Sunday's high temperature the coldest in over two years in the Stateline

It's been quite some time since northern Illinois has experienced temperatures that failed to reach above zero degrees. Officially the high temperature in Rockford on Sunday, February 7th, was -1 degrees -- 33 degrees below average!

The last time the high temperature in Rockford remained below zero was back on January 31st, 2019, when the high was a balmy -2 degrees. It was also that morning that the temperature fell to -31 degrees, breaking the all-time record low in Rockford. The day before, January 30th, the high temperature was only -13 degrees! We should rise above zero degrees Monday afternoon, but it will be far from warm. High temperatures throughout the week will remain in the single digits, to low teens, straight through the end of the week and weekend.

This colder pattern looks to remain in place through possibly the end of February as a strong blocking pattern holds tight across the United States. Ridging up over Alaska, combined with a blocking high pressure system over Greenland, has allowed a true Arctic air mass to spill southward into the Midwest and Great Lakes. This will help hold temperatures well below average through what looks to be the last week of February. 

Periodic light snow showers will also occur throughout the week, with the first arriving Sunday night, as weaker disturbances move through the jet stream. With the jet stream overhead through mid-week, the chance for light snow returns roughly every other day. These won't be big snow makers, but enough to fluff up to a couple inches. And with very cold temperatures in place, these lighter snow showers will stick easily to the roadways.