Winds pick up today; Chills found the next few nights

The beautiful weekend weather will continue once again this afternoon.  With sun-filled skies this morning temperatures will reach the low 60s with a few fair weather cumulus clouds later in the day.  By early this afternoon winds will increase from the northwest with gusts as high as 35 mph.  The wind combined with dry vegetation and low relative humidity will create a higher fire danger going into the afternoon.  It's best to hold off on any outdoor burning today. 

A secondary cold front will come through later today pulling down an even drier and colder air mass.  Winds will remain somewhat elevated tonight, but the potential is there for temperatures to drop below freezing a few hours before sunrise Tuesday morning.  As a result, A Freeze Warning has been issued for Stephenson, Jo Daviess and Carroll counties in northwest Illinois and for Green County in southwest Wisconsin.  Meanwhile, a Freeze Watch has been isssued for Winnebago, Boone, Ogle, Lee, DeKalb and Whiteside counties.  As the center of high pressure moves closer Tuesday night and especially by Wednesday night there is a possibility that the mercury could drop into the upper 20s both nights.  Freeze headlines will likely be issued for those nights as well.