Warmth by the middle of this week followed by another cool down by this weekend

The drought across Wisconsin and Illinois this past week has shown some improvement in all categories.  With the little rainfall we've experienced over the past couple weeks we're slowly eating away at the rainfall deficit; although we still have a lot of ground to make up before we're in the clear. 

Looking at this week there are not too many opportunities for rainfall.  There were a few light showers in Iowa and Wisconsin early Monday morning but as that activity encountered the dry air in place across Wisconsin and Illinois it pretty much fizzled out.  High pressure will dominate the weather both Tuesday and Wednesday leaving us with fair skies and a warm up just in time for Thanksgiving.  A few showers will be possible late in the day Thursday and into early Friday morning as a cold front moves through the Midwest and Great Lakes.

Cold air will rush in Friday behind the front making it a blustery afternoon for anyone wrapping up their Black Friday shopping.  The weather pattern following Thanksgiving looks to remain a fairly active one with low pressure systems moving onshore in the Northwest and zipping through the Midwest.  With each storm system that passes it will slowly begin to pull down colder, arctic air from the north.  For the past couple days weather models have been hinting at some activity occurring, whether it be rain or snow, for the last couple days of November through the first of December.  Something to keep an eye on as the winter season approaches.