Thunderstorms Possible Friday Evening and Night

Rain showers are beginning to come to an end late Friday morning with skies staying mostly cloudy during the afternoon and evening.

A warm front positioned over Iowa will move into eastern Iowa by Friday afternoon, as low pressure moves across southern Minnesota.  A few scattered showers can't be ruled out over northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin later this evening (and that is possible for some of the Friday night football games), but an increase in storm coverage will be likely over eastern Iowa between 5pm-7pm Friday evening.

Cloud cover over the Stateline will keep instability on the lower end during the day, but a warm wind a couple thousand feet above the surface will keep a little elevated instability during the evening and overnight.  This could help sustain thunderstorms from Iowa as they move into northern Illinois after 8pm or 9pm tonight.  The overall severe threat is low, but some of the stronger thunderstorms may be capable of producing large hail and gusty winds. 

A Slight Risk for severe weather is in place over Iowa, with a Marginal Risk extending into northwest Illinois.

Thunderstorms will then move east over north-central Illinois, reaching Janesville, Rockford and Rochelle by 10pm.  Most of the activity will then be to the east after 2am Saturday morning.