The Warm Side of the High....

Sprawling high pressure continues over the southeastern states with a center over Mississippi tonight.  It ridges all the way from Quebec through Ohio, Mississippi and Lousiana, through the western Gulf of Mexico into eastern Mexico.  The east side of the high remnains quite cold.  In fact, it was warmer this afternoon in South Dakota were temperatures were in the middle 70's than it was in Miami, Florida were it was in the 60's for most of the afternoon.  There could be some frost tonight as far south as northen Florida.  Meanwhile, a good southwesterly air flow has developed on the west side of the high from northern Mexico across the Texas panhandle, Oklahoma, Kansas into western Iowa.   Skies will be mostly clear overnight with some high thin cirrus clouds overhead.  Temperatures will drop into the mid to upper 30's across northern Illinois with a light southerly wind.  On Monday high pressure will continue to hold over the southeast, a  ridge of high presure aloft across the midwest will bring sunny skies and unseasonably warm temperatures to the Stateline on a southwesterly breeze 10 to 15 mph.  It will reach the mid 60's when the average for November 8th is 50 degrees.  It could reach the upper 60's to the west of Rockford.  With the southeastern high remaining stubborn, and ridging aloft a dry southwesterly air flow will continue through mid week.    You can never tell this time of year when we will get our last warm spell of the year.  In fact, it is possible the parts of the Stateline could see a 70 degree or higher temperature on Tuesday or Wednesday.  A cold front will edge in from the west and stall out across northwestern Illinois on Thursday.  By Thursday night it will be stationary across the area, and with Gulf moisture finally beginning to feed into the area, there could be some scattered showers developing.  On Friday it will be cooler, and there will be enough instability in place along with the moisture to cause some showers and possibly a thunderstorm or two.  It will get progressively colder through next weekend with a continuing chance of more showers.  By the time Sunday rolls around temperatures will be quite chilly with afternoon highs only in the low 40's.  The following week looks like it will be quite cold.  So, enjoy the warm temperatures and the sunshine of the next few days.

By meteorologist
Eric Nefstead