More Sunshine Ahead, Dry for the Upcoming Weekend

More Sunshine Ahead:

Friday begins on a chilly note, with temperatures back in the low to mid 40s. Once the sun is up, we can expect a quick warm up into the afternoon, with highs peaking around 70s degrees. 

Despite the fact that this area of high pressure has moved further to the east, we can still expect sunshine from beginning to end. Conditions remain quiet for both the drive home later and for all the high school football games that are scheduled this evening. 

Tranquil Weekend:  

As we discussed yesterday, a blocking pattern looks to set up in the upper-levels of the atmosphere over the upcoming weekend. 

This helps keep any opportunity for rain away, leaving us with more sunshine. Highs will end up a few degrees warmer on Saturday before cooling back down into the 60s for Sunday. In other words, beautiful weather if you have plans to go out to the pumpkin patch, any of our local apple orchards, or to even decorating for Halloween! Have a great weekend folks! 

Hurricane Ian strengthens as it moves into the Atlantic

After making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane Wednesday afternoon near Fort Meyers, FL, heavy rain and wind continued to wreck havoc across the state of Florida. Eventually Ian 'weakened' to a tropical storm as it moved towards the east coast of Florida, but was quick to strengthen back to a Category 1 hurricane Thursday evening.

The storm is currently moving to the north/northeast at 10 mph. Maximum sustained winds are 75 mph and pressure has gone up to 986mb. The storm will continue to move to the north/northeast before turning more northwest, making its third landfall near Charleston, SC Friday afternoon. Wind speeds are expected to strengthen to near 80 mph early Friday morning. Heavy rain, flooding, storm surge and strong winds can be expected along the coastline of South and North Carolina.

As the storm moves further inland, it'll continue to weaken before getting caught up in the jet stream by the weekend.  

Ian Now A Tropical Storm, Sets It's Eyes on the Carolinas

Another High-End Landfall:

Once the southwest Florida coastline was sitting in the middle of Ian's eye, landfall became official. 

Ian is now the 6th high-end tropical cyclone (category 4+) to landfall on U.S soil since 2017. In a similar fashion to Michael back in 2018, Ian continued to intensify prior to landfall, registering maximum sustained winds up to 150-155 mph.

Latest on Ian:

Of course, the storm surge was the biggest concern as this powerful tropical cyclone moved onshore, reaching catastrophic and life-threatening levels in areas such as Fort Myers, Charlotte Harbor, Englewood, and Bonita Beach.   

As of the 5AM advisory from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Ian has been downgraded to a high-end tropical storm with winds up to 65 mph.

From it's current location, Ian's center is expected to move off the east-central Florida coastline later today and then move into South Carolina on Friday. 

The rich-tropical moisture that Ian's remnants bring inland could result in 6" to as much as 10" of rain for areas across the eastern Carolinas and the DelMarVa (Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia).

Frost Advisory Early, Sun-Filled Stretch Continues

Next Frost Advisory:

With less cloud cover hovering over our heads overnight, temperatures across the region had a much better opportunity to rapidly cool. 

If you plan to head out early, grab your thicker coat as temperatures will be sitting in the mid to upper 30. This is also cool enough for patchy frost to form in some spots. That is why the National Weather Service has placed the entire region under a frost advisory until 7AM. In a similar fashion to Wednesday, plenty of sunshine will follow the expiration of this advisory. 

Another Sun-Filled Day:

A glimpse at the early morning surface analysis shows a massive area of high pressure sitting over the Great Lakes. The location of this system will help shift our winds to the southeast by mid-day, which should be enough to bring our high temperatures up by a few degrees. 

Skies remain mostly clear overnight, with lows falling into the lower 40s prior to sunrise. Although still chilly, the slightly warmer start will lessen the chance for us to see patchy frost. With southeast winds remaining in place Friday, temperatures should take another step in the warmer direction under plenty of sunshine. For the first time since Sunday, temperatures are to at least approach the 70-degree mark. 

Blocking Pattern:

As we jump into the weekend, a blocking pattern sets up in the upper-levels of the atmosphere. This will stall out the low that's well to the west, and keep the remnants of what was hurricane Ian away from N. Illinois and S. Wisconsin. 

