Temperatures Slowly Rise Ahead of Late Week Big Changes

The new work week is underway and with it comes a continuation of last week's stubborn clouds. Despite the cloud cover, dry conditions will hold on for a bit longer. This dry stretch will eventually come to an end, leading to big changes by the end of the work week. These changes include the return of snow chances, and that January-like chill. 

Rewinding back to last week, last Monday began with a layer of very dense/freezing fog. Thankfully, that isn't the case this morning. Winds across the area to start are ranging between 5-15 mph, which is considered too strong for fog to fully thicken up. A proper environment for dense fog to form is clear skies, available low-level moisture, and calm winds at the surface. A few spots are reporting slightly reduced visibility, but nothing too substantial to slow your morning travels down. 

Along with the cloudy skies, temperatures are chilly to start. Those who left early on this morning walked out to temperatures in the low to mid 20s. Wind chills for most sank even further into the teens. Before you make your way out the door, be sure to bundle up. Winds today are expected to remain gusty, with gusts approaching 20-25 mph at times. This will help keep wind chills down in the upper teens and low 20s during the afternoon. So this chilly feel to the air is set to stick around throughout the day. Under a mostly cloudy sky, temperatures will once again top out in the upper 20s, with a few landing in the low 30s. Which may sound cold, but upper 20s is considered seasonable for this time in January.

At this point, I think it's safe to say we can put out an APB or a reward for the sun. Following a relatively cloudy day, Tuesday also features quite a bit of cloud cover to start. However, there is some good news to tomorrow's forecast. Hi-res models continue to show morning clouds slowly giving way to some afternoon sunshine. Better grab a picture or take some time to head outside and enjoy it, because this will be our best shot at sunshine throughout the next 7 days (insert sad face). Under a partly to mostly cloudy sky, temperatures will climb back into the low to mid 30s. We'll continue to see temperatures on the rise into the middle of the work week, before highs come crashing down into the upcoming weekend.

Wednesday and Thursday both feature high temperatures in the mid to upper 30s. Thursday is likely going to be the warmest day of the next 7 days, but it does come with the threat for rain and snow. Thursday is considered what Meteorologist like to call a "transition" day. Temperatures here at home are about to go from seasonably warm to seasonably cool. Models indicate that a big dip in the jet stream is set to occur on Thursday, allowing a very cold air mass to filter southward. 

At the surface, a strong cold front has been shown sliding through the Stateline late in the afternoon, with temperatures making it into the upper 30s before the frontal passage. Along with that cold front, a wintry mix looks to develop. At this point, it looks to be more in the form of rain or a chilly rain since temperatures are expected to climb into the upper 30s. However, as colder air rushes in behind the front, a transition to all snow can be expected. If this were to pan out, snowfall accumulations look to remain pretty light as scattered snow showers linger through Friday.