Afternoon Storms Bring the Potential for Strong Winds and Heavy Rainfall.

We haven't dealt with fog much over the last couple of weeks. However, thanks to an abundance of moisture leftover from yesterday's storm activity, the Stateline is waking up to blanket of thick fog to kick off the work week. Several spots this morning, including the Rochelle area, has seen visibility drastically reduce since sunrise. 

If you are someone who is set to head out for the morning commute, please be sure to take your time while traveling. Drive with extra caution, and also with your low-beams on. Once this fog lets up by the mid-morning hours, our focus then turns to the threat for severe weather that arrives this afternoon. 

A cold front marching in from the Upper Midwest is set to arrive early this afternoon. Ahead of this frontal, a line of strong storms, or what meteorologist call a Mesoscale Convective System, will form. This type of storm system is known for its very strong winds, and heavy rainfall rates. Before we get into the timing, I want to point out that models have had a tough time with the formation and progression of this line of storms. So as with any threat for severe weather, there are some uncertainties. But just make sure if you have any outdoor plans this afternoon, specifically between 1PM and 5PM, be weather ready. That's the time frame to keep an eye on the sky, and stay updated with the forecast. As we move further into this evening, the thunderstorm potential will substantially decrease once the cold front passes on through. 

Even with the uncertainties factored in, the Storm Prediction Center did upgrade a portion of the Stateline, mainly for areas south of highway 20, to an Enhanced Risk (level 3 of 5) for severe weather. They've also upgraded our counties up in southern Wisconsin to a Slight Risk, which is a category below an enhanced risk. As this line trucks through the Stateline, straight line winds and heavy rainfall will be the primary threats. This is just a prime example of how severe weather can occur at any point in the year, even in the heart of summer. As as we saw yesterday, it only takes one thunderstorm to quickly dump up to a half an inch, even up to an inch of rainfall. So, flash flooding will also be a concern this afternoon.

This same cold front is set to bring in significant changes are head into Tuesday and Wednesday. As the frontal boundary pushes through, a drier and cooler air-mass will filter in behind it. This will help bring our highs down from the upper 80s, down into the low 80s for Tuesday. Any cloud cover leftover from this afternoon's storm activity will clear out overnight as an area of high pressure settles in. As northwesterly winds drag in drier air, dew points fall into the low 60s and even upper 50s by tomorrow afternoon. And with sunshine in the forecast, tomorrow looks to be a better and much more comfortable day to enjoy the outdoors. Just have to get through this muggy Monday.