Weekend Weather Update

*****Wind Advisory now issued for all of southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois for late tonight through Sunday night******

Update from the NWS Quad Cities:

AREAS OF FOG AND LOW CLOUDS HAVE BEEN COVERING MUCH OF EXTREME
NORTHEAST IA INTO NORTHWEST IL ALL MORNING AND WERE FINALLY
BEGINNING TO ERODE ON THE WEST EDGE. INCREASING SOUTH WINDS AND
SLUG OF WARM AIR FROM THE SOUTHWEST SHOULD ERODE THESE CLOUDS FROM
SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON. PROFILERS INDICATED 50 KNOT
WINDS AT 850 MB FROM THE SOUTHERN PLAINS INTO IA WITH TEMPERATURES
WELL INTO THE 50S IN MO.


VERY INTENSE STORM SYSTEM SEEN ON WATER VAPOR LOOPS CENTERED OVER
NORTHEAST COLORADO WITH THE SYSTEM FARTHER SOUTH AND MORE INTENSE
THAN WHAT WAS DEPICTED YESTERDAY. RIVERTON WYOMING KRIW HAD A 190
METER HEIGHT FALL AT 500 MB AT 12/31 WITH A NICE 150 KNOT 300 MB
JET DIVING IN BEHIND THE TROUGH.


12Z MODEL RUNS NOW SHOWING THE POTENTIAL FOR A QUICK CHANGEOVER
TO SNOW IN THE CWA AFTER MIDNIGHT FOR SEVERAL HOURS. STRONG LIFT
MAY BE ABLE TO GENERATE A BRIEF PERIOD OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW
WITH ACCUMULATIONS OF AROUND AN INCH OR SO. THIS COMBINED WITH
RAPID INCREASE IN WIND SPEEDS TO OVER 35 MPH AND FALLING
TEMPERATURES MAY PRODUCE NASTY WINTER WEATHER FOR A FEW HOURS
LATER TONIGHT. WINTER HEADLINES MAY BE NEEDED AND THE POTENTIAL
FOR A HIGH WIND WARNING FOR SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT NEEDS TO BE
CONSIDERED. ALSO MAY HAVE GRADIENT WIND GUSTS TO 50 TO 60 MPH ON
SUNDAY. 12Z GFS TAKES A RAPIDLY INTENSIFYING CYCLONE FROM KS TO
EASTERN IA INTO ONTARIO AND DEEPENS IT TO 975 MB. WHAT A WAY TO
START THE NEW YEAR.

11:30am Update:
Winter Weather Advisory for Green County in southern Wisconsin 3am to 9am Sunday morning.

Wind Advisory for Jo Daviess County in northwest Illinois and Green, Rock and Walworth counties in southern Wisconsin through Sunday night.

***Wind Advisory, and possibly Winter Weather Advisory, may be extended for the rest of the viewing area.  Stay tuned!****

First for today:  The fog has been slow to leave southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois this morning and will likely last through the early afternoon.  As a result of the fog temperatures have been slow to rise and if we keep the fog and low clouds around temperatures will not likely reach the low 40s until possibly later tonight once strong southerly winds move in.

Sunday Morning

Second forecast concern will be the next low that is currently moving out of the central Plains.  Some of the morning model runs have started to come in and are beginning to track the low further south than previous forecast.  The general storm track is now from the Iowa/Missouri border this evening to near Dubuque by midnight and into the Great Lakes by Sunday morning.  With more of the southern track I'm a little more concerned with the possibility of some accumulating snow for some Sunday.  Right now a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for Green county and points north and northwest for early Sunday morning.  Light rain, especially west of Rockford, may initially begin along the front later tonight and then change over to snow once the cold front passes.  With winds increasing tonight this will cause temperatures to drop and what ever snow is falling to blow around reducing visibility - especially in the locations that are under the Winter Weather Advisory.  Half an inch to two inches of snow will be possible.

Sunday Afternoon

Next concern will be the wind.  Behind the front west/northwest winds will come howling in sustained around 30 mph with gusts as high as 45 mph.  These winds will begin late tonight and last through Sunday.  This will make travel difficult early Sunday morning.  With such cold air coming in and falling temperatures the light snow may continue into Sunday afternoon.

Be sure to join meteorologist Eric Nefstead tonight for all the latest weather information should any advisories be extended.  Of course, we'll continue to update you here on the blog, Facebook and Twitter!