Heavy Rain Producing Thunderstorms Developed Wednesday as Dew Point Temperatures Warmed back near 70 Degrees

You may have noticed it felt a little more muggy Wednesday afternoon compared to the past few days. That's because dew point temperatures (how we measure moisture in the atmosphere) warmed back into the upper 60s and low 70s for many across northern Illinois. Air temperatures actually warmed into the mid and upper 80s, pushing the heat index in the low 90s for some.

The rise in dew points occurred as moisture was pushed along a cold front thanks to southwest winds early in the day. This 'pooling' moisture also prompted a line of thunderstorms to develop from west to

east, stretching from Carroll County all the way into DeKalb County, during the afternoon. The storms were slow to move, only around 15 mph to the east. Localized heavy rain fell as a result with a few locations picking up a quick half an inch of rain. That line of storms was quick to move out, but a few more showers and thunderstorms continue to develop across the area, as well as in eastern Iowa. This will generally be the case through much of the evening and overnight as a disturbance moves in from the west.

The high moisture air mass will stick around through the night holding temperatures in the mid and upper 60s. It may still feel a little sticky Thursday as cloud cover builds up for the afternoon. A few spotty showers remain possible during the afternoon as low pressure passes to the south. Northeast winds Thursday will help to dry out the atmosphere by Thursday night, leaving us with a mostly clear sky and temperatures down around 60 degrees.