Breezy Today, Stormy Thursday

It's been a while since we have actually felt the summer time heat here in the Stateline. In fact, here is a little statistic for you. 13 of out of the last 19 days here in Rockford have been below average. And by the way the forecast looks for the rest of our Wednesday, we look to tackle on another one as highs only climb into the low 70s.

Low temperatures this morning under mostly clear skies "bottomed out" in the 50s across the Stateline. The coolest spot throughout the morning was Galena which made it down to 51°. As the day progresses, temperatures under sunny skies will be quick to rebound into the low to mid 70s. Just to put that into perspective, average highs this late in August are in the low 80s, so today will be unseasonably cool.

The big weather headline for today isn’t the cooler temperatures, though. Westerly winds will be the primary factor in today’s forecast. Currently, winds are already gusting upwards of 30 mph in a few spots across the region. A strong low pressure system up in Canada and a high pressure system are creating a tight pressure gradient at the surface. When you have that pressure gradient, winds ramp up as of a result.  Sustained winds today are likely to peak in the 15 to 20 MPH range, but wind gusts could be between 30 and 40 MPH. This may bring a few traveling issues today, especially if you are traveling on north to south oriented roads, such as I-39 or I-90 into southern Wisconsin. You’ll definitely want to keep an extra tight grip on the steering wheel.


Winds today will be strongest between noon and 5 p.m., with the breezy conditions diminishing by this evening. Sunshine will stick with us throughout the day, but we definitely will see another round of those "fair weather" cumulus clouds build in this afternoon. Temperatures overnight tonight under mostly clear skies will once again have the opportunity to "bottom out" into the low to mid 50s, So it wouldn't be a bad idea to grab a light jacket as you head out tomorrow morning.

Thursday will definitely be a transition day. As that high pressure system slides to the southeast of the Stateline, winds overnight will turn more southwesterly. This is going to help warm our afternoon high temperatures for tomorrow back towards seasonable. Highs tomorrow will be featured in the low 80s before a cold front brings an end to the quick warm up. Increasing heat and humidity ahead of that cold front could also spark a few thunderstorms during the afternoon hours. Some of which could strong or severe. The Storm Prediction Center has placed the Stateline under a Marginal (level 1 out of 5) threat for severe weather. It will be something to keep a close eye on.