Staying Chilly for New Year's Eve

It was a bit of busy and snowy start to the final day of 2019. For all of those snow lovers out there, a total of 1.7" fell at the Rockford International Airport and that's from this morning alone. Before last night's snow event, the other 29 days of December only recorded 1.1" of snow. For the many that had to be out on the roads this morning, roads were pretty slick and snow-covered to start. However, roadways are slowly improving as the morning continues. Just be on the lookout for any slick spots, and snow-covered roads (mostly on back roads). There also could be a little bit of ice underneath all the snow due to the very cold temperatures we experienced early on. Please be sure to take it slow and to drive with caution. We are still on the backside of the strong low pressure system (994 mb) that is currently sitting over the Great Lakes. Cloud cover continues to swing around the lows center and blanket the Stateline this morning. With that said, the cloud cover isn't going to stick around for long.

These morning clouds will give way to partly sunny skies by the afternoon. Temperatures remain chilly as the last day of 2019 will close out with a high in the low 30s. With these breezy northwesterly winds, the wind chills are going to stay in the teens. Luckily, nothing will slow you down as you make your out to the festivities. The brisk daytime weather sets us up for a chilly New Year's Eve. As skies clear up and wind lighten up, temperatures will fall into the upper teens-low 20's by the time we welcome in the new year. Wind chills will make it feel like temperatures are in the single digits. It would definitely be a great idea to bundle up before you head out and celebrate. New Year's Day makes up for the brisk first hours of the new year. We'll see lots of sunshine and milder weather with temperatures near 40 degrees by the afternoon. Later in the week, temperatures heat up into the 40's, providing a chance for rain showers by Friday. Happy New Year everyone!