Weekend rainfall

Including today, it's been a week since any rain fell and nearly two weeks since we received over an inch of rain.  It looks like the dry stretch will end this weekend.  Even though rain is in the forecast it unfortunately doesn't look like a drought-busting rain. 

An advancing cold front will produce a few showers and even a couple thunderstorms well west of here this afternoon.  As the front moves east tonight and Saturday the threat for rain will increase with time by Saturday night.  Areas just east of Mississippi River could see the first drops fall as early as 3pm/4pm while most will experience rain between 5pm and 7pm - when the front is expected to move through.  By Sunday it looks like the last of the rain will be affecting areas east of Rockford as high pressure is expected to move back in during Sunday afternoon.  Rainfall totals likely won't be that impressive, but a very narrow band of moisture streaming up right ahead of the front could produce a couple tenths of an inch of rain to nearly half an inch for some.  Once that front passes it likely won't be until end of next week or even the weekend that we'll see the chance for rain.