Forecast Discussions mentioning "ACARS", "MDCRS", "AIRCRAFT" or "AMDAR" received at FSL on 03/20/03


AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS CHICAGO IL
AFDCHI 1000 PM CST WED MAR 19 2003

DISCUSSION FOR UPDATE ZONES 900 PM

THE ALTIMETER PLOTS AT 03 UTC SHOW THE WARM FRONT FROM WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS TO CHICAGO ILLINOIS. A LINE OF SHOWERS LIES ALONG THE FRONT. ACARS SOUNDINGS FROM ORD AT 224 UTC SHOW A 32 KNOT WIND FROM THE SOUTH AT 2020 FT. WARM AIR IS MOVING INTO THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT. NORTHWEST OF THE FRONT THERE MAY BE FOG. SO WILL KEEP FOG IN THE FORECAST FOR THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA. WILL RAISE THE LOW TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR THIS MORNING AS RESULT OF THE WARM AIR ADVECTION. WILL KEEP A CHANCE OF SHOWERS OVERNIGHT.

.CHI...NONE WHW

AVIATION DISCUSSION FOR 18Z TAFS... FIRST WAVES OF PRECIP CONTINUING TO MOVE NORTH AND OUT OF TAF AREAS. NEXT BAND SEEN ON RADAR ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS. TIMING IS FOR ARRIVAL IS MID-AFTERNOON. THOUGH NO LIGHTNING STRIKES WITHIN LOT 88D RANGE COMPOSITE DATA INDICATED ~40 DBZ RETURNS. AN ADDITIONAL INSTAB ENOUGH TO INCLUDE CHC TSTMS AS BAND MOVES THROUGH.

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS FOR REMAINDER OF TAF PERIOD LOOKS OK -- TIMING IS LESS CERTAIN. AFTER THIS AFTERNOON PRECIP, CHC CONTINUES THROUGH AROUND MIDNIGHT OR JSUT AFTER. BY THAT TIME TAFS APPEARS IN SYSTEM DRY SLOT WITH CIGS ICREASING TO VFR AND VSBYS OK. WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SUFRFACE LOWS MOVES INTO IL THURSDAY AM FOR RETURN TO MVFR CIGS.