Expect dry conditions to dominate through the weekend and into much of next week. During this stretch, we can expect temperatures to remain near seasonable, in the upper 60s and low 70s. Again, beautiful weather if you have plans to enjoy some fall festivities. Whether that be going out to the pumpkin patch, any of our local apple orchards, or even decorating for Halloween!

Ian Undergoes An Eyewall Replacement Cycle, Now Sits Just Shy of Category 5 Status

Tropical Terminology:

Hurricane Ian, a powerful category 4 hurricane in the southeast Gulf of Mexico, underwent whats called an Eyewall Replacement Cycle overnight. 

This frequently happens when a tropical cyclone reaches a certain intensity (category 3 or higher). In the storm's center, a secondary area of organized thunderstorms forms and contracts inward, replacing the old eyewall. 

Once this process is fully underway, it puts a brief pause on the strengthening. But it does increase the size and wind field of the stronger winds around the eye. With the eyewall replacement cycle now complete, Ian has room for more strengthening before making landfall this afternoon. 

Latest on Ian:

The latest from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) shows that Ian has strengthened into a high-end category 4 storm, with winds up to 155 mph. This lands just shy of the highest level in which tropical cyclones can be rated, category 5 (157mph +). 

Ian is moving to the north-northeast at 10 mph, and is expected to make landfall late this morning into the early afternoon between Tampa Bay and Cape Coral. It's in these areas that the storm surge will reach catastrophic levels, ranging from 12ft to 16ft. Further inland is where the severe threat lies throughout the day. In a similar fashion to what we saw yesterday, storms embedded in the outer bands will be capable of all severe hazards, including a few tornadoes. 

Frost Advisory In Effect, Another Frosty Night Ahead

Frost Advisory:

If you left your vehicle outside overnight, don't be surprised if you walk out the door this morning and see a little frost on it. Now, if you live in Rockford, you may have less of a chance to see patchy frost compare to those who live in open areas. 

For that, a Frost Advisory will remain in effect for Winnebago, Dekalb, Ogle, Lee, Carroll, Whiteside, Stephenson, and Jo-Daviess County in northern Illinois, as well as Green County up in southern Wisconsin until 8AM. Once this advisory has expired, a worry-free day lies ahead as sunshine is expected to dominate from beginning to end. However, in a similar fashion to the past couple days, a northerly wind will again limit our warm-up, with highs likely only to reach the low 60s. 

Another Frosty Night:

Clear skies and even lighter winds overnight means that frost will be a possibility again for Thursday morning. Expect lows to fall in a similar range to this morning, in the mid to upper 30s. With high pressure sitting over the Great Lakes, Thursday will also feature quite a bit of sun. 

The location of this high will help change our winds to the southeast by the mid-day hours, which should be enough to bring our high temperatures up by a few degrees. Dry conditions also remain in place for Friday. In fact, forecast models show this dry stretch of weather sticking around into the middle of next week. To me, that sounds like plenty of opportunities to head out and enjoy some fall festivities. Whether that be going out to the pumpkin patch, any of our local apple orchards, or even decorating for Halloween!

Tropical Update: Ian Officially Makes It's First Landfall In Western Cuba

Ian's First Landfall:

Earlier this morning, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) confirmed that hurricane Ian made it's first landfall in western Cuba. 

At the time of landfall, Ian was still in the process of rapidly strengthening, registering maximum sustained winds up to 125 mph (category 3). This is the strongest hurricane to make landfall in Cuba since Irma (category 5) back in 2017. 

Now, with how skinny the western portion of Cuba is, it shouldn't take long for it's center to emerge over the warm waters of the Gulf. This along with generally low atmospheric wind shear will allow this powerful storm gain back any strength that it lost while sliding over the Island of Cuba. 

The NHC suggests that Ian will make a brief run category 4 strength before spiraling into a weakening trend. However, Ian is still expected to be a major hurricane when it reaches the Florida's west coast. Areas that have been placed under a Storm Surge Warning can expect life-threatening storm surge, with the highest risk from Fort Myers to the Tampa Bay region. Residents in these areas should listen to advice given by local officials.

Severe Threat:

Of course, with any land-falling tropical cyclone comes the high potential for severe weather. Quick-moving storms embedded in the outer bands of a hurricane will be highly capable of producing all severe hazards, including tornadoes. 

For that, the Storm Prediction Center has placed a good portion of Florida under a Slight Risk (level 2 of 5) today, tomorrow, and on Thursday.

