Light rain returns Monday night; Heavier rain expected Wednesday

Let the snow melt begin! Temperatures Sunday continued to warm above freezing, reaching close to 40 degrees during the afternoon. Under a mostly clear sky Sunday evening temperatures have been slowly falling back, currently sitting in the upper 20s and low 30s as of 8pm. Winds are light and this should continue to help the temperature fall back to around 20 degrees Monday morning. Due to the mostly clear sky and lighter winds, some of the added moisture from the melting snow may produce patchy fog early Monday. Right now, this doesn't appear to be too widespread or dense.

Southeast winds will increase ahead of a cold front Monday afternoon gusting to around 30mph, increasing to 35mph at night. Temperatures will steadily warm through the upper 30s, but then continue to climb ahead of the front into the evening. It's likely temperatures will reach the low 40s before Midnight.

A few showers are also likely to move in after 7pm/8pm Monday evening. The rain should be light, adding up to only a couple tenths of an inch, wrapping up before sunrise Tuesday. Cloud cover will stick around for most of the day Tuesday as temperatures remain in the low 40s by the afternoon.

A second, and stronger, system will then move in Wednesday. This one will have a little more gulf moisture with it giving us a chance for more widespread rainfall. The rain looks to start late in the day Wednesday, lasting into Wednesday night. A few heavier rain showers are possible Wednesday night as the center of the low moves through central Illinois. 

Early Thursday there may be just enough cold air mixing in that could give us a chance for some wet snow, especially over north-central and northwest Illinois. Depending on just how much cold air and the track of the low, a couple inches of snow may be possible through Thursday morning. Winds will briefly turn back to the northwest bringing temperatures into the 30s for a short time leading into the weekend. Highs are then forecast to warm back into the mid 40s by next Sunday.