FXUS63 KDVN 082001 AFDDVN Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL 301 PM CDT Wed Jul 8 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - There is a Slight (level 2 of 5) risk for severe storms late this evening for areas north of a line from Belle Plaine IA to Platteville WI. The main hazards will be damaging winds and heavy rain. - Additional storms are likely Thursday and Friday, with heavy downpours and isolated severe possible. - Above normal temperatures next week, with a prolonged period of heat becoming more likely. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 300 PM CDT Wed Jul 8 2026 Current radar and satellite observations show areas of convection along a broken line from northeast NE to west-central WI. These storms will be much of the story for tonight. As the shortwave moves east, storms are expected to grow upscale into a line and move southeast, reaching the Highway 20 and I-380 corridors around 9-10 PM. However, the question is whether they will decay or continue. While CAPE will be sufficient to sustain any updrafts at 1500-2000 J/kg, low lapse rates and limited shear will will be limiting factors. Guidance still remains quite mixed, with the 12Z REFS favoring storms continuing while the 12Z HREF has the storms decay as they reach eastern Iowa. If storms are able to maintain themselves, there is potential for strong to severe storms. This appears most likely for areas north of a line from Belle Plaine IA to Platteville WI. Damaging winds will be the primary severe threat due to DCAPE up to 1000 J/kg. Heavy rain will also be possible, which may pose a flash flooding threat, especially in areas that received heavy rain last week. As a result, both SPC and WPC have a Slight/Level 2 risk for severe storms and excessive rainfall for tonight north of a line from Belle Plaine IA to Platteville WI. Additional storm chances are in store for Thursday as a boundary moves southward across the region. A similar environment to today will be in place with moderate instability, low lapse rates, and 15- 25 kts of shear, as well as the potential for lingering showers and clouds from overnight. Thunderstorms will be possible as the boundary passes through, but the threat of strong to severe storms will be low. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 300 PM CDT Wed Jul 8 2026 Friday... A final shortwave on Friday will bring the last near-term chances for rainfall. Atmospheric moisture will be greatest along and south of Interstate 80, with guidance showing up to 1.5 inch PWATs and dewpoints in the low 70s. Showers and storms are likely, though severe storms are not expected due to marginal deep layer shear. However, if a convectively augmented MCV were to take place upstream enhancing the wind field, then some severe storms would be possible. Saturday and beyond... Model guidance continues to show a large anomalous upper ridge (00z NAEFS/ENS 2.0 to 2.8 sigma from their ensemble mean) building into the central CONUS. In fact, the 00z GEFS/ENS/GEPS has this ridge encompassing most of the lower 48 by 12z Tuesday with its center not that far away from the local area. As a result, a prolonged period of dry conditions, above normal temps, and building heat is likely. Factoring in evapotranspiration of maturing crops, more heat headlines may be needed for at least a portion of the area. Apparent T probabilities of 95 degrees or higher off the LREF (100 member ensemble of the GEFS/ENS/GEPS) are in the 30-50% range Tuesday-Thursday. If that were not enough, the latest CPC 8-14 day hazard outlook has a Moderate (40-60%) risk of extreme heat for most of the CWA July 16th-18th. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 1227 PM CDT Wed Jul 8 2026 VFR conditions will prevail for much, if not all, of the TAF period. Current observations show a field of daytime cumulus at 3500 ft developing along a line from BRL to MLI to just south of DBQ. Winds through daylight hours will remain light and variable. Late tonight in the 09/02-07Z window, there is potential for a decaying cluster of storms to move into eastern IA and impact CID/DBQ. At this time, low confidence in storms continuing has kept these as a PROB30, with mention of TS only at DBQ, where confidence is highest but still limited. If storms are stronger, there may be some brief MVFR/IFR vsbys in heavy rain at CID/DBQ. && .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...None. IL...None. MO...None. && $$ SHORT TERM...Ellingworth LONG TERM...Ellingworth/Gross AVIATION...Ellingworth