Remaining Hot for National Dog Day, Thunderstorm Chances Returning Overnight

Dog Days of Summer:

Summer has shown no signs of slowing down as not only have we had two straight days in the 90s, but the humidity has been quite oppressive. Thankfully, the Stateline dodged severe weather chances Wednesday as the focus was more to the south as an M.C.V, or a Mesoscale Convective Vortex, spiraled into west-central and central Illinois. Even though we were able to avoid thunderstorm chances yesterday, a slow-moving frontal boundary approaching the Stateline from the north-northwest will increase our chances, especially late in the day. 

National Dog Day:

First off, happy National Dog Day to all of our furry friends out there. For those who walk their pups before heading into work, conditions are quiet under a partly cloudy to mostly clear sky. But that, along with light winds and an abundance of low-lying moisture may allow for fog to develop. Similar to Wednesday morning, it doesn't look like it will be dense enough for extra caution to be needed. Any fog that develops should give way to mixed sunshine, with the weather remaining dry into the afternoon. 

Pet Safety:

Winds ahead of this frontal boundary will be out of the southeast, allowing temperatures to top out on either side of the 90-degree mark this afternoon. Dew points look to stay in the low 90s, pushing heat index values into the mid to upper 90s. Putting the extra steps in your daily routine is going to be key to keep you safe from the heat. It'll also be important to pass that along to your pets. After mid-day, make sure their walks are short, and off of hot surfaces such as the pavement. With highs around 90 today, remember that pavement temps can be around 150 in direct sunlight.

Storm Chances Overnight:

An isolated thunderstorm will be possible late in the day. However, our best chances arrive overnight into Friday morning. As of this morning, most of the Stateline has been placed in a Marginal Risk, level 1 of 5 for severe weather by the Storm Prediction Center. Areas to the west, including those in Jo Daviess, Carroll, and Whiteside counties, have been placed under a Slight Risk, level 2 of 5. Areas to the west will be most favored due to the earlier arrival of the storms. Gusty winds will be our primary severe weather threat. Even if severe weather does not materialize here, extremely heavy rainfall will be possible area-wide.