Strong storms possible Friday afternoon

A strong low pressure system will bring us back to reality by the weekend.  A weak frontal boundary will pass through northern Illinois late Wednesday night and Thursday morning.  This front will stall south of Rockford Thursday and then be pulled back north as a warm front Thursday night into Friday.

Showers and even a few elevated thunderstorms will be possible Thursday night.  Low pressure is forecast to strengthen and move along the warm front Friday morning.  As it strengthens, instability will be drawn northward during the day Friday.  And depending upon where the warm front ends up will determine where strong, to possibly severe, storms will develop.

There will likely be a big temperature difference from north to south of the warm front.  North of the front temperatures will warm only into the 30's and 40's, while south of the front temperatures will warm into the 50's and 60's.

North of the low heavy snow will fall over the upper Midwest.  Colder air will get wrapped in behind the low late Friday night and Saturday morning.  This could cause a few snowflakes to fly during the morning Saturday.  Highs through the weekend will be in the 30's.

As for the severe potential Friday, there is definitely a possibility that strong to severe storms could occur.  Especially considering how warm it has been this past week.  With a strong jet stream moving in overhead Friday, we do have to be alert for the potential for gusty thunderstorms Friday evening.