523 FXUS63 KPAH 180655 AFDPAHArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Paducah KY 151 AM CDT Thu Sep 18 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Above normal temperatures continue through the week`s end, with commonplace 90s peaking today in the mid 90s.
- Rain chances begin to appear in the forecast by tonight, but don`t offer appreciable impact potential until early next week. Daily chances hint at the prospect for drought relief, but still wide model variability tempers optimism for now.
- Given rain chances and more clouds, with pattern evolution next week, we transition back closer to seasonal norms with highs in the lower half 80s settling in for the bulk of the next work week.
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.DISCUSSION... Issued at 150 AM CDT Thu Sep 18 2025
High pressure keeps a firm grip with its ridge axis extended overhead today, as the models nudge H8 temps up another 1-2C to 20-21C by 00Z Fri. This should help us reach or exceed high temperatures that hit into the lower 90s Wednesday, so won`t be surprised to see some mid 90s today. Fire danger remains heightened due to the extreme heat/ongoing drought conditions, and RH values will dip thru the 20s percentile this afternoon, but still broad leaf shelter coverage and light winds continues to offer some overall mute to the risk.
Shooting into the ridge`s backside axis is a trof of lower pressure centered over and extending across the High Plains, where the CONUS wx is focused. Some of this energy breaks us down just enough to allow encroachment for a minimal shot of rain, with isolated/spotty mention into mainly the Ozarks tonite-tmrw. These chances spread a little further east with time, with the SPC thunder line drawn from the Wabash to the LBL and westward. We can`t argue against, as the ridge axis is broken down by 00Z Sat and shifted to the east, but chances will be scant as the low opens/lifts with time. It`s alot of words for a slgt chance mention for most of us, but given our continued D1-D2 conditions, it`s a needed focus nonetheless. WPC outlooks SEMO/SWIL/SWKY into MRGL for the ERO, which we can`t argue against either. Any isolated thunderstorm will be capable of a quick burst of heavier rain that might produce some issues given the hard ground.
Even with some lower H5 heights heading into the weekend, we`ll stay 5-10F above normal with temps, running around 90F, as the high pressure dome reasserts itself over the southern U.S. Better rain chances look to be on the horizon, growing into the low-mid chance category by the end of the weekend, at least into our northwest counties. This in association with a synoptic pattern evolution from ridging to more zonal aas a big wave of low pressure takes over the Upper Midwest with time, and then it really trofs out, potentially closeing, extending into/thru early next week. Daily pcpn chances look most robust during this pattern metamorphosis the first half of the week, and offer our best chances at appreciable qpf which might hopefully cross your fingers bring some relief wrt the drought (models vary on overall wetness). But as a result of the increased pops and therefore more clouds, temps trend back toward climo with highs generally running in the lower-mid 80s, daily variations most noticeable in vs out of stormier areas.
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.AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY/... Issued at 150 AM CDT Thu Sep 18 2025
Patchy spots of fog may offer temporary restrictions to vsbys early this morning, most likely at prone locales; otherwise it`s a Visual Flight Rules forecast with FEW-SCT diurnal base potential averaging 6-7K FT AGL. Some higher level bases may be entertained over the 2nd half of the forecast period as a system to the west makes its gradual approach.
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.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...None. MO...None. IN...Air Quality Alert until midnight CDT /1 AM EDT/ tonight for INZ081-082-085>088. KY...None.
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NWS PAH Office Area Forecast Discussion