Cooler, Less Humid Weather Follows Wednesday's Cold Frontal Passage

Wednesday's Storm:

Wednesday went from 0 to 100 real quick as one lone cell had enough rotation with it to become tornado warned. As this tornado warned storm tracked eastward across Stephenson county and northern Winnebago county, it was able to produce a few low-hanging wall clouds and a few brief funnels. But from what I've seen, there haven't been any reports of these funnels touching down, or any reports of damage. After this storm became outflow-dominant and weakened, a few more showers and thunderstorms were able to pop-up along with the cold front itself during the evening hours. But thankfully, none of these featured any severe characteristics, producing only heavy rainfall and sporadic strong winds.

Much More Comfortable:

Now, for those who have been wanting a break from the recent heat and humidity, I have great news for you. IT'S FINALLY HERE! Behind this frontal boundary, our winds at the surface shifted to the north and northeast, allowing a cooler and less humid air-mass to filter in. You'll definitely notice the difference once you take your first step outside this morning, as temperatures are running 5° to 15° cooler compared to Wednesday morning. This cooler start to our day is a sign for things to come, as this afternoon features high temperatures that we typically see towards the end of May.

Clouds look to stick around for much of our Thursday, with a little clearing expected before sunset. That combination of the cloud cover and northeasterly flow will contribute to an unseasonably chilly and much less humid day, with temperatures likely topping out in the low 70s. As a weak area of high pressure spreads across the Great Lakes, skies will turn partly cloudy overnight, leading to some sunshine for the start of our Friday. Skies will be quick to cloud over once again as our next disturbance slides in from the northwest by Friday afternoon. Guidance shows a few showers developing early in the afternoon, with chances extending into the evening. For those that are planning to head downtown for Rockford's City Market, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have the rain gear close by!