Near-record warmth, strong storms all on the table today

Near-record warmth and an rare early-season severe event are all on the table today. 

A strong and occluded area of low pressure swinging into the Upper Great Plains will place the Stateline in the area of the low known as the warm sector. 

This is the area in between the warm front and the cold front and is also the area in which the more rich ingredients for severe weather are found. 

In their early-morning update, the Storm Prediction Center continued to keep N. Illinois and S. Wisconsin under a Marginal Risk (level 1 of 5). 

Forecast models this morning showed today's rain chances passing through in two rounds. The first being a scattered cluster of non-severe showers which aims to slide through the region during the late-morning and early-afternoon hours.

The second round will begin to pop up late in the afternoon as a cold front moves in. If atmospheric ingredients line up just right, a few isolated strong to severe storms will be possible. If storms are able to reach severe criteria, damaging wind, isolated hail, and a few tornadoes will be on the table. 

Again, that's IF everything lines up. Storms develop generally between 3-8 pm. Any chance for rain should come to an end before midnight, leaving skies partly cloudy into Friday morning.

Despite today's cold front, wind remain out of the south and southwest for Friday. This, along with a mix of clouds and sun will help temperatures climb back into the 50s for one more day. 

Clouds increase Friday night as a weak disturbance slide into central Illinois. This system may track north enough for our spots in northern Illinois to see a mixed shower or two Saturday morning. Expectation is for our weekend to remain dry but cooler. Highs will end up near the 40-degree mark.