Widespread rain becoming likely Friday night

 Written By: First Warn Weather Intern Patrick Murray

While most of the Stateline currently sits in the "abnormally dry" drought category, a change is likely coming this weekend. Widespread rain chances enter the forecast as early as late Friday morning and look to last through Saturday morning.

A broad area of low pressure will move into the Stateline over the course of the next few days, bringing with it widespread rain chances and some gusty winds at times. Rain looks to start as early as late Friday morning. We will have some dry air in place thanks to a departing area of high pressure that the initial rain will have to work to overcome, so I do think the start of the rain could be closer towards the noon hour.

Expect scattered to widespread showers and perhaps a few rumbles of thunder throughout Friday as this area of low pressure slides east just to the south of the area. Not expecting the entire day to be a complete washout, but much of the day Friday will see rain.

Overnight Friday, more widespread rainfall is expected. This will last into Saturday morning, before the area of low pressure finally pushes east and we begin to dry out.

The tougher part of the forecast comes when looking at rain totals. Models are struggling with the exact placement of the center of pressure, which determines where the heaviest bands of rain will set up. Right now, much of the Stateline will likely see 1-2" of rain, while areas south of I-88 have the best chance at seeing 2+" of rain.

In short, rain chances increase as Friday goes on, with widespread rainfall lasting through Saturday morning, before finally wrapping up Saturday afternoon. Drier conditions look to enter the Stateline for the first half of next week.