This is how long we can expect visibility to be at or below a 1/4 mile, with the possibility for some patches of less dense
fog to linger into the midday hours. Similar to Sunday morning, temperatures are on either side of the 40° mark, so we won't have any concerns with freezing fog.
It has been a very foggy day in the Stateline! After our first dense fog advisory was allowed to expire at noon, more waves of dense fog have been developing Sunday evening. Visibilities are near or below a half mile across the board as of 5PM, and at a quarter mile for many.
Around 3:30PM, this was the view of our downtown Rockford camera pointed toward the Jefferson Street bridge, showing the near zero visibility at times within this dense fog. You can view the current SkyTrack cameras across the Stateline from our weather page.
Another dense fog advisory has been issued for much of the Stateline through 9AM Monday morning. This is how long to expect visibility near 1/4 mile or less, with the possibility for some patches of less dense fog to linger into the late morning.
Luckily, temperatures are going to hold steady if not rise a degree or two through the night, so we have no concerns with freezing fog. Overnight "lows" will likely be near the 40° mark for most.
A few spotty showers may develop along a weak cold front overnight, with a small chance for some rain between 12AM-4AM. Monday afternoon will bring less in the way of fog, but cloud cover will remain in place with a gusty wind near 30 mph from the West through the evening.
A Dense Fog Advisory is in place for all of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin as visibility in most of our locales has fallen to a 1/4 mile or less. This advisory will run until noon. Fortunately, temps are sitting in the upper 30s this morning, meaning the threat for freezing fog is extremely low.
Our next disturbance arrives overnight, leaving thick clouds in place but also bringing a chance for a passing shower or two. Temperatures stay warm, landing in the upper 30s. Monday will be a copy paste of Sunday, starting with some fog and then mostly cloudy for the afternoon. Highs will be slightly warmer, landing in the mid 40s.
Radar showing a very colorful picture Saturday afternoon as waves of rain and wintry mix are moving through the Stateline. Pink colors indicate the highest chance for a mix or freezing rain as of 2:15PM. The area of precipitation is slowly spreading North-Northeast through the evening.
Some areas are reporting slick or ice-covered roads, especially to the Southwest of Rockford. Even worse road conditions have been reported in SE Iowa, just across the Mississippi. You can check current road conditions for Illinois here and Wisconsin here.
Temperatures are sitting just above freezing for most, allowing the rain to fall especially in Rockford (pictured in the background). But surface temperatures like roadways and sidewalks may be a couple degrees cooler, allowing for some ice to build up on untreated surfaces.
Any wintry mix will gradually switch over to all rain through the afternoon and evening. Steadier rainfall rates should also help ease any slick spots, aiding to melt any ice that had built up. Pockets of cold rain will then be possible through the evening, with the occasional slick spots especially in those locations whose temperatures rise slower. Areas Northeast of Rockford may see a freezing rain or mix through the evening.
All of the Stateline is under a Winter Weather Advisory through the majority of Saturday. The advisory remains in effect until 6PM for all our Northern Illinois counties, while the Southern Wisconsin Counties will remain in effect until 12AM Sunday.
Timing these impacts out the morning does look to remain clear up until around 10 a.m. The initial wave of precipitation is expected to expand and push east from Iowa beginning to impact the western counties of the state lien with a likely mix of snow and freezing rain. This will quickly transition to freezing rain though as temperatures aloft will begin to warm while near the surface we'll remain below freezing through the afternoon.
The highest chances for freezing rain will occur during the afternoon around 2 p.m., however. depending on the rate at which rain falls will either benefit or deter accumulation of freezing rain. If we see slower rainfall rates this may allow more rain to freeze near the surface and cause more impacts.
One important thing to note though is that surface temperatures don't often need to be below freezing for freezing rain to occur. As we've had such cold temperatures the past few days. ground temperatures are still below freezing so any rain that does fall may freeze a lot easier at the surface due to the ground's temperatures. This will make driving and walking even more dangerous as these surfaces can accumulate a lot faster than grass or vegetation.
As of now, accumulations for the state line don't look to be as significant as areas to the west in Iowa however some accumulation or "glazing" may be possible. Even in cases of low ice accumulation driving conditions still become dangerous as windshields and pavement is still able to freeze. Take extra precaution if you head to plan out today especially areas to the west where the highest freezing rain accumulation is expected.
Our next weather system will arrive Saturday, bringing the potential for freezing rain before more widespread rain falls through the evening. The key for what type of precipitation most see will be found in our surface temperatures--both the air and the actual surface. Air warms up faster than pavement does, so even if our air temperature will be above freezing, the surface could be below that mark.
Keeping that in mind, here is how Futurecast plays this out Saturday. The onset of precipitation may come in the form of snow or wintry mix (including freezing rain) across the Western parts of the viewing area through 12PM as air temperatures will be in the 20s and low 30s. Those East of I-39 may remain dry until the afternoon, but any who see precipitation will need to watch closely for slick travel during this time.
The afternoon will feature temperatures climbing through the mid-30s, but remember the surface pavement temperature may be lower, if not below freezing. Slick spots may remain possible where precipitation falls through mid-afternoon. This is when higher rates of rainfall may overcome the freezing surface temperature, melting any ice. That said, be aware of icy travel through at least mid-afternoon! We could see nearly 0.25" of rain through early Sunday morning.
A winter weather advisory is in effect for Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Carroll, and Whiteside counties from 3AM to 3PM Saturday. This is where the highest chances are to see a glaze of ice accumulation. Meanwhile, an ice storm warning is out for parts of Eastern Iowa where nearly a quarter inch of ice may accumulate through Saturday.
