM CST MON FEB 16 2026  
 
THERE ARE AREAS OF DENSE FOG ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN IL THIS  
MORNING. EXPECTATIONS WERE THAT THE FOG WOULD CLEAR OUT IN THE  
NORTHWESTERN COUNTIES AS SOME HIGH CLOUDS MOVED IN AND WINDS BEGAN  
TO INCREASE SOME, BUT IT IS HANGING ON REAL TIGHT THIS MORNING.  
THERE IS A DENSE FOG ADVISORY OUT FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHEASTERN IL  
THAT WILL EXPIRE AT 14Z. THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA AFFECTED BY  
THE FOG IS BEING MESSAGE WITH A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT. THE FOG  
SHOULD DISSIPATE AS THE SUN RISES THIS MORNING. IF TRAVELING, BE  
PREPARED FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING VISIBILITIES (RANGING FROM NO VIS TO  
CLEAR FIELD OF VIEW) FROM THE PATCHY NATURE OF THE DENSE FOG.  
 
ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES HAVE SETTLED IN FOR THE WORK WEEK. HIGHS  
IN THE UPPER 50S TO MID 60S, AND LOWS IN THE MID 30S TO MID 40S  
(INTO THE MID 50S ON TUESDAY NIGHT AS AN EXCEPTION) ARE FORECAST  
THROUGH THURSDAY. THE WARMEST DAY BEING WEDNESDAY WITH THE NBM  
HAVING A 60-80% CHANCE OF TEMPERATURES EXCEEDING 65 DEGREES THAT  
AFTERNOON.  
 
TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY, WHILE BEING WARM, WILL ALSO BE QUITE WINDY,  
WITH FORECAST WIND GUSTS OF 20-30 MPH. PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL BE  
TIGHTENING AHEAD OF A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS THIS WEEK. THE  
STRONGEST WIND GUSTS ARE EXPECTED FROM TOMORROW AFTERNOON INTO  
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WITH NBM PROBABILITIES OF 50-80% CHANCE FOR WIND  
GUSTS EXCEEDING 30 MPH.  
 
THERE IS A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS FORECAST TO TRAVEL ACROSS  
THE US THIS WEEK. THE FIRST ARRIVING TOMORROW NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY  
MORNING IS THE NEXT CHANCE (20-50%) FOR SOME RAIN, PARTICULARLY  
NORTH OF I-70, AS A LOW PASSES OFF TO THE NORTH OF IL. THE GFS AND  
EURO MODELS ARE SHOWING VERY MINIMAL PRECIPITATION COVERAGE WITH  
THIS ROUND. THUNDERSTORMS LOOK UNLIKELY AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES  
THROUGH. RAINFALL AMOUNTS LOOK TO BE PRETTY MINIMAL (< 0.1 INCH)  
AS OF THIS FORECAST CYCLE.  
 
THE SECOND SYSTEM LOOKS HOLD A BIT MORE IMPACT AND IS EXPECTED  
THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING RAIN AND THUNDERSTORM  
CHANCES (40-60%) TO CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN IL. QPF OF UP TO THREE  
TENTHS OF AN INCH. THURSDAY AFTERNOON EASTERN IL FORECAST SOUNDINGS  
ARE SHOWING A COUPLE HUNDRED J/KG OF MUCAPE AND 20-30 KNOTS OF BULK  
WIND SHEAR. THIS IS STUNTED ALTHOUGH BY A CAP OF UP TO -100 J/KG OF  
CIN. THERE IS BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL SUPPORT FOR SEVERE WEATHER SOUTH  
OF I-70 COMPARED TO NORTH OF I-70, SO THAT WOULD BE THE AREA TO  
WATCH FOR ANY POTENTIAL TO DEVELOP. MACHINE LEARNING IS HINTING AT  
THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER WITH THIS SYSTEM (ESPECIALLY IN  
SOUTHEASTERN IL), BUT CONFIDENCE IS STILL LOW IN ANY SEVERE  
WEATHER OCCURING AS OF NOW. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR TRENDS AS  
WE APPROACH THURSDAY.  
 
A COOL DOWN TO MORE SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES BEHIND THE SERIES OF  
SYSTEMS AND FRONTAL BOUNDARIES THAT WILL PASS THIS WEEK. HIGHS  
STARTING FRIDAY ARE IN THE MID 30S TO MID 40S AND LOWS IN THE 20S.  
SUNDAY POTENTIALLY BE THE COOLEST WITH HIGHS NEAR FREEZING AND LOWS  
IN THE TEENS SUNDAY NIGHT.  
 
COPPLE  
 

 
   
AVIATION
 
(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT)  
ISSUED AT 1049 PM CST SUN FEB 15 2026  
 
DENSE FOG HAS DEVELOPED OVER EASTERN AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS LATE  
TONIGHT WITH PATCHY FOG REPORTED AS FAR WEST AS THE IL RIVER. THE  
LOWEST VISIBILITY SHOULD STAY JUST OUTSIDE OF MOST TAF LOCATIONS,  
BUT IFR TO OCCASIONALLY LIFR CONDITIONS WOULD BE MOST FAVORABLE  
AT KCMI AND KDEC. FURTHER WEST, A TIGHTENING PRESSURE  
GRADIENT/INCREASING WINDS OVERNIGHT SHOULD MINIMIZE WIDESPREAD  
DENSE FOG. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE BY MID TO LATE MORNING AS  
SOUTHWEST WINDS BECOME BREEZY. WINDS SUBSIDE AND BACK TO THE SOUTH  
HEADING INTO MONDAY EVENING.  
 
NMA  
 

 
   
ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM CST THIS MORNING FOR ILZ044>046-  
054>057-061>063-066>068-071>073.  
 

 
 

 
 
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