Cold Tuesday Ahead, Patchy Frost Possible Overnight

Much Cooler Tuesday:

Fall has made it's presence well-known since the seasonal change last Thursday. In fact, the 90-degree weather we had just a week ago feels like a distant memory because of how chilly it has been. 

To refresh your memory, Rockford just made it to the 90-degree mark last Tuesday. But take that number, subtract about 32-degrees from it, and you have the high temperature for today. 

High pressure remains in control. Which means that bright sunshine, along with a few afternoon clouds, can be expected. 

While not as strong, winds remain chilly out of the north and northwest, gusting up to 20-25 mph at times during the afternoon. This will bring our high temperatures down a few degrees from Monday, with most landing in the upper 50s. 

A mostly clear sky and lighter breeze overnight will further increase the cooling process, landing temperatures in the low 40s for most. However, some low-lying and open areas may wake up in the upper 30s come Wednesday morning. As we've been hinting at since the weekend, this brings the possibility for patchy frost to develop. Frost will once again also be possible Thursday morning.

Trending Upward:

Temperatures will once again struggle to climb out of the 50s Wednesday. However, improvements in the temperature department will slowly filter in as we approach the weekend. 

With a more southerly to southeasterly tilt in our winds, highs will trend upward into upper 60s by Friday, then to the lower 70s come Saturday. In the rainfall department however, all is quiet as forecast models keep away any chance for rain into early next week.

Tropical Update: Ian Becomes the 4th Hurricane of the Season

Latest on Ian:

The latest from the National Hurricane Center shows that Ian strengthened into the 4th hurricane of the 2022 season overnight. Right now, Ian is a low-end category 1 storm with peak winds up to 75 mph. 

With how extremely warm the waters are in the Caribbean Sea, we can expect this storm to undergo the process of rapid intensification. This is when the maximum sustained winds of a tropical cyclone increase at least 30 knots over a 24 hour period.

Ian's Track:

By the time the storm comes off the eastern coast of Cuba, it'll be on the verge of category 4 strength with winds up near 140 mph. Forecast models from there have Ian weakening ahead of landfall as it interacts with trough over the eastern U.S. Regardless of the storm's strength on approach, those who live from Tampa Bay north into the Florida panhandle should have their preparations in check.

Breezy Monday Ahead, Cooler Nights to Follow

Chilly Start: 

It sure was nice to see a good amount of sun on Sunday following Saturday's thick cloud cover. 

High temperatures for most peaked in the lower 70s, with the Rockford Airport just hitting the 70° mark. The work week begins on a cooler note as northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin are waking up in the mid to upper 40s. 

Compared to temperatures Sunday morning, this lands about 5° to 10° cooler. So before you take that first step out the door, make sure to grab your favorite sweatshirt or jacket to stay warm. The cooler start to the day tells the tale for the rest of our Monday and also gives a hint on what to expect moving forward.

Breezy Monday:

In a similar fashion to Sunday, the surface pressure locally is expected to tighten up, resulting in quite the wind for the afternoon hours. Winds for the most part will be blowing out of the north and northwest, with gusts peaking near 30 mph. 

Despite the fact that today features a bit more sunshine, that chilly wind will bring highs back into the lower 60s. Any clouds that are hovering overhead during the afternoon is expected to clear out after sunset. That, along with lighter surface winds will allow temperatures to rapidly cool even further into Tuesday morning. When all’s said and done, we can expect lower 40s for the Rockford area, though upper 30s are likely in some of our cooler, outlying spots. 

Chilly Nights Ahead:

A backdoor cold front (a front that moves in from the north/northeast) looks to slide through during the early stages of Tuesday. This will allow an even cooler air-mass to slides into the Great Lakes region, resulting in cooler days and cooler night. 

Expect high temperatures to fall into the upper 50s by Wednesday afternoon, with overnight lows getting VERY closer to patchy frost criteria. Clouds may become present Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, which should limit our frost potential. However, overnight lows for both Tuesday and Wednesday night will fall into the mid to upper 30s. Compared to late-September standards, this lands roughly 15° to 20° cooler. Improvements in the temperature department doesn't look to arrive until the weekend. However, the rainfall department looks to shut down for a bit as a strong area of high pressure remains in control for much of the next 7 days! 

