Seasonal Start to the Week... Turning Windy and Colder

High pressure is sitting over northern Wisconsin tonight.  Low pressure is over the southern plains.  A warm front is situated north to south from western South Dakota  across eastern Colorado.  The low over the southern plains, and a weak upper disturbance are causing some very light rain shower activity from eastern South Dakota southward across eastern Nebraska, and extreme southwestern Iowa across western Missouri.  Dry air associated with the high over Wisconsin, and the light northeasterly air flow around the high is preventing the shower activity over the plains from making much eastward progress. Our region will have high clouds over running northern Illinois tonight, but they are expected to thin out overnight.  Monday will be mostly sunny with afternoon high temperatues reaching the middle 50's.  It will be mostly clear on Monday night, and down into the low to middle 30's again.  Voting Day will be very nice for this time of year with light winds, sunny skies, low humidity, and comfortable afternoon temperatures in the middle 50's.  On Wednesday a strong Canadian cold front will sweep across the area during the mid day hours possibly bringing some light rain showers or sprinkles to the Stateline.  Temperatures will reach the low 50's before the front gets here.  On Thursday the pressure gradient will tighten,  it will become windy, and colder with an afternoon high in the middle 40's.  Despite the lack of moisture with this system, there could be some light rain showers or sprinkles, and some wet snow flakes could mix in to the west and northwest of Rockford.  The gradient will still be pretty tight on Friday, so it will continue to be breezy with a high only in the low 40's.  The cold ridge of high pressure will settle in across the area on Friday night diminishing winds, and dropping temperatures into the 20's.  Saturday will be sunny and chilly with a high in the middle 40's.  On Sunday our region will pick up a southerly breeze in advance of the next front moving in from the northern plains.  High temperatures on Sunday will top out near 50 degrees.  Welcome to the month of November.  Average temperatures will tail off quickly during  the month, we will lose daynight savings time next Saturday night at 2 am, and the sun will set on Sunday around 4:45 pm.  This will take some getting used to. Have a great week!
By Meteorologist
Eric Nefstead