Near-record warmth returns ahead of Rockford's next rain chance

The beginning of February has felt less like February and more like late-March. 

In fact, punching in the numbers for the first 5 days of the month brings our average temperature to 37.5°, which tops the charts for warmest start since records began in 1905. Coming in at a close second with an average temperature of 37.1° is 1973. 

Once this morning's round of dense fog lets up, we're in for another unseasonably warm afternoon. One that will land high temperatures in the upper 40s. 

Winds will turn more southerly starting Wednesday, allowing near-record warmth to make a quick return. Wednesday features a high of 50°, which lands 2° shy of our record high from 2009.

This spike in temperatures continues into Thursday afternoon as highs are set to reach the mid to possibly upper 50s. Our forecast high of 55° falls short of our record high of 58° from 1990.  

 

Along with Thursday's spring-like warmth comes the Stateline's next chance for precipitation. The track of this storm system places us on the warmer side of the low, allowing rain to be the primary type. 

Scattered rain showers will move in during the afternoon hours, becoming more likely overnight into the early stages of Friday. From there, clouds stay put for Friday afternoon, with highs briefly touching the 50° mark. Our next frontal passage will mark the beginning of a pattern change, one that will bring temperatures down for Saturday, Sunday, and the start of next week. We’ll snap our string of 50°+ highs, though we remain above early-February standards.