Fall's biggest chill spills in today, but no flakes for Rockford

Getting Colder Quick:

A second cold front sweeping through this morning is opening the door to an even colder air mass, one that will send high temperatures below mid-November standards for the rest of the week.  

 

 

After reaching the mid-60s on Tuesday, temperatures have taken a dramatic turn. A persistent northerly wind today, followed by a north-northwest wind on Friday, will place the coldest air of the season thus far overhead, keeping afternoon highs stuck in the 40s. That's a solid 20-plus degrees colder than where our afternoon highs were a few days ago. Bundle up because adding to the chill will be the wind, leaving values in the low 30s this afternoon. Wind chills then tumble into the teens into Friday before recovering only into the 30s during the afternoon. 

First Flakes? 

One thing we won't be seeing with this latest blast of cold air is our first flakes of the season. While a few flakes may mix in across parts of the Great Lakes, the better opportunity for any "flakage" will remain close to Lake Michigan. Areas from Chicago's south suburbs into northwest Indiana will have the greatest chance of seeing lake-enhanced rain and snow as the colder air flows southward over the relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes. 

Here in the Stateline, conditions are expected to stay relatively dry with an area of high pressure building eastward west of Lake Superior. 

It's worth noting that Rockford typically records its first trace snow around Halloween, but we've already moved well past that benchmark without seeing any snowflakes. While this cold snap certainly bring a more winter-like feel to the region, it appears "snow-lover" will need to wait a bit longer.