Cold air and strong winds arrive Wednesday following steady rain Tuesday night

 9pm Update: The heavier rain continues to lift north of the state line late this evening with drizzle and light showers ongoing currently. Additional development of showers and isolated thunderstorms will take place across west-central Illinois, lifting northeast into northern Illinois during the overnight. This will bring additional rain showers into the region through early Wednesday morning.

Rainfall totals so far have been highest to the south with totals nearing three quarters of an inch, to around a quarter of an inch to the north.

A Wind Advisory has been issued for northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin Wednesday ahead of increasing northwest winds that could gust as high as 50 mph during the afternoon. These winds will occur behind a departing low-pressure system currently bringing rain showers to much of the area Tuesday evening.

For the rest of Tuesday evening rain will continue area wide ahead of a deepening low-pressure system currently in the central Plains. Strong to severe thunderstorms have been moving across the south while wind-driven snow showers are occurring to the north. Sandwiched in-between remains the Stateline.

As the low moves closer to the area late Tuesday night some of the heavier showers may also be accompanied by a few rumbles of thunder, especially during the early overnight hours. Additional rainfall will range from half an inch up to an inch, already on top of the 0.25-0.7 inches we've received so far.

Increasing northwest winds can be expected as the center of the surface low shifts east of the Stateline Wednesday morning. Colder air rushing in behind the low will aid in the development of those strong northwest winds, at times gusting near 50 mph during the afternoon. Rain showers that may still be ongoing will transition over to snow from west to east, with wind driven snow showers expected through the afternoon.

The strong winds combined with the falling snow will sharply reduce visibility resulting in difficult driving conditions during the afternoon and early evening. As the surface low itself moves over the region early Wednesday you may notice a break in the wind. Don't let that fool you though, once the low passes those winds will increase quickly from the northwest. The wind advisory is set to run until 9pm Wednesday, meaning much of the afternoon and evening we'll be dealing with those strong gusts.