829 ACUS3 KMKC 241508 SWOMCD MKC MCD 241507 ILZ000-MOZ000-241800- SPC MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 2197 FOR PARTS OF ERN MO ACROSS CENTRAL/SRN IL CONCERNING...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL... MONITORING FOR WW IN THE NEXT HOUR OR SO. CONVECTION CONTINUES TO INCREASE AND REMAIN RATHER DISCRETE ATTM AHEAD OF PRIMARY COLD FRONT EXTENDING FROM SWRN MO INTO NRN IL. VISIBLE IMAGERY INDICATES A WELL DEFINED PRE-FRONTAL CONVERGENCE LINE NOW MOVING ACROSS THE STL AREA SWWD INTO N-CENTRAL AR...WHILE WARM FRONT/OUTFLOW BOUNDARY ARCS FROM SRN IND NWWD AND INTERSECTS CONVERGENCE LINE OVER FAR W-CENTRAL IL. FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE VERY STEEP LAPSE RATES WHICH ARE PROVIDING FAIRLY STRONG CAP ACROSS THE WARM SECTOR ATTM. IN ADDITION...LOW CLOUDS MAY CONTINUE TO SUPPRESS HEATING FOR A FEW MORE HOURS AND MAY ACT TO LIMIT SURFACE-BASED DEVELOPMENT INTO THE LATE MORNING. HOWEVER...ETAKF AND LATEST RUC GUIDANCE CONTINUE TO INDICATE STRONG VERTICAL MOTION AND INCREASING CONVECTION INVOF THE MID MS RIVER VALLEY THROUGH 18Z. PRIMARY CONCERN ATTM REGARDS AFFECT PRE-FRONTAL CONVERGENCE LINE WILL HAVE ON SURFACE-BASED DEVELOPMENT. INITIAL ACTIVITY MAY REMAIN SLIGHTLY ELEVATED ABOVE CAPPED BOUNDARY LAYER...THOUGH SUPERCELL POTENTIAL WOULD INCREASE THE THREAT OF LARGE HAIL. LONG- LIVED SUPERCELLS MAY INITIATE DURING THE LATE MORNING...ESPECIALLY INVOF TRIPLE POINT NOW OVER W-CENTRAL IL...AS CAP WEAKENS AND LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE INCREASES. ..EVANS.. 10/24/01