We were able to squeeze out a few flurries during the early stages of our Monday, which was enough to leave behind a trace at the Rockford Airport. That just tells the story on how this winter is shaping up when it comes to snowfall accumulations.
The only month that showed any sort of bravery against our snowfall deficit was January, which fell short of the average mark by 1.1". As it stands, our seasonal snowfall deficit is sitting at 12.5″, and it’s
increasingly likely that the deficit will grow over the next couple of days. Especially when you take into account the mild temperatures that are expected for the remainder of the week.
Despite plenty of afternoon, highs were limited on Monday to the mid 20s thanks to a brisk and organized northwest wind. As yesterday's high pressure system dove to our southeast, winds made the shift to the south and southwest, keeping temperatures steady overnight.
This wind is expected to become rather gusty by this afternoon, allowing temperatures to quickly climb. Most of our spots look to peak in the upper 30s, with a spot or two either hitting or eclipsing the 40-degree mark. For those doing the math, that is a 10° to 15° jump from highs on Monday. The strongest winds look to occur between 12PM-5PM, with gusts peaking around 25 to 30 mph. Winds will ease up as we approach the evening commute, with a light breeze sticking around overnight. This will bring a slightly warmer start to our day tomorrow, with overnight lows only dropping into the mid to upper 20s.
A weak cold front passing through tonight will quickly shift our winds back to the west northwest, bringing a slight cool-down for Wednesday. Highs are likely to remain in the mid to upper 30s, landing 4° to 8° above average.
Guidance shows another upper-level disturbance tracking to the north of the area. Although this disturbance is the weaker of the two systems, it will have enough moisture to squeeze out a few flurries or very light snow showers. With that being said, it doesn't look like tomorrow's snow chances will have an impact on the roadways. On the backside of Wednesday's disturbance, the coldest air with this upcoming air-mass looks to settle overhead by Thursday morning.
This will help bring temperatures down even further for Thursday afternoon, with most spots struggling to climb out of the 20s. As a second and stronger disturbance tracks to the north, the pressure at the surface is expected to tighten up, allowing our winds to ramp up into Friday morning. With winds turning to the southwest, this will help temperatures climb back to the upper 30s and low 40s Friday afternoon. Ahead of the associated cold front, guidance continues to suggest that we'll have a shot at a wintry mix. Chances come to an end early Friday night, with temperatures dropping into the teens.
No comments:
Post a Comment