Sunshine Returns, Warmer Wednesday

Sunshine Returns:

We are now two weeks into the month of March and not one day has registered an average cloud cover under 50%. In fact, the last time northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin sat under a mostly sunny sky was back on February 26th. 

But if you think I am here to say that this long and gloomy streak is set to carry on, you are sadly mistaken! With high pressure settling in from the northwest, skies have cleared quite a bit prior to sunrise. This will ultimately lead to a sun-filled but cold start to our Tuesday. Temperatures are expected to fall into the mid to upper teens, with wind chills dropping into the single digits. Before you head off to work, to school, or to any planned errands, bundle up nicely. 

Despite wall-to-wall sunshine being present for a majority of the daylight hours, there is still some cold air lingering just above the surface from this past weekend's frontal passage. This, along with a light northwest wind, will result in a chilly afternoon, with most peaking in the mid 30s. 

Tired of the chill? Don't worry! Changes begin to settle in overnight into Wednesday as this area of high pressure shifts to our east. 

Warmer Wednesday:

Cloud cover that slides into the area overnight is expected to stick around for Wednesday. Filtered sunshine, along with a decent south to southwest breeze, will result in a much healthier temperature climb, with highs peaking in the upper 40s. At the same time, our next storm system will be taking shape over by the Rockies. Ahead of it, clouds gather up Wednesday night, with temperatures only dropping into the upper 30s.