499 ACUS3 KMKC 161940 SWOMCD MKC MCD 161939 ILZ000-INZ000-162200- SPC MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 0754 FOR CONCERNING...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL... THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS POSSIBLE ACROSS PARTS OF CENTRAL / NERN IL AND W CENTRAL / NWRN IND OVER THE NEXT 1 TO 3 HOURS. WW MAY BE REQUIRED IF CONVECTION DOES INITIATE. A MOSTLY CLEAR SKY ACROSS THE REGION HAS ALLOWED SURFACE TEMPERATURES TO HEAT INTO THE UPPER 70S TO LOW 80S ACROSS W CENTRAL AND NWRN IND AND INTO THE MID 80S TO LOW 90S IN CENTRAL / NERN IL. WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE MID 60S TO LOW 70S AND LOW- TO MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES NEAR 7 C/KM...ATMOSPHERE HAS BECOME STRONGLY UNSTABLE WITH 2500 TO 3500 J/KG SURFACE-BASED CAPE. ETA SOUNDINGS VALID EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AND LIMITED CUMULUS DEVELOPMENT SUGGEST CAP REMAINS INTACT...HOWEVER CONTINUED HEATING ALONG WITH WEAK LOW- LEVEL CONVERGENCE ALONG VARIOUS BOUNDARIES AND THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT MAY BE SUFFICIENT FOR STORM INITIATION BETWEEN NOW AND 22Z. ALTHOUGH DEEP-LAYER SHEAR 35 TO 40 KTS EXISTS ACROSS IND ATTM WHICH IS SUFFICIENT FOR STORM ORGANIZATION...SHEAR WEAKENS WWD INTO IL WHERE MID-LEVEL FLOW IS WEAKER. HOWEVER...GIVEN STRONG INSTABILITY...SOME THREAT FOR ORGANIZED STORMS / MID-LEVEL UPDRAFT ROTATION ACROSS THIS REGION ASSUMING STORM DEVELOPMENT. GREATEST SEVERE THREAT WOULD LIKELY BE LARGE HAIL...ALTHOUGH DAMAGING WINDS WOULD ALSO BE POSSIBLE -- PARTICULARLY ACROSS ERN PORTIONS OF THE REGION WHERE DEEP-LAYER WIND FIELD IS STRONGER. ..GOSS.. 05/16/01