 

Isolated severe weather Sunday evening

 

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING remains in effect for McHenry County until 7:45pm Sunday. This is for a line of thunderstorms moving into northeast Illinois. However, the strongest part of the storm is currently over Lake County.

This line of thunderstorms is currently moving to the southeast at 55 mph and has had a history of producing wind damage across southeast Wisconsin. Further to the west, additional showers have been moving into north-central Illinois and may be capable of a few stronger wind gusts, as well as heavy downpours. This activity will continue to move to the southeast through 8:30pm. After that, drier skies are expected through the night. 

When can Northern Illinois Expect It's First Freeze?

Temperatures across northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin are getting cooler and cooler by the day. And it's only a matter of time before we wake up and see frost on our windshields and lawns. 

With that topic in mind, our average first Fall freeze is only a few weeks away. On average, the first 32 degree temperature reading usually occurs within the first week to week and a half of October. The earliest the temperature fell to 32 degrees was September 22nd, and the latest was October 28th. The average first hard freeze, temperature of 28 degrees or colder, typically occurs by mid-October. The earliest date the temperature fell to 28 degrees was September 30th, and the latest November 17th. 

Here's a look the average first freeze for our other areas across the Stateline! 

Freeport - October 19th

Galena - October 20th 

Savanna - October 10th

Belvidere - October 16th

Sterling - October 12th

Few Late-Day Showers, Chill Sticks Around Well into Next Week

Another Fall-Like Day:

Fall was definitely in the air on Thursday as highs for most spots peaked in the low 60s. With a little clearing taking place overnight, the first "full" day of Autumn begins with an even cooler morning, with temperatures in the low 40s. 

Before you head out this morning, make sure to brew up that hot cup of coffee and have an extra layer or two on to stay warm.

Some sunshine is in the works ahead of a weak disturbance that will help gather up clouds into the afternoon. A few spotty sprinkles, or light showers, are possible mid to late Friday afternoon as a warm front nears the region, but any rainfall amounts should remain minimal. 

In a similar fashion to Thursday, high temperatures will end up cooler-than-average, peaking in the low 60s. Skies from there will dry out some during the evening, but another round of light showers is expected to move in with the actual warm front late tonight into early Saturday morning. 

Parade of Cold Fronts:

Quickly behind the warm front, temperatures for the first half of the weekend will slowly climb back into the 70s. However, the associated cold front looks to move in by Saturday evening, dropping highs back into the 60s for Sunday. 

If you have any late-weekend plans, you may need to keep an eye on the radar. Sunday features the possibility for an isolated shower or two as well as a gusty afternoon breeze out of the northwest. 

Continued Chill:

The big weather headline for next week is the "more intense" cooldown that could follow a secondary backdoor cold front. 

The cooler air-mass behind this frontal passage will help drop highs into the upper 50s by midweek, with overnight lows POSSIBLY falling into the upper 30s. Much of next week however looks to remain dry as a strong area of high pressure takes hold of our atmosphere.

Cooler weather settles in Thursday; Light showers possible Friday afternoon

 Temperatures Thursday definitely felt more fall-like as highs remained in the low to mid 60s under partly sunny skies. The official high temperature in Rockford reached 65 degrees. Skies were filled with flat, fair weather cumulus clouds during the afternoon, but those have since faded leaving us with a mostly clear sky.

The clear sky won't last through the entire night as cloud cover is expected to move back in Friday morning. This will limit just how cold temperatures get during the morning, but it'll still remain brisk with lows dropping into the low 40s. Where skies are clear a little longer, a few spots may bottom out right at 40 degrees.

Cloud cover will continue to increase throughout the day as winds turn to the south, pulling in a little moisture ahead of a cold front. This will leave our Friday afternoon under a mostly cloudy sky and temperatures only reaching the low 60s.

A few sprinkles, or light showers, are possible mid to late Friday afternoon as the warm front nears, but any rainfall amounts should remain light. Skies will dry out for the evening, but another round of rain is
expected to move in with the warm front late Friday night/early Saturday morning. These showers will produce a little more rain, but totals are still expected to remain below a tenth of an inch. Skies will start cloudy Saturday morning, but drier air working in behind the warm front should allow more sunshine to poke through during the afternoon. Winds pick up from the southwest, bringing temperatures close to 70 degrees. We could be a little warmer, depending on how fast skies are able to clear. 

