Unprecedented (Historic) Record Breaking Warm Spell Continues.....

A disturbance early this morning caused some early season rogue severe thunderstorms to develop over north central Illinois and south central Wisconsin. 1" hail was reported over parts of northeast Rockford, and Belvidere. Skies cleared, the warm southerly flow continued today pushing temperatures to 82 degrees at the Rockford airport for another record high.  The previous record was 75 degrees set in 2009.  A pair of disturbances will move through the middle Mississippi valley tonight.  One will pass well to our south, and it was causing showers and thunderstorms over central Illinois during the evening.  Another will pass by to the northwest, and that may set off a couple of stray showers or thunderstorms later tonight.  The systems will be off to the east tomorrow, skies will be partly sunny with the very warm, and somewhat humid air flow, continuing out of the south.  Another record high of around 82 degrees is anticipated on Sunday afternoon.  That will be the 3rd time out of the last 4 days that the Rockford airport has topped out at 82 degrees, and the 5th consecutive record in a row.  It is not out of the realm of possibility that it could go higher than 82 degrees.  Just as a matter of interest, the highest temperature ever recorded in Rockford during the month of March is 85 degrees set on March 29th in 1986.  Weather records in Rockford go back to 1906.  It will become mostly cloudy on Monday, so there is a good likelihood that 80 degrees will not be surpassed on Monday, but will the warm southerly flow continuing, high temperatures will probably reach the upper 70's, along with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.  It will still be in the upper 70's with a good chance of showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday.  It will be cooler on Wednesday with a good chance of showers and thunderstorms.  The showery weather will continue under cloudy skies on Thursday.  High temperatures will cool off to the middle 60's.   By next weekend the high temperatures will only be in the 50's.