The last of this Arctic wave is being felt this morning as temperatures are sitting in the single digits. Wind chill values aren't as low, though more are registering in the -5° to -10° range. Be sure to bundle up from head to toe before heading out.
Sunshine kicks the day off, with clouds gathering up into the afternoon. Afternoon highs remain chilly, landing in the low to mid 20s.
Cloud cover remains in place overnight as our next system slides across the central plains. This is set to bring the chance for a rain/snow mix at first, especially west of Freeport, with a transition to a chilly rain by Saturday afternoon. The National Weather Service has placed Jo-Daviess, Carroll, and Whiteside County under a WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY from 3AM-noon Saturday as freezing rain may lead to difficult travel.
Rain tapers off early Sunday morning, leaving the rest of the day dry, but cloudy. Afternoon highs will peak in the upper 30s Saturday, then in the low 40s Sunday. It won't be too long before rain chances return as a cold front enters the equation This will bring a round of scattered rain showers early Monday, followed by a temperature drop that will leave afternoon highs in the 30s for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Thursday was a bitterly cold day in the Stateline with afternoon highs only reaching the teens for many. The cloud cover will clear out overnight, allowing temperatures to drop back into the single digits and near zero at times. Wind chill will be much improved from last night, but still below zero for most of the night.
Milder air starts to arrive Friday, with afternoon highs reaching back into the 20s. This is still seasonably cool but will feel like a heat wave compared to the Arctic chill we've seen lately!
We will remain dry through at least Friday night before our next waves of precipitation arrive Saturday. How quickly we see the onset of precipitation will have a big impact on what ends up falling from the sky. If we see precipitation falling as early as 8/9AM, it may fall in the form of snow or freezing rain initially, given the surface temperatures below freezing. The highest coverage of this appears to be in Iowa as of now, but any precipitation we see prior to noon will likely be of a frozen type.
By the mid-afternoon, surface temperatures will have risen into the mid and upper 30s, allowing any precipitation to fall as all rain. This will cause any previous freezing rain or snow to melt, improving any poor road conditions. Light to steady rainfall will then continue into the evening.
The Saturday morning window may be one to keep an eye on for slick travel with surface temperatures still below freezing. Any precipitation we see then will likely fall as a frozen type, including the potential for a glaze of freezing rain accumulation. By the afternoon, it will switch over to all-rain as temperatures climb well into the 30s. We could see some spots pick up around 0.25" of rainfall by Sunday morning.
Best case scenario, avoid being outdoors. If you can't, cover as much exposed skin. Frostbite in this type of cold is possible in 15-25 minutes.
Along with the brutal cold, sunshine kicks the day off, though the expectation is that clouds will return by late morning or midday. This, along with today's cold west-northwest wind will leave highs in the mid teens. Wind chill values will struggle, remaining below 0° for much of the day. Clouds will exit this evening, leaving us mostly clear overnight. The last of the brief Arctic blast will linger into Friday, leaving lows in the single digits.
In a similar fashion to today, Friday kicks off sunny but cold, with clouds gathering up towards midday. Winds will shift to the east and southeast, allowing highs to climb into the upper 20s.
Our next storm system will be taking shape during this time. Forecast models show the center of this storm system sliding into northern Missouri by Saturday evening, and then over southern Wisconsin by Sunday morning. Ahead of this low, rain showers become more likely, especially Saturday afternoon into Saturday evening, with a scattered chance lingering into Sunday. Thankfully, today's Arctic chill will move out by the weekend, allowing highs to peak closer to 40°.
Locally, we can expect this front to sweep through during the late morning hours. With it's passage comes the potential for a few snow showers along with a quick increase in winds. While accumulations are not anticipated, the winds that result may briefly cause fluctuations in visibility.
This will leave temperatures and wind chills tumbling into the overnight hours. Come Thursday morning, temperatures will hovering a degree or two above the 0° mark, with chills sitting between -15° to -20°. Again, stay out of the cold as much as you can. If that is unavoidable, dress in extra warm layers.
Mix sunshine is expected on Thursday, though any sunshine that occurs won't have any impact on our temperatures. Afternoon highs look to peak in the mid teens, with wind chill values finally eclipsing the 0° mark late in the afternoon. The last of this Arctic wave will be felt Friday night as temperatures
briefly fall into the single digits. East to southeast flow ahead of our
next storm system will lift afternoon highs towards freezing Friday.
This warming trend carries on into the weekend with highs peaking in the upper 30s Saturday, then low 40s Sunday. Precipitation with this system may start off as a rain/snow mix late Friday night. However, warming temperatures will result in a transition to a chilly rain by Saturday morning, with chances turning more scattered by the midday hours.
It goes without saying that the last 3 days weather-wise have been nothing but a blessing. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday came in with highs in the 50s, which is well above early-December standards as we're typically in the upper 30s. Unfortunately, it's back to reality as a trio of cold fronts, two from Monday and a stronger one scheduled to come through Wednesday will send temperatures tumbling into the second half of the work week.
Cloud cover will dominate most, if not all of Tuesday, which will limit our ability to effectively warm. This will result in a much cooler afternoon, placing highs near freezing. Wind chills will end up in the low 20s for much of the afternoon as a light northwest wind remains in place. Tonight, expect skies to stay mostly cloudy, leaving lows in the low 20s.
Forecast models then show the strongest of the three cold fronts sliding through as Wednesday's morning commute gets underway. Along with the front will be the chance for flurries or light snow showers, which could have an brief impact on visibility. Especially once our winds begin to increase.
