Temperatures reach the low 70s Tuesday afternoon, with several more 70 degree days expected this week

Southwest winds combined with wall-to-wall sunshine warmed temperatures into the upper 60s and low 70s Tuesday afternoon, with Rockford's high officially reaching 72 degrees. The average high for this time of year should be in the mid 50s. We didn't break any records this afternoon, temperatures could come close to those records later this week.

A strong ridge of high pressure has settled across much of the country pushing the main branch of the jet stream well north into Canada. Sinking air under the ridge, combined with high pressure located over the South and Southeast, has really dried out the atmosphere leaving skies across much of the country mostly clear.

Temperatures Wednesday afternoon will be almost a carbon copy of Tuesday, with highs warming close to 70 degrees during the afternoon. Temperatures may dip just a bit but remain above average Thursday as the day starts off with a bit more cloud cover. However, skies are expected to clear out during the afternoon. The remainder of the week temperatures are forecast to warm back into the low, possibly mid 70s, with that warmth lasting into the weekend. On average, our last 70 degree day typically occurs at the end of October. The earliest our last 70 degree day occurred was back on September 28th, 1959. The latest our last 70 degree day occurred was on November 21st, 1913.

The stretch of 70 degree warmth may also be one for the record books this week. The last time there were three consecutive 70 degree days during the month of November was back in 2008, 11/2 - 11/5. There has never been a time during the month of November where there have been five or seven consecutive 70 degree days, or higher, during the month of November. If Thursday's high temperature does warm into the 70s, we will likely have high temperatures in the 70s straight through the weekend!