Cold Front Brings Slightly Cooler Air to the Stateline, Snow Melt Continues

If you thought Monday felt good, how about what momma nature gave us yesterday? And yes, I was that guy. As soon as I got home, I changed out of my sweatpants and put on a pair of shorts. The combination of the sunshine, along with the westerly to southwesterly wind, made for the warmest day of the year for many. Temperatures at the Chicago-Rockford Airport climbed up to 45°, which also became the warmest day for us since December 27th. As we roll into the middle of the work week, a cold front working through the area this morning will help filter in our next batch of cooler air. Thankfully, temperatures will only fall by a couple of degrees. 

Ahead of this morning's cold front, temperatures were very slow to drop. Similar to Tuesday morning, a lingering breeze, this time out of the west-southwest, resulted in a very slow cool down. Temperatures as you walk out the door this morning are ranging from the low 30s out west, to the upper 30s here in Rockford. If you plan on heading out early on, make sure to put on a jacket. Winds behind this morning's cold frontal passage are expected to shift to the northwest, which will bring a slight chill to the air. Once the cold front is to the east of the area, winds will remain breezy into the afternoon. West to northwest winds could approach 25 mph at times, before slowly winding down before the evening commute. Highs won't be as warm as yesterday, but will still manage to reach the upper 30s-low 40s.

Thanks to back-to-back 40° days, you may have noticed that the snowpack in your yard has decreased in size. In fact, we’ve seen two inches of snow melt at the Rockford Airport. Now, that doesn't sound like much, but in my opinion, it's a start. Temperatures are expected to remain above the freezing mark in the upcoming days, which mean more melting is likely. Conditions remain dry, with sunshine in the forecast for both Thursday and Friday, with highs in the mid to upper 30s. This means that we'll see the amount of snow that's in our yards continue to shrink. That may sound like good news, but it's going to be important to prepare your place of residence for the impacts the rapid snow melt can bring. Overnight lows the next few nights look to drop into the teens, which could result in a few icy/slick spots for travelers.