425  
FXUS63 KLOT 211158  
AFDLOT  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE, IL  
558 AM CST THU NOV 21 2024  
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
- WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY AND WIND ADVISORY HEADLINES IN EFFECT  
TODAY FOR PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA.  
 
- QUICK BURST OF SNOWFALL RATES APPROACHING 1 INCH PER HOUR IS  
EXPECTED THIS MORNING INTO MIDDAY/EARLY AFTERNOON FOR THE  
CHICAGO METRO AREA.  
 
- TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS EXPECTED FROM 2-4" IN THE METRO, TO  
1-3" FARTHER WEST/SOUTH.  
 
- WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS BECOME STRONG/GUSTY LATER THIS MORNING  
AND EVENTUALLY TURN NORTH. GUSTS AS HIGH AS 50 MPH AT TIMES  
BEFORE EASING LATE TODAY/THIS EVENING.  
 

 
   
DISCUSSION
 
 
ISSUED AT 352 AM CST THU NOV 21 2024  
 
THROUGH FRIDAY:  
 
HAVE ELECTED TO ISSUE A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE CHICAGO  
METRO FROM 7 AM TO 1 PM TODAY FOR A QUICK BURST OF 2-4"  
SNOWFALL, AND A WIND ADVISORY FOR ALL IL COUNTIES AND  
LAKE/PORTER COUNTIES IN IN FROM 10 AM TO 8 PM FOR STRONG WINDS  
GUSTING AS HIGH AS 50 MPH.  
 
EARLY MORNING GOES VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATES A DEEP TROUGH AND  
CLOSED LOW CENTERED OVER THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION. A  
POTENT MID-LEVEL SHORT WAVE WAS NOTED WRAPPING CYCLONICALLY  
WEST-SOUTHWEST AROUND THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE MAIN  
CIRCULATION WITH A 994 MB SURFACE LOW OVER THE EASTERN U.P. OF  
MICHIGAN AS OF 3 AM. THE STRONG VORT AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW  
ARE PROGGED TO DIG SOUTH DOWN LAKE MICHIGAN TODAY ON THE BACK  
SIDE OF THE UPPER LEVEL LOW, WITH ATTENDANT STRONG FORCING  
EXPECT TO PRODUCE A PERIOD OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL RATES  
ACROSS NORTHEAST IL FROM JUST AFTER SUNRISE THROUGH EARLY THIS  
AFTERNOON. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 3-4"  
ACROSS A GOOD PORTION OF THE CHICAGO METRO AREA, TO 1-3" FARTHER  
WEST AND SOUTH. WHILE THESE AMOUNTS ARE NOT EXCEPTIONAL, IT  
APPEARS AS IF THE BULK OF THE ACCUMULATION WILL OCCUR OVER JUST  
A 3 TO 4 HOUR PERIOD IN WHICH ACCUMULATIONS ON ROADS IS LIKELY,  
GIVEN TEMPS AROUND 30F THIS MORNING. THIS RAPID ACCUMULATION,  
AND BEING THE FIRST SNOW OF THE SEASON TIPS THE SCALES TOWARD  
ISSUING A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DECREASE  
IN INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON, AND MIX WITH AND EVENTUALLY CHANGE  
OVER TO MOSTLY RAIN AS SURFACE TEMPERATURES RISE INTO THE UPPER  
30S IN THE WAKE OF THE UPPER LOW/COLD POOL. RAIN AND RAIN  
SHOWERS WILL THEN SLOWLY DIMINISH THROUGH THIS EVENING, EXCEPT  
FOR SOME LAKE-EFFECT SHOWERS WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT PARTS  
OF NORTHWEST IN THROUGH FRIDAY.  
 
