Temperatures will warm, but it could lead to a wintry mess

After several days of subzero mornings lows and pretty cold afternoon highs, Wednesday's high of 10 degrees actually felt pretty good!  The temperatures will continue to rise into the weekend, but the warmer weather could bring about the threat for rain and also a little more wintry precipitation.



A weak wave passing well south of Northern Illinois has sparked a few lighter snow showers in central and southern Illinois and this is likely where they'll stay through the morning and early afternoon.  As the wave moves into Indiana this evening some of those lighter snow showers may clip the southern and eastern part of our viewing area from Ogle, Lee and DeKalb counties and even into McHenry county.  It won't be much, but it could be a little slick for the evening and late night commute.  Also, with a little drier air in place in the atmosphere some of the flurries may briefly mix with lighter freezing drizzle through tonight.

By Friday morning that wave will have passed but our attention will then turn to the southwest.  Low pressure will move from the central Plains Friday morning into Missouri by Friday afternoon and near Galena by Friday night.  A warm and moist air mass from the Gulf will lift north with a warm front that will cross into Wisconsin by Friday afternoon.  Temperatures Friday morning will start off below freezing and if any precipitation falls during the morning it will likely fall in the form of freezing rain.  It's not going to be much, maybe just enough for a glaze of ice, but it could slow your Friday morning commute.  By Friday afternoon, enough warm air should be in place for a transition over to rain.  The only thing we'll have to really watch will be the surface temperatures.  The thicker snow pack on the ground could keep surface temperatures right at 32 degrees which would delay the switch over to rain and keep the freezing rain threat a little longer.

By daybreak Saturday, a strong cold front will move east of the Mississippi River with colder air quickly filling in behind.  Accumulating snowfall is likely for Northern and Northeast Iowa with a little lighter snow falling into the late morning in Northern Illinois.