Temperatures reached 93 degrees at the Rockford Airport Sunday afternoon. This marked the 17th day so far this season that temperatures have topped 90 degrees at the airport. Storms moved across the southern part of the Stateline again producing winds up to 60 mph 2 miles south of Steward in Lee County. The storms also provided a generous stripe of 1" to 2" of rainfall from extreme southern Ogle County southward across Lee County to the Interstate 80 area. Once again the nothern tier of counties next to the Wisconsin border came up on the short end of the stick receiving little or no rainfall. The situation remains critical as far as the moisture needs of the corn crop across far northern Illiniois with the plants curling up from drought stress every afternoon. The total rainfall at the Rockford Airport in June was only 0.66". Normal rainfall in June is 4.65". So, there is a June shortfall of 3.99", and coupled with the shortage from May, the shortfall so far this year is 6.08". Without a significant rainfall soon, there will be considerable damage to the corn, and greatly reduced yields can be expected at harvest time.
So, what are the chances for getting some rain soon? There is a very weak, barely noticable warm front stretching from Champaign to Moline to Mason City, Iowa to Pierre, South Dakota. As of 11:30 pm on Sunday night no precipitation is located anywhere near the entire length of the front. Scattered thunderstorms may break out along this front later tonight as it moves slowly northeast. High dew point air near 70 degrees is in the proximity of the front, so as temperatures drop off later stoinght into the low 70's, some areas of fog may form. The front will continue to inch forward across the area on Monday, and the threat of scattered thunderstorms will continue. It will be hot and humid with afternoon highs in the middle 90's under partly cloudy skies. By Monday night the front should be north of the area in Wisconsin leaving the area partly cloudy, very warm, and humid with an overnight low in the low 70's.
Tuesday will be very hot and humid with temperatures rising into the upper 90's under mostly sunny skies. On Tuesday night it will be very warm and muggy feeling a lot like Houston, Texas on a summer night with a low temperature around 76 degrees.
On the 4th of July hot and humid air will be firmly in place across most of the midwest. A disturbance could cause some isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. The afternoon highs will be in the middle 90's. Everything should settle down by nightfall, so 4th of July fireworks should not be bothered by rainfall. However, it's early yet, and that forecast could change between now and then. It will still be in the low 80's during the fireworks, and overnight the temperture will drop to the middle 70's.
Thursday will start off partly cloudy, but it will end up mostly sunny with a high again around 95 degrees. Thursday night will be mostly clear, warm and muggy with a low in the middle 70's.
On Friday it will be back in the middle 90's again, and on Friday night there is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Saturday is expected to be the last day of this heat wave with temperatures reaching the middle 90's again. On Saturday night a front will sag south across the area ushering in slightly cooler air. The overnight low on Satuday night is expected to be around 70 degrees.
Sunday will be mostly sunny and cooler with a high in the middle 80's.
No comments:
Post a Comment