A cold front will be quick to move in Saturday evening which could bring another light shower or two, but we'll maintain a mostly cloudy sky through the night. Highs on Sunday will warm to only the upper 60s, right around 70 degrees.
   

Fall-Like Weather Arrives for the Seasonal Change, Showers Possible Friday

Seasonal Change:

At 8:03PM this evening, the sun's energy will be focused right over the Earth's equator, marking the start of Autumn for the northern Hemisphere. 

It's on this day that our daylight hours and night time hours are roughly the same. Following the autumnal equinox, the Earth will begin to tilt away from the sun, resulting in shorter days and longer nights. For those that live south of the equator, it's the opposite as they prepare to jump into their spring. Now, are we going to see fall weather just in time for the seasonal change? You bet your bottom dollar we will! And it's all thanks to the strong cold front that came through on Wednesday. 

Breezy, Cooler Day Ahead:

Overnight, a major cool-down commenced, quickly placing our temperatures on either side of the 40-degree mark. 

You more than likely want to have on an extra layer before stepping out the door. While plenty of sunshine lies ahead, a gusty northerly breeze will significantly slow down the warming process, landing highs in the lower 60s. As we've said previously, our forecast high temperature of 63° would be the coolest since the 62° high we recorded back on May 21st. With skies remaining clear for a good chunk of the night tonight, expect an even cooler start to the day tomorrow. 

Few Showers Friday:

Friday begins with mixed sunshine. However, cloud cover is expected to increase towards the afternoon as a weak disturbance slides into the western Great Lakes. 

Accompanying the additional cloud cover will be a few light showers, with chances increasing into Friday night. While the first half of our weekend may feature a lingering shower or two, we can expect sunshine and 70s to return by Saturday afternoon. Another cold front sliding through Sunday will bring us back down into the 60s for the end of the weekend and the start of next week.

Average First Fall Freeze

 
Temperatures will feel more fall-like following a strong cold front Wednesday afternoon, although during the afternoon we held on to quite a bit of warmth as highs once again made it above average. With the increase in cloud cover, however, and the colder air mass moving in, temperatures will continue their fall down into the upper 40s by Thursday morning.

Overnight lows a couple nights this week will drop into the low 40s, but the 30s should hold off - at least for now. Looking ahead into next week, it's possible that an even cooler air mass moves in which could bring us closer to the 30s a couple nights.

Even though temperatures won't be close to freezing, our average first Fall freeze in only a few weeks away. On average, the first 32 degree temperature reading usually occurs within the first week to week and a half of October. The earliest the temperature fell to 32 degrees was September 22nd, and the latest was October 28th. The average first hard freeze, temperature of 28 degrees or colder, typically occurs by mid-October. The earliest date the temperature fell to 28 degrees was September 30th, and the latest November 17th.  

Temperatures Tumble Big-Time Following Tuesday's 90-degree Weather

Changing Seasons:

Well, it took a while but 90-degree weather finally made it's way back to northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Officially, Rockford registered a high of 90-degrees Tuesday afternoon, marking the warmest day in a month and a half. 

But just as quick as we were to crank up the heat, a strong cold front sweeping through will help bring big changes for the days to come.

Ahead of this cold front, we can expect a warm and muggy start. Temperatures as you walk out the door this morning will be sitting in the lower 70s. Partial sunshine early on should give way to more cloud cover as we approach mid-day. 

Along with the increase in cloud cover does come the opportunity for a stray sprinkle or light rain shower during the afternoon. As for temperatures, we’ll expect them to peak in the early to mid afternoon hours in the mid to upper 70s. 

Late-Week Chill:

Models continued to cool low-level temperatures overnight into Thursday, allowing overnight lows to fall into the upper 40s. So, it's safe to say that it will be time to break out that extra layer or two on if you plan to leave early Thursday. 

Despite there being mixed sunshine from start to finish Thursday, a cool northerly breeze will result in the coolest day since mid to late May. Expect highs to be limited to the low 60s for Friday as well. However, warmer flow moving in over the weekend will help bring temperatures back near late-September standards. The one thing we'll have to keep an eye on is a pair of cold fronts during the Sunday-Monday time frame. This looks to quickly bring an end this weekend's climb in temperatures as highs look to fall back into the 60s early next week. 

Isolated severe storms Tuesday afternoon

UPDATE: All severe thunderstorm warnings and watches have been canceled. 
 

