Potential for Late Season Snow Sunday Morning

After a cool end to the first full week of May, a taste of winter may be in store just in time for Mother’s Day with the possibility of seeing a few snowflakes.

On Friday, Rockford failed to escape the 50’s for the first time since April 25^th having reached a high of 59°, 9° shy of the normal daily high of 68°. After a cool night which brought frost to areas of the Stateline, the same high temperature was achieved on Saturday. With a storm system moving through the area and temperatures expected to fall back into the 30’s overnight, some snow maybe joining the cooler weather.

Through the afternoon on Saturday, a strengthening system of low pressure centered over the central Plains began throwing up rain showers as far north as South Dakota. These showers expanded in coverage as they pushed eastward into the Midwest early in the evening. Rain began falling on the Stateline around the 4 o’clock hour and they filled in as the system moved to the east. At the time of publication, late Saturday evening, widespread showers are falling on the most of the Stateline with pockets of heavier rain embedded within. Temperatures as of 9:00 PM have already fallen into the lower 40’s across most of the area and will eventually drop into the 30’s as cool easterly winds move over the Stateline. Being in the cool sector of the storm system, temperatures drop below freezing not far above the surface and that will be especially true through the overnight hours. This means that there is the potential for snow to make it to the ground overnight and into the early morning hours of Sunday. Depending on the snowfall rate and whether the snow is alone or mixed with rainfall, there could be some minor slushy accumulations found across a portion of the area. The greatest chance for minor snow accumulations sits along and south of I-88. Although, if measurable snow were to land in Rockford, it would be the first time since 1990 and only the fifth time in recorded history that measurable snow has fallen in the city during the month of May. This possibility for snow or a wintry mix should dissipate within and a couple of hours following sunrise.

Rain will slowly taper off to the southeast through midmorning on Sunday with a slight chance for a few light, lingering showers lasting until around noon. Through the afternoon, clouds will gradually break up leaving the Stateline under partly cloudy conditions likely by the early evening allowing for a few good hours of sunshine before the sun sets on Mother’s Day. Temperatures will once again be stuck in the 50’s and that will likely be the case on Monday as well. 60’s should return to the Stateline on Tuesday and temperatures will gradually get warmer as the middle of the week is expected to be dry and feature a good amount of sunshine. 70’s are forecast to return on Friday and last into the weekend. However, as of Saturday night, it appears a chance for more rain and possibly a couple of thunderstorms will also be arriving just in time for next weekend.