Stray Shower Or Two Possible Today, Big CoolDown Arrives Next Week

We're now two days into the fall season, but it's actually felt more like summer. Highs both Tuesday and Wednesday in Rockford have climbed into the upper 70s, which at this point in September is nearly 5 to 10° above average. The past two days have featured plenty of sunshine to go along with these pleasantly warm temperatures. As we head into our Thursday's forecast, we'll start off with hazy sunshine, but cloud cover is expected to increase, ahead of a system that is going to bring our first chance for rain since September 12th. 

Wildfire smoke caught higher up in the atmosphere made for another hazy start to our day, with temperatures dropping down into the low to mid 50s for most. Some may even have experienced a little patchy and shallow fog on their way into work this morning. Once the sun starts heating the atmosphere, fog dissipates and a mix of sun and clouds persist. Skies turn mostly cloudy by the afternoon ahead of a weak low pressure system that will bring us a slight chance for an isolated shower or two. Not everyone is going to see rain later today as shower chances remain very isolated, with the greatest chance showing up over far northwest Illinois. The closer your traveling to Rockford, the lower chances get thanks to an abundantly dry atmosphere. However, we anticipate our best chances to see a few raindrops between 3PM-7PM.

Otherwise, the bigger story is the significant cooldown that is set to arrive early next week. The long range outlook provided by the Climate Prediction Center continues to show a high chance for below average temperatures into the start of October. More specifically for the east half of the lower 48. After a few more days with pleasantly warm temperatures, highs are expected to take a nose dive into the beginning of the next work week thanks to several passing cold fronts.So that's why I've been saying, enjoy every second of this last stint of Summer.

Models have been consistent with the first cold front sliding through overnight Saturday and into Sunday morning. This will help bring temperatures closer to average by Sunday afternoon, with most areas in the lower 70s. Early next week, a stronger cold front looks to aim at the Stateline between Monday evening into Tuesday morning, bringing a bigger drop in high temperatures towards the middle of the work week.  Highs for both Tuesday and Wednesday look to not even make it out of the 50s. On top of the unseasonably chilly afternoon highs, overnight lows next week could get a tad frosty. By the second half of the next work week, overnight lows are set to fall into the low 40s, with the possibility of some making it into the 30s.