Bundle up! Cold, windy Thanksgiving ahead

Winds across northern Illinois picked up quickly after Tuesday's cold front pushed through. Rockford has gotten rather close to the 50 mph mark a few times since the midnight hours. Winds this high are capable of snapping small-sized branches. 

 

 

Unfortunate, these winds won't let up anytime soon as we can expect gusts to remain in the 45 to 55 mph range well into Wednesday afternoon. For that, the National Weather Service has left all Stateline locales under a WIND ADVISORY until 9PM. Travelers, please exercise caution, especially those who operate a high-profile vehicle. 

  

 

Temperatures won't move much and will sit in the low 30s, with a few spots potentially even dropping a little by late afternoon. Wind chill values will stay in the upper teens. On the plus side, we won't be under a wind advisory for Thanksgiving, though strong winds remain a big part of the forecast. At times, winds could gust between 25 to 35 mph. 

Now, this is why it will be very important to bundle up if you have anywhere to be for Turkey Day. This wind will primarily be out of the northwest, keeping this bitter cold in place. High temperatures will barely make it into the 30s. This will also leave wind chill in the teens for much of the day. Winds will begin to subside Thursday into Friday as high pressure slides in from the Upper Great Plains.