Comfortable Weather Continues Ahead of Slow Warm Up

For many across the Stateline, including those that attend Rockford Lutheran, this morning marked the official start of the new school year. Weather-wise, this morning definitely felt like one of those fall-like mornings waiting for the bus at the bus stop. Temperatures overnight, thanks to mostly clear skies and very very light winds at the surface, dropped into the upper 40s in a spot or two. However, most spots ended up in the low 50s, which is the average low temperature for the middle of September. Now, this crisp start is going to lead to another dry and comfortable afternoon across the Stateline, as rain chances remain low until the upcoming weekend. 

"Big bubble, no trouble". That's what my weather director always said when a big area of high pressure would sit over the region. Why is this phrase important? Well, the quiet weather we've had this week is all thanks to this area of high pressure. And it looks like that phrase will hold true for the rest of the work week. After a beautiful afternoon on Tuesday, Wednesday features even more sunshine with the heart of cooler air sitting nearly on top of the Stateline. After this morning's sun-filled start, a few fair weather cumulus clouds will bubble up by the afternoon, with highs climbing into the low 80s. Dew points remain very comfortable for mid-August standards, allowing for a pleasant afternoon for outdoor activities. Conditions remain quiet for tonight, as mostly clear skies will allow for temperatures to bottom out once again, this time into the upper 50s. A return to southerly winds help to pull in slightly warmer temperatures for the back half of the work week. 

So far this week, a dome of high pressure over the southwest United States has trapped the "hottest" air to the west. However, models have been pretty consistent over the last few days showing that ridge expanding eastward a bit in the days to come. This will allow some of that trapped heat to spread eastward, filtering across the Midwest, and then eventually into the Stateline by Friday afternoon. Highs temperatures will climb into the mid 80s tomorrow, but we really won't feel that jump in temperatures until Friday and Saturday. As temperatures climb, so does the humidity. Mugginess is likely, especially by Saturday afternoon ahead of an approaching cold front. Along with the incoming heat and humidity come our next rain chances, especially with that approaching cold front. However, rain chances over the next seven days doesn't look promising.