Break from High Humidity Continues, Storm Chances Arrive Overnight

Yesterday ended up being a beautiful day across the Stateline, especially once the cloud cover and high humidity departed. A big difference from what we encountered on Sunday, as heat indices climbed over the triple digit mark for multiple hours of the day. That definitely wasn't the case on Monday, as both the high temperature and the heat index only climbed into the low 80s. That's was all thanks to a cold front that came through during the middle of the day. A secondary cold front is going to be the main factor in the continuation of this comfortable stretch for the rest of the work week. However, it does also bring rain chances to the area.

The Stateline woke up to a very refreshing start this morning, with temperatures in the low 60s for most. In fact, some even managed to make it down into the upper 50s. Following yesterday's cold front, skies remained clear overnight, allowing for rapid cooling to occur at the surface. If you're heading to work early in the day, the rain gear can be left at home. This sun-filled start to our Tuesday will give way to few cumulus clouds by the afternoon. A quick moving disturbance passing through central Wisconsin later today could bring a late-day shower or thunderstorm to the area. But models continue to show the bulk of the activity remaining to the north. High temperatures for most will end up in the low to mid 80s, making for another beautiful day for outdoor activities. Just be sure to put some sunscreen on before heading out. Thanks to all the sunshine we'll see, the UV index is a 9 out of 11 today.

However, the best chance for any rain to make it to the region holds off until after sunset. The first half of our night seems to remain dry, but hi-res models were consistent on activity tracking into our areas up in southern Wisconsin around the midnight hour. As this backdoor cold slowly sags to the south, a few showers and possibly an isolated thunderstorm will move into northern Illinois during the predawn hours. As of this very moment, severe weather is not expected with this activity. Rain chances should begin to wind down as we inch closer towards the mid-morning hours, with all chances being pushed to the south of Rockford by the afternoon. Clouds may linger for the start of our day, but the rest of the day features a partly sunny sky with highs back in the low to mid 80s.

Wednesday will also feature a spike in humidity as dew points are expected to climb into the upper 60s. So the air may feel "sticky" at times, but nothing to the extent of what we felt over this past weekend. Once we see our surface winds shift to the northeast by Thursday morning, the humidity will drop back down into the "comfortable" range. In fact, thanks to an area of high pressure moving in, temperatures and dew points are expected to remain comfortable for the second half of the work week. High temperatures will top out in the low 80s, with dew points in the upper 50s. As far as any chances for rain, chances remain limited with no widespread rain expected into the start of next week.