Showers Linger, Drying Out For Tuesday

Sunday's Historic Rainfall:

It's been quite some time since the Rockford area saw the amount of rainfall that fell on Sunday. A maturing low-pressure system left behind a whopping 4.46" at the Rockford Airport, breaking the previous daily record of 4.22". 

Not only that, the last time Rockford saw more than 4.46″ of rain was back on to July 23rd, 2010, when 4.70″ came down. I know what you're thinking, this is a lot of numbers to kick off a weather discussion. But that just puts how historic yesterday's steady rainfall was into perspective. Now, we're not out of the woods just yet. You'll need to have the rain gear with you again today as this pesky and mature low is set to also bring a wet and soggy beginning to the work week. 

Flood Watch Early:

A Flood Watch remains in effect until 10AM this morning for our three counties up in S. Wisconsin, as well as Stephenson, Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Ogle, Lee, and Dekalb Counties. This is still for those small creeks and streams that may rise out of their banks as of a result of the recent rainfall. Also, be on the lookout for any flooding that may occur in poorly drained and open areas. Remember, if you end up coming across a flooded roadway, TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN. Find a different route to your destination.

Steady rain this morning looks to become a bit more scattered by the afternoon. Still, with thick cloud cover remaining overhead, and a northerly to northwesterly wind in place, high temperatures will only reach the low 60s. 

Again, something that we don't normally see until the first week of October. Forecast models does show a few showers extending into the evening hours However, things should simmer down as the night progresses. Under a mostly cloudy sky, temperatures will fall back into the lower 50s by sunrise Tuesday. We can also expect cloud cover to decrease during the pre-dawn hours as this peaky low pulls away from the Stateline.

Drier Times Ahead:

High pressure is then expected to slide across the Midwest Tuesday, both at the surface and in the upper-levels of the atmosphere. This spells a drier forecast for not only Tuesday, but also for the remainder of the work week. 

Partly cloudy skies can be anticipated during that stretch, with highs climbing into the lower 80s. The next rain chance comes in the form of a cold front over the weekend. However, forecast models were in disagreement on the timing of said cold front. As of this moment, it doesn't look like we'll be dealing with a washout. But it's definitely something to monitor as we approach the weekend.