Another soaking rain on the way for northern Illinois

Rain Chances Return:

Rain has made its return to the Stateline, and it looks like it's here to stay into October. A steady influx of moisture from the southern and central plains will keep showers in the forecast, with periods of heavy rainfall possible at times. 

 

Timing Out the Rain:

The heaviest rainfall today is expected to fall before mid-morning, so before 9-10AM. You'll definitely want the umbrellas, rain gear, and windshield wipers ready for the morning commute. While today's rain is expected to decrease in coverage towards midday and for the afternoon, don't put the rain gear away. Keep it on hand as scattered showers will be a possibility for the second half of the day. 

Showers will remain scattered through the overnight hours, though an occasional heavy downpour or two cannot be ruled out. Another, more widespread round of rain is expected to move through on Thursday as our cold front prepares to push through. Coverage will increase through the morning, with some of the steadiest and heaviest rain looking to occur during the late-morning and early-afternoon hours. So like today, the umbrella will be a must.

Drying Out for the Weekend: 

Rain showers may linger through the first few hours of Friday, but that will also mark the beginning of a transition to a drier and quieter weather pattern. As the system responsible for the midweek rainfall shifts to our east, drier air will gradually work its way into the Stateline, bringing an end to the extended stretch of wet weather. Afternoon highs, thanks to the cold front that pushes through late Thursday, will fall into the mid to upper 60s for the weekend. 

Rainfall projections have remained fairly consistent over the past few days, with most locations expected to pick up between 1" to 2". As of this morning, this September ranks as the 19th wettest on record for the Rockford, but there's a good chance that ranking will climb with what passes through today.