UPDATE: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH is now in effect for McHenry and DeKalb counties until 8pm, however, most of the severe storm activity is moving out of the area and towards the Chicago suburbs.

A new Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for northeast Rock County and northwest Walworth County until 3:45pm. The severe warned storm is located from near Lake Mills to near Cambridge, moving southeast at 25 mph and capable of producing quarter size hail.

Additional isolated thunderstorms will continue, mostly across southern Wisconsin, through the afternoon. The severe warned storm for northwest Green County has been canceled. 

Warmth Peaks Today, Significant Cool-Down Ahead

Warmth Peaks Today:

Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin experienced a beautiful September day to kick off the work week. Skies were sun-filled from start to finish, humidity remained low, and highs peaked in the upper 70s and low 80s. Aside from an isolated early morning thunderstorm or two, Tuesday also features a good amount of sunshine. 

However, Monday's northeasterly wind shifts to the south-southwest today, becoming a bit breezy by the afternoon. This will allow highs to inch closer to the 90° mark, a feat Rockford has hit 19 times this year. However, it's not uncommon for us see temperatures this warm so late in the season. In fact, Rockford witnessed its latest 90° day back on October 9th, 2010. So a little over a decade ago.

Capped Atmosphere:

Now, model guidance does show sufficient parameters in place for the potential for a few late-day showers and thunderstorms. However, with a decently-sized layer of warm air sitting just above the surface, a "cap" will be present. Typically, you need the temperature profile in the atmosphere to cool with height for thunderstorm growth and development.

However, when you have this "cap" or "atmospheric lid" in place, air rising into this layer becomes cooler than the surrounding air, limiting the ability for thunderstorms to mature. If anything does manage to break the cap later, the odds of it becoming severe are very low. Tonight remains quiet for the most part, with temperatures falling on either side of the 70° mark.

Wednesday's Cold Front:

Right around sunrise is when we can expect our next cold front to arrive. Cloud cover is then expected to increase shortly after the frontal passage takes place, with winds quickly turning to the north and northwest. 

This cooler breeze will allow a much cooler and fall-like air-mass to filter in from the Upper Midwest, resulting in a steady temperature drop. By Wednesday afternoon, temperatures will be sitting in the mid to upper 70s, with upper 40s expected overnight. Despite Thursday featuring a bit more sunshine, that gusty northwesterly wind will limit highs to the lower 60s. To put this upcoming chill into perspective, we haven't seen highs in the low 60s since late May.

Warm & Humid Ahead of Wednesday's Fall Front

What You Need To Know:

#1: Early Week Warmth - Warmer flow slides in, allowing high temperatures to approach the 90-degree mark by Tuesday afternoon.

#2: Wednesday's Cold Front - A much more fall-like air-mass filters in behind Wednesday's strong frontal passage, cooling highs down by 10°-15°. 

Today's Forecast:

Lingering moisture in the low-levels may bring the potential for patchy dense fog during the morning commute. Otherwise, we can expect a fairly quiet start to the new week, with high temperatures climbing back into the lower 80s. 

Overnight into Tuesday, forecast models lift a warm front through N. Illinois and S. Wisconsin, which could be responsible for a few early morning showers and thunderstorms. Thankfully with this round, the threat for severe weather remains very low. Expect lows to land near 60-degrees. 

Next Cold Front:

Once the morning round fully comes to a close, the rest of Tuesday looks to feature a good amount of sunshine. Highs will be a bit warmer thanks to a decent southerly to southwesterly breeze. 

Another cold front may spark a few more showers and thunderstorms late Tuesday, with chances possibly lingering into the early stages of Wednesday. However, the more important headline with this particular frontal passage is going to be the big-time cool down that follows. This will bring a more fall-like air-mass to the Great Lakes just in time for when we're ready to jump into the fall season.

Fall Equinox:

Temperatures by Wednesday afternoon will be sitting in the lower 70s, with continued cooling occurring into Wednesday night. By the time you are walking out the door Thursday morning, a few spots may be sitting in the 40s. 

Needless to say, a light jacket or sweatshirt will be a must. Thursday, which also happens to be the day of seasonal transition, will end up being the coolest day of the week, with most peaking in the lower 60s. Models then bring another cold front in over the weekend. Ahead of it, winds will primarily be out of the south and southwest, allowing highs to recover back into the lower 70s.