Seasonable Start to the Work Week, Cooler by Tuesday

Winds were the main headline over the weekend, especially during the day on Sunday. Some areas, including the Rockford area, observed gusts surpassing 50 mph. Although winds this morning were substantially lighter, but will once again ramp as we head into the afternoon. 

After cloud cover dominated much of the weekend, clear skies have made their return to the Stateline. That resulted in a chilly morning to kick off the work week, as temperatures were sitting about 10 to 20 degree cooler than temperatures on Sunday morning. However, remember that light wind I mentioned? Although it was primarily out of the southwest, it was just enough to drop our wind chills values into the teens in a few spots. It would be wise to add on an extra or two before scampering off for the day ahead.

Highs to kick off a new work week top out in the upper 40s under a mix of clouds and sunshine. Although upper 40s sounds chilly, it's actually on par with where highs should be for this time of year. Throughout the morning, a quick-moving Alberta clipper has been propagating across the Upper Midwest, bringing snow to portions of North Dakota and Minnesota. This system is expected to slide to the north of the region by early this afternoon. Not only bringing a few more clouds into the area, but also providing a slim chance for a spotty shower or two. However, hi-res models have been pretty consistent with keeping most of the precipitation to the north. If we manage to see precipitation fall to the surface, it's likely going to be in the form of a light rain, with chances coming to an end after 3-4PM. 

Behind today's clipper system, an area of high pressure is expected to slowly slide down from the Upper Midwest into Tuesday morning. Due to the direction in which the high is coming from, winds across the Stateline will shift to the northwest overnight tonight. As cooler air filters in from the northwest, highs Tuesday afternoon will only manage to climb into the low 40s, a good 5 to 10 degrees below average. At times, winds could gust up to 20-25 mph., which will allow wind chills to stick around the upper 20-low 30s for most of the day. However, I do have some good news. If you aren't crazy about this November-like chill, have no fear because warmer temperatures are closer than you think. Highs in the 40s on Tuesday will quickly be replaced by 50s and 60s starting midweek.Thursday high of 62 degrees is normally something we see during the middle of October.