Spotty Showers Possible, Gusty Winds Linger

Gusty Stretch As of Late:

I hope you were able to anchor down any inflatable or light weighted Halloween decor before this windy stretch of weather settled in. 

Over the last two days, the Rockford Airport has averaged a peak wind gust of 42mph. Unfortunately, these winds will remain a nuisance moving forward, keeping our temperatures well-below average in the process. 

Spotty Showers Possible:

Thursday begins with some sunshine. But as a quick-moving low pressure swings in from the north-northwest, clouds will gather up into the afternoon. Forecast models keep moisture-levels very low throughout the day. 

However, with air quickly rising in certain parts of the atmosphere, mainly from the newly-introduced pocket of cold air aloft, this could be enough to generate a few spotty afternoon showers. Although the chance is low, one or two of these showers could feature a different type of precipitation, one we call graupel. Graupel is like hail, but soft and can be crushed easily. By no means does this mean we have the potential for severe weather. In fact, it's the complete opposite.

Gusty Stretch Lingers:

In a similar fashion to the past two days, winds will ramp up considerably, reaching 30-35 mph at times. These chilly northwesterly winds will limit highs to the upper 40s and low 50s. With high pressure sliding in overnight, Friday begins on a sun-filled but much cooler note. 

Expect temperatures to be in the upper 20s and low 30s as you step out the door. As the day carries on, skies will turn mostly cloudy, with another opportunity for a sprinkle or two arriving for the afternoon. Once again, winds will be a nuisance, gusting between 25 to 30 mph. This time, however, winds will be blowing from the southwest, which will help our temperatures reach the mid to possibly upper 50s.

Cooling Down Further: 

In the long run, it doesn't look like temperatures will make the climb towards seasonable-levels as we jump into the second half of October. Another cold front looks to sneak through northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin Saturday night into the early stages of Sunday. 

The cooler air that filters in behind it will bring temperatures down into the upper 40s for start of the work week next week. For those that are wondering, the Stateline doesn't see average highs in the upper 40s until November 10th. So yes, this does come a little less than a month ahead of schedule. During this time, we can expect overnight lows to fall into the upper 20s. So, also expect the potential for our first hard freeze early next week.