One more warm day but snow showers possible Friday

 

A mild start to the day for most that will only get milder today. A few pockets of rain are showing up on radar South of I-88, but dry air is keeping most of that from reaching the ground. Dew points are in the 20s and 30s while temperatures are in the 30s and 40s. A bit of cloud cover still near and Southeast of a line from Elkhorn to the Quad Cities is keeping temperatures a little bit warmer than areas North and West that are clear early this morning.

Mild weather only continues into the morning and afternoon, with highs getting back into the upper 50s. We will see more clouds early on but some sunshine late will give a quick boost to temperatures, bringing a few spots near the 60° mark again for the 3rd straight day. Rockford has reached that mark both Tuesday and Wednesday and has a shot to get close to that mark again Thursday.

Clear skies later tonight will allow temperatures to fall back near the freezing mark again. Most spots fall into the low 30s. It will also be a bit breezier with winds from the Northwest gusting close to 25 miles per hour, leading to wind chills making things feel a bit cooler in the 20s.

Friday starts out a little cooler, and a cold front sliding through early in the day will only add to the afternoon chill. Along this front, a bit of moisture will bring some pockets of gusty snow showers during the afternoon. Some of the snow may come down a bit heavier at times, dropping visibility briefly. The good news is that the snow will be short-lived, but a coating of snow on elevated surfaces is possible through Friday afternoon.

A few lake-effect snow showers are possible late in the afternoon and evening toward Eastern portions of the viewing area, mainly closer to Chicago and its suburbs. Temperatures will tumble through the afternoon, falling from the 40s early on to the 20s by the late evening. 

Unseasonable warmth early next week could set the stage for some thunderstorms, including severe weather. The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted a large area from Illinois through Missouri into Arkansas and Oklahoma for the potential to see severe weather Tuesday. While there is plenty of time to refine forecasts and timing of this system, be sure to keep tuned to the forecast for any updates in the coming days.

Another mild day today but temperatures drop Friday afternoon following a cold front and spotty snow showers. Saturday brings plenty of sunshine, but highs only reach the upper 30s. Sunday and Monday kicks off the next warm stretch, as Southerly flow brings temperatures back into the 50s and 60s. Tuesday brings chances for thunderstorms before cooler weather returns mid-week.