Thursday Headlines:
– Could finally see a few breaks in the clouds today.
– Warmer weekend!
– Inch of rain possible.
– Biggest chances: Friday, Sunday, New Years Eve
NWS Technical Discussions:
Any breaks in the clouds will quickly begin to fill back in tonight ahead of the next rain producing system that is expected to impact central Indiana Friday. The nose of the LLJ will remain southwest of the forecast area through the night, but strong moisture advection between 900mb and 700mb will quickly saturate the low levels again and bring a return to cloudy skies by the morning hours Friday. Rain should hold off until after daybreak with additional details on the rain in the long term section below. Lows will again be mild tonight with temperatures ranging from around 40 near Muncie to the mid 40s towards Vincennes. A winter-like synoptic pattern will be the rule through the long term with a broad, yet rather zonal trough trending slowly eastward across the CONUS. This flow will be progressive, however, with various short waves advancing from the Pacific/western US...and through the central US before lifting northward over eastern North America. Corresponding areas of surface low pressure should be rather weak and track near or northwest of Indiana, with critical temperatures/thicknesses for frozen precipitation gradually trending from southern Canada to the Midwest by the end of the period. Friday through Sunday... Another tandem of waves will lift from the Lower Mississippi Valley into the Midwest...bringing more generally damp conditions and probably a couple 6-18 hour periods of more organized light-moderate rainfall. Perhaps the greatest variable will be the potential for heavy rain/storms near the Mid-South which would zap any better precipitable water over 1.00 inch from reaching the CWA. Expect best chances for rain Friday and again Saturday night into Sunday. Confidence in overall moderate rainfall of 0.50 to 1.00 inch is greatest south of I-70 and especially towards the Ohio Valley...with hopefully many northern tier locations still picking up 0.30-0.50 inches of rain by the end of the weekend. No isolated flood concern so far following removal of ground frost amid recent milder conditions...although will continue to refine low chances for this threat over far southern zones with further updates. SOutherly breezes through Saturday will continue to moderate readings through unseasonably mild levels. The record high max/min for Saturday at Indianapolis are 65/58...the current forecast high/low is 60/51. Low pressure departing into eastern Ontario on Sunday will bring more west-northwesterly moderate breezes in its wake and a modest downward temperature trend. Monday through Wednesday... Mainly dry conditions expected for early next week and going into New Years...surrounding what should be briefly widespread light rain for 1-2 periods from another wave, which should this time pass to our northwest into the Great Lakes. A switch from Pacific maritime to more typical northwest flow to start 2025 should return readings to near normal by the end of the long term. Looking past the end of the long term...the pattern may stay somewhat active with further chances for precipitation...although this will be contingent on the position of a broad trough spinning near Ontario...and how its orbiting waves phase while tracking through the CONUS
INDY SEVEN DAY FORECAST
Today: Isolated early morning shower. Mostly cloudy. High 50.
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Low 42.
Friday: Periods of rain. High 54.
Friday Night: Periods of rain. Low 50.
Saturday: Cloudy and mild, with an isolated showers possible. High 58.
Saturday Night: Isolated shower possible. Low 46.
Sunday: Periods of rain. High 52.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy. Low 37.
Monday: Partly sunny. High 51.
Monday Night: Scattered showers. Low 40.
Tuesday: Periods of rain. High 48.
New Years Eve: Rain showers, mixing with and changing to snow after midnight. Low 30.
New Years Day: Morning snow showers. Much colder. High 36.





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