Welcoming In the Month of August with "September-Like" Temps

If you missed yesterday's sunrise, no need to worry. Mother nature made sure to show her colors this morning. Thanks to a deck of high cirrus clouds that tracked in overnight, our region woke up to a spectacular cotton-candy sunrise this morning. If that wasn't enough, temperatures were very refreshing to start thanks to a cool northerly breeze. Most of our locations dropped into the low 60s this morning. But for those that began the day with calm winds, such as Freeport and Savanna, temperatures were given the opportunity to fall into the upper 50s. Regardless, you'll definitely feel the difference once you take your first step out the door this morning. A very fitting way to kick off our Friday. And the good news is, this cooler start is a sign of things to come for the weekend into early next week.

As for the rest of our Friday, highs will once again climb into the low 80s. Thanks to an area of high pressure to our northwest, plenty of sunshine is in the forecast for the end the work week, but clouds are likely to stick around the "primetime heating" hours of the day. The one thing that has been consistent this morning on the high-res models is a  chance for an isolated shower/sprinkle, especially along the I-39 corridor. However, nothing to be too concerned about if you are planning to travel today, or have plans to be outdoors. In fact, this afternoon is going to be comfortable humidity-wise, as dew points remain in the low 60s. This same high pressure system will also help keep the atmosphere dry overnight tonight, only allowing a few passing clouds to float overnight. Temperatures, thanks to less cloud cover and very light surface winds, will drop into the upper 50s by Saturday morning.

If you haven't heard, tomorrow marks the beginning of August. I know right? In my opinion, July definitely flew on by. But here's what we typically see for the Rockford Area during the month of August. Our average highs remain in the low 80s, with average lows dropping into the upper 50s by the 31st. Rainfall-wise, we average just over 4.5" of rainfall, making it the 3rd wettest month of the year. And since we are well beyond the longest day of the year (first day of Summer), we also lose quite a bit of daylight during the month of August.

Temperatures for the first few days of the month are going to end up near seasonable. But, as the last month of meteorological summer gets underway, cooler weather is ahead. A strong cold front is expected to pass through the region Sunday night into Monday morning, which will help filter a cooler air-mass for the start of next week. This will drop our high temperatures for from the low 80s Sunday, into the upper 70s for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Something that we typically see during the middle of September. Not only are cooler days on the horizon, but expect cooler nights as well. Overnight lows are expected to drop into upper 50s during the same time frame. So, if you're looking to save a couple of bucks, this weather will bring a great opportunity to give your air-conditioner a much needed break.