Cooler pattern settles in for the weekend

 

Temperatures Thursday afternoon warmed into the low to mid 70s, reaching 76 degrees in Rockford. A cooler than normal trend, however, appears to occur through the end of April and beginning of May.

There also remains a higher probability for below average precipitation during that time as well.

Temperatures have dropped following a strong cold front Thursday evening. Overnight lows will dip to the low 40s, climbing into the low 60s Friday

afternoon. Winds will turn back to the southwest during the day as sunshine returns. A couple upper-level disturbances moving across the Midwest during the afternoon and evening will bring back the cloud cover, along with a chance for a few isolated showers Friday evening. 

Saturday we'll see mostly cloudy skies and scattered rain/snow showers as a cold core low pressure system sits over the Great Lakes. This will hold temperatures in the 40s for both Saturday and Sunday. Overnight

lows will fall below freezing. Highs next week will gradually warm through the upper 50s but remain slightly below average through the end of the month.