IN ADDITION TO THE WINTRY WEATHER, VERY STRONG AND GUSTY WEST-  
NORTHWEST TO NORTH WINDS ARE EXPECTED DUE TO THE FAIRLY QUICK  
SOUTHWARD PROGRESSION OF THE SURFACE LOW AND TIGHTENING SURFACE  
PRESSURE GRADIENT. STRONGEST WINDS, 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS AS  
HIGH AS 50 MPH AT TIMES, ARE EXPECTED FROM MID-LATE MORNING  
THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING BENEATH A 50+ KT LOW LEVEL JET ON THE  
WESTERN PERIPHERY OF THE LOW. THE AXIS OF STRONGEST WINDS LOOKS  
TO FAVOR THE IL COUNTIES OF OUR CWA, LAKE MICHIGAN AND PORTIONS  
OF LAKE AND PORTER COUNTIES NEAR THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORE IN  
NORTHWEST IN. WIND GUSTS WILL EASE TO 25-30 MPH TONIGHT, BUT  
WILL REMAIN BLUSTERY INTO FRIDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL REACH THE  
40S AREA-WIDE FRIDAY, THOUGH THE BLUSTERY NORTH WINDS SHOULD  
KEEP WIND CHILLS IN THE MID-UPPER 30S FOR MUCH OF THE DAY.  
 
RATZER  
 
FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY:  
 
A LOWERING SUBSIDENCE INVERSION AND WESTWARD VEERING OF THE  
LOW- LEVEL FLOW WILL GRADUALLY END LAKE EFFECT RAIN SHOWERS IN  
NORTHWEST INDIANA FRIDAY NIGHT.  
 
RIDGING SHOULD THEN BRING QUIET CONDITIONS SATURDAY INTO  
SUNDAY, BUT WITH PLENTY MID-LEVEL CLOUD COVER. A LONGWAVE TROUGH  
OVER THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS WILL THEN INTERACT WITH A POCKET  
OF PACIFIC MOISTURE TO PRODUCE AN AREA OF RAIN SOMEWHERE OVER  
THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY, WITH ENSEMBLE  
GUIDANCE STILL FAVORING THE MAIN AREA OF PRECIP TO REMAIN WELL  
NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA. ANOTHER QUICK-MOVING WAVE WITHIN  
BROADER WSW FLOW ALOFT WILL APPROACH THE MID-MISSISSIPPI RIVER  
VALLEY LATE SUNDAY AS A COLD FRONT DRIFTS SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS  
THE FORECAST AREA. CURRENTLY, THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO CLEAR THE  
CWA BEFORE THE WAVE ARRIVES AND LOW-LEVEL GULF MOISTURE ADVECTS  
NORTHWARD, KEEPING RAIN CHANCES MOSTLY SOUTH OF THE AREA.  
HOWEVER, WITH DECENT SPREAD IN FORECAST TIME OF THE FEATURES  
MENTIONED ABOVE, WILL MAINTAIN NBM CHANCE POPS THROUGH MUCH OF  
THE DAY MONDAY.  
 
GENERAL PACIFIC FLOW WITH SMALL CHANCES OF RAIN IS THEN  
EXPECTED TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY BEFORE THE CONUS-SCALE PATTERN  
AMPLIFIES WITH DEEPER TROUGHING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES INTO THE  
NORTHEAST AROUND THANKSGIVING.  
 
KLUBER  
 

 
   
AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/
 
 
ISSUED AT 557 AM CST THU NOV 21 2024  
 
KEY AVIATION MESSAGES:  
 
- QUICK PERIOD OF MODERATE TO BRIEFLY HEAVY SNOW ROUGHLY 8AM TO  
NOON BEFORE PRECIP BEGINS TO CHANGE TO RAIN (ORD/MDW  
ACCUMULATIONS 2-4", HIGHEST ON GRASSY AND ELEVATED SURFACES)  
 
- IFR CEILINGS AND LIFR VISIBILITY WITH THE SNOW AT TIMES THIS  
MORNING, THEN IFR CEILINGS EARLY TO MID-AFTERNOON AS PRECIP  
CHANGES TO RAIN.  
 
- WNW WINDS QUICKLY INCREASING TO OVER 30 KNOTS BY MID-MORNING,  
THEN BECOMING NW/NNW UP TO 35-40 KNOTS DURING THE AFTERNOON.  
 
