Slippery Travel Possible, Flurries Return Friday

Slick Spots Possible:

As we've been hinting at throughout the week, there was a big possibility that the Stateline would miss out on another winter storm. Unfortunately for the snow-lovers around the area, that possibility has become reality. Earlier this morning, the National Weather Service took Whiteside, Lee, and Dekalb counties out of the Winter Weather Advisory, while also shifting the Winter Storm Warnings south of I-80. Locally, slick and icy spots will be possible. Not only because of the mixed precipitation that passed through after midnight, but also because of the moisture left behind by yesterday's rain. With temperatures plunging behind yesterday's cold front, any moisture laying on the roads could freeze, resulting in slippery travel. 

Wind-Whipped Snow:

Our Thursday starts off cloudy and breezy. As we approach mid-day, guidance does bring the second wave of precipitation into the area. Much of what falls locally will be light. 

But because of a gusty wind out of the north and northeast, blowing and drifting snow will be likely throughout the afternoon and into the early portion of the evening commute. Snow chances look to come to an end early this evening, leaving us with a mostly cloudy sky going into the overnight hours. As high pressure settles to our west, skies will clear some, allowing skies to turn partly cloudy by tomorrow morning. Along with the clearing does come a shot of very cold air, which will bringing our overnight lows into the single-digits. 

Late-Day Flurries:

Despite the bitterly cold start to our Friday, we'll see a good amount of sunshine early on. Clouds will gather up somewhat during the afternoon as our next disturbance swings into the northern Great Lakes from the Canadian prairies. Guidance shows a chance for a few flurries arriving Friday evening, lasting into the early hours of Friday night. 

Highs remain in the 20s for the first half of the weekend, with winds picking up out of the south and southwest for Sunday. That will allow highs to reach the mid to upper 40s before dropping back into the 30s for early next week!