Widespread frost tonight, warming up a bit this weekend

 It was another chilly day in the Stateline with pockets of isolated showers from time to time. Afternoon highs only reached the low to mid-50s for most, about 10-15 degrees cooler than average! As clouds thin out this evening, temperatures will quickly drop into the low 30s for most. Widespread frost is likely under a mostly clear sky and light wind.

Frost/freeze alerts will go into effect tonight and run through Saturday morning. That includes a Freeze Warning for Southern Wisconsin from 12-8AM and Frost Advisory for Northern Illinois from 1-8AM. Protect any sensitive plants that may already be in the ground!

Saturday morning will start with sunshine, but clouds return for the afternoon. While we remain dry, clouds will prevent temperatures from rising much higher than the mid-50s. Sunday brings another jump in temperatures with highs in the 60s but also comes with scattered showers.

May begins with a chill, frost concerns linger

It's Gonna Be MAY:

May brings a big boost in daylight for the Stateline, pushing sunsets after 8PM. By the end of the month, northern Illinois will gain about 50 to 60 minutes of daylight, pushing sunset times closer to 8:30PM. But while evenings grow brighter and brighter, the month kicks off with a lingering chill, reminding us summer isn't here just yet.   

Chilly Friday:

Temperatures will trend even cooler than Wednesday and Thursday with highs reaching the low 50s. A light northwest wind will keep that cool feel in place, and we can't completely rule out a brief sprinkle or shower. An upper-level low lingering over the Great Lakes will send another weak disturbance into the region, keeping clouds around at times but also assisting in today's isolated chance.  

Frost and Freeze Alerts:

Tonight, frost is the main concern. High pressure moving in will help clear skies, allowing temperatures to fall into the low 30s. Green, Rock, and Walworth County have been placed under a FREEZE WARNING whereas northern Illinois has been placed under a FROST ADVISORY. With conditions favorable for frost, be sure to cover or bring in any sensitive or newly planted vegetation.

Weekend Forecast:

As for the weekend, northern Illinois will see a quiet but cool start. Saturday features high pressure, leaving skies partly cloudy with afternoon highs staying in the 50s. Clouds will increase late Saturday into Saturday night as our next storm system approaches. With it will be a scattered rain chance than extends into the first half of Sunday. Temperatures will respond to the newly-introduced southwesterly wind, warming into the mid 60s to wrap up the weekend.   

Frost Advisory issued for some Thursday night

 

Some across northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin woke up to a little frost Thursday morning before clouds rolled in shortly after sunrise. Temperatures dropped into the low 30s where skies were clear a little longer through the night, allowing some of the frost to develop. Where clouds moved in a little earlier, temperatures didn't fall quite as much.

A Frost Advisory will go into effect for southern Wisconsin, including the counties of Green, Rock, and Walworth beginning at Midnight and lasting until 8am Friday. Skies will once again turn partly cloudy overnight allowing temperatures to drop into the low to mid 30s.

Cloud cover will increase during the morning and afternoon as yet another weak low-pressure system moves across northern Illinois, allowing scattered showers to develop during the afternoon and early evening. High temperatures on Friday will warm into the mid 50s.

Another rain chance sneaks in before April ends

Scattered Rain Thursday:

April has delivered no shortage of rain across the northern Illinois area. So far, Rockford has picked up 6.23" inches of rain, keeping the ground soaked and waterways high. And it doesn't look like Mother Nature is finished just yet, with another rain chance lining up before we turn the page to May.  

 

Today's rain will be very similar to the chances we've seen this week, with showers staying scattered and generally light. Because of that, most Stateline locales will only pick up a few hundredths of an inch, with totals staying below a tenth of an inch. Conditions will dry out this evening into tonight, allowing low temperatures to fall into the low 30s. Patchy frost will be a possibility come Friday morning. 

  

Frost Friday Night:

Looking ahead to Friday, quieter but cooler weather settles into northern Illinois. We'll see a mix of sun and clouds, with an isolated sprinkle or shower possible at times, though many will stay dry. Highs will top out in the low 50s, running below-average for this time of year. As skies partially clear into the late-evening and overnight hours, the potential for frost increases into Saturday morning. 

Scattered sprinkles/light rain next couple of days

 

The cooler weather has settled in for the next few days and to go along with the chill will be the daily chance for a few sprinkles/light rain showers. The first of which arrived this afternoon and evening. Locally the precipitation hasn't been much, as most of the steady rain has fallen north of the state line in Wisconsin, but a few sprinkles and light rain showers have dotted the skies across southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois over the last few hours. You can see one of those showers on our SkyTrack camera in Beloit, WI.

The precipitation will come to an end as the sun sets Wednesday evening, leading to partly cloudy skies overnight. As the wind eases tonight the potential for some patchy frost will be possible, especially where temperatures are able to drop into the low to mid 30s.

Temperatures Thursday will once again struggle to make it above the mid/upper 50s under partly sunny skies. Northwest flow within the jet stream will send a few upper-level disturbances our direction, with the next one expected Thursday afternoon. Similar to Wednesday, this will give us a chance for some light precipitation during the afternoon and early evening. Rainfall amounts are not expected to be much - adding up to just under a tenth of an inch - but you may need the jacket or umbrella for a brief time Thursday afternoon.

As the sun sets Thursday night skies will clear out once again allowing temperatures to drop into the low to mid 30s. Patchy frost will be possible early Friday, followed by the chance for some scattered precipitation Friday afternoon. Highs will remain in the mid-50s.

High pressure moving in Friday night will give us a better chance for some widespread frost going into Saturday as temperatures area wide drop back into the low 30s. 

Below‑average chill Today, frost concerns by the weekend

Morning Sprinkles:

Sprinkles, light showers, and cloud cover will hang around early, but we should see improvements slowly spill in as the day progresses. Though we see a mix of clouds and sun, a northwest wind will usher in cooler air, liming afternoon highs to the upper 50s. With a bit of moisture and lift still in place, a brief, isolated sprinkle remains possible later today. 

Tonight, skies will gradually clear and this round of cooler air will continues to spill in. With lighter winds and little cloud cover, temperatures will drop off efficiently, allowing overnight lows to fall back into the upper 30s by Wednesday morning.  

 

  

Chilly Nights Ahead:

Looking further down the road, even cooler nights are on the way. By Friday night into Saturday morning, temperatures may dip low enough to allow patchy frost to develop. If you have any sensitive potted or newly planted vegetation, it would be a good idea to bring them indoors or cover them.  

Light rain showers Tuesday night, cool trends continue through week

 It was a pleasant and seasonable day in the Stateline Tuesday as afternoon high temperatures pushed into the low 60s for most, topping out at 64 in Rockford. This came with a lot of afternoon sunshine, but the evening began an increase in clouds from the West.

Light rain showers are set to follow those clouds, with initial rain pushing in after 8-9PM. Rain will not come down hard, but there may be a couple brief pockets of steady rain at times through the night. Temperatures will only drop into the mid 40s with the clouds and added moisture from falling rain.

The last of the showers will exit after 6-7AM Wednesday. All told, up to 0.25" may come down before Wednesday morning. A very slim chance of a sprinkle may be realized Wednesday afternoon, but most of the day will be dry with highs in the upper 50s.

But the cooler stretch doesn't go anywhere this week. The next 4 days in a row (Wednesday through Saturday) are currently forecast to see afternoon highs fail to reach 60 degrees and remain in the mid or upper 50s. Overnight lows will be accordingly chilly, down in the 30s for a few nights. Depending on cloud coverage and surface winds, we could be in store for some patches of frost Thursday and Friday nights in particular!