SCATTERED -SHSN WITH PERHAPS BRIEF BOUTS OF MVFR VISIBILITY  
WILL PERSIST FOR A COUPLE HOURS BEFORE A SHIELD OF SN QUICKLY  
MOVES OVER THE CHICAGO TERMINALS IN THE 14-15Z HOUR.  
VISIBILITIES OF 1SM WILL BE COMMON FOR SEVERAL HOURS THIS  
MORNING, WITH PERIODS OF 1/2SM ALSO EXPECTED. CANNOT RULE OUT A  
COUPLE OCCURRENCES OF 1/4SM AS HAS BEEN OBSERVED UPSTREAM ACROSS  
CENTRAL WISCONSIN. ACCUMULATIONS AT THE CHICAGO TERMINALS (RFD)  
ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE 2-4" (1-2") RANGE, WITH ACCUMULATIONS  
LIKELY ON ALL SURFACES GIVEN SNOWFALL RATES UP TO 1" PER HOUR.  
 
AFTER 18Z, THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO QUICKLY TRANSITION TO RAIN  
WHILE CEILINGS LOWER INTO IFR LEVELS FOR A FEW HOURS. PERIODS OF  
DZ WILL FOLLOW DURING THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON BEFORE  
SCATTERED LAKE-ENHANCED -SHRA SHIFT EAST BY MID-EVENING.  
 
WITH THE STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TRACKING SOUTHWARD ACROSS  
LAKE MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON, STRONG WNW WINDS TO OVER 30 KNOTS  
WILL QUICKLY DEVELOP DURING THE SNOW THIS MORNING. THE WINDS  
WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN WITH GUSTS TO 35 KNOTS OR HIGHER  
WHILE VEERING NW AS THE SNOW TRANSITIONS TO RAIN. NW/NNW GUSTS  
OF 35-40 KNOTS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON THEN STEADILY  
DIMINISH TO GUSTS AROUND 25 KNOTS BY MID-EVENING. THERE IS A 30%  
CHANCES THAT THE WIND DIRECTION VEERS JUST EAST OF NORTH FOR A  
COUPLE HOURS EARLY THIS EVENING.  
 
KLUBER  
 

 
   
MARINE
 
 
ISSUED AT 640 PM CST WED NOV 20 2024  
 
- GALE WATCH UPGRADED TO A GALE WARNING THURSDAY MORNING INTO  
THURSDAY EVENING. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT  
TONIGHT.  
 
STRONG AND GUSTY WESTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING AND  
OVERNIGHT. WHILE SOME INTERMITTENT GALE FORCE GUSTS TO 35 KNOTS  
ARE LIKELY TONIGHT (MAINLY ON ELEVATED PLATFORMS), A STRONGER  
PUSH OF NORTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL ARRIVE THROUGH THURSDAY  
MORNING. FREQUENT 40 TO 45 KNOT GALES ARE EXPECTED, ESPECIALLY  
THURSDAY AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL TURN NORTH AND EVENTUALLY  
NORTHEASTERLY THURSDAY EVENING.  
 
ONCE GALES SUBSIDE THURSDAY NIGHT, SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES WILL  
BE NEEDED INTO FRIDAY EVENING FOR THE ILLINOIS NEARSHORE AND  
INTO SATURDAY MORNING FOR THE INDIANA NEARSHORE WATERS.  
 

 
   
LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
IL...WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM CST THIS EVENING  
FOR ILZ003-ILZ004-ILZ005-ILZ006-ILZ008-ILZ010-ILZ011-  
ILZ012-ILZ013-ILZ019-ILZ020-ILZ021-ILZ023-ILZ032-ILZ033-  
ILZ039-ILZ103-ILZ104-ILZ105-ILZ106-ILZ107-ILZ108.  
 
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON FOR  
ILZ005-ILZ006-ILZ012-ILZ013-ILZ020-ILZ103-ILZ104-ILZ105-  
ILZ106-ILZ107-ILZ108.  
 
IN...WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM CST THIS EVENING  
FOR INZ001-INZ002.  
 
LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM CST THIS MORNING FOR THE IL  
NEARSHORE WATERS.  
 
GALE WARNING UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR THE IL NEARSHORE  
WATERS.  
 
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM CST THIS MORNING FOR THE IN  
NEARSHORE WATERS.  
 
GALE WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT  
FOR THE IN NEARSHORE WATERS.  
 

 
 

 
 
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