Chilly nights ahead

A light, chilly rain will continue to fall Thursday behind a strong cold front that passed early in the morning.  Behind the rain cool, dry air will filter in tonight as high pressure moves into the Midwest and with clearing skies this will make for a very cold start Friday morning.  Lows tonight will drop into the middle 40s!  Looks like the 40s will remain through the weekend with possibly another cold snap by the middle of next week.

Ongoing drought could lead to increased risk for harvest fires

With my farming background I found this article very interesting from the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.  Due to the ongoing drought in Iowa there is an increased risk of harvest fires in fields.  Even though some improvement has been made in Illinois I would also guess this may be a growing concern for Illinois & Wisconsin farmers as well.


By Mark Hanna, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering


Silage harvest is beginning in some areas. It’s always difficult to forecast weather, but if dry field conditions persist, potential for combine and field fires will increase. A high-temperature source in the engine area or an overheated bearing can ignite dry plant material.

Warm, dry winds rapidly dry plant materials. With potential for an earlier maturing crop and resulting early harvest, air temperatures will likely be warmer than during typical October conditions. Farmers in northwest Iowa experienced a greater than average number of harvest fires during 2011. A recent study by South Dakota State University ag engineers found an average of nearly seven combine fires per county in nine northwest Iowa counties. Although air temperatures were warm and relative humidity was low during much of early harvest, most fires occurred on days with wind speeds averaging 15 mi/h and occasional gusts of 25 to 30 mi/h. This suggests that not only should combine operators be careful when field conditions are dry and air conditions are warm, they should be extra vigilant during windy periods.

A combine or field fire stops harvest quickly. During harvest periods with increased potential, fires cause millions of dollars in property damage in Iowa, including loss of machinery, crops and time.

Prevention is a key to avoiding problems, but preparation in case a fire breaks out is also necessary. Here are some tips for prevention:

•Keep the machine clean, particularly around the engine and engine compartment. Use a high pressure washer or compressed air to remove caked-on oil, grease and crop residue.
•Check coolant and oil levels daily.
•Check the pressurized oil supply line to the turbocharger for wear areas that rub and may start an oil leak.
•Frequently blow leaves, chaff and plant material from the engine area with compressed air or a portable leaf blower. Remove plant materials wrapped on or near bearings, belts or other moving parts.
•Examine exhaust or hot bearing surfaces. Repair leaking fuel or oil hoses, fittings or metal lines immediately.
•Inspect and clean ledges or recessed areas near fuel tanks and lines.

In case of fire, carry a cell phone to call the fire department. Two ABC-type fire extinguishers are recommended: a smaller 10-pound unit in the cab and a larger 20-pound extinguisher at ground level on the combine. Invert and shake the extinguishers once or twice a season to ensure machine vibrations don’t compact the powder inside. A shovel to throw dirt can also help.

Fires may start from plant materials that have smoldered unnoticed for 15 to 30 minutes or more. The ignition source for field fires may have been the earlier passing of a truck, tractor or combine. Flames aren’t apparent until additional oxygen is supplied, perhaps by a gust of wind. Harvest crews may want to discuss a plan for emergency tillage of a fire break should that option become advisable. Keep in mind that personal safety is more important than property loss.

With current prospects for an early, dry harvest, fire prevention measures will be more important than usual.

Radar Picks Up Area Brush Fire

If you know anything about radars, it won't surprise you that they pick up more than just rain. That was the case this afternoon when a 100-acre brush fire broke out west of Ottawa, Illinois.

This radar image shows the plume of smoke coming off of the fire. The smoke caused visibility issues along several major roadways, including I-80 and I-88.

The radar image from around 6pm shows the smoke starting to lessen a little bit, which is a good sign that the fire is weakening.

Fire danger in the Plains today

Gusty winds, warm temperatures, low humidity and an ongoing drought have lead to Red Flag Warnings being issued for the Plains and Midwest this afternoon.  Temperatures today will climb into the middle and upper 80s for many across the heartland ahead of a cold front that will move through the Midwest today and tomorrow and into the Great Lakes by Thursday.

Temperatures closer to home will warm both today and tomorrow but with low humidity it should still feel comfortable.  After reaching near 90° Wednesday afternoon temperatures will tumble Thursday and Friday behind the cold front into the 70s and possibly upper 60s in a few locations.  Depending on how long the cloud cover and rain continue it could be a chilly start to the weekend. 

Quick Look At This Week's Forecast

The transition from summer to fall is a lot like a roller coaster and we will see a great example of that this week.

The next couple of days will be a taste of summer. Temps will warm up into the upper 80s ahead of a cold front on Tuesday. Breezy winds from the southwest will aid in the warmup.

Wednesday will be more of the same. Temps might be a degree or two warmer, with some areas even hitting 90 as our cold front still sits off to the northwest.

Rain is likely on Thursday, which will help knock highs back into the 70s. Some leftover rain is possible early Friday as highs continue to dip into the 60s. The latest rainfall forecast is showing a good deal of rain possible (1" in some spots) for the end of the work week.

Fall to summer in just a few short days

Temperatures this past weekend were more typical of fall with the high reaching 74° on Saturday and 73° on Sunday.  Cool, Canadian air rushed southward causing temperatures to dip below freezing in parts of North Dakota early Sunday morning which prompted Frost Advisories.  The low this morning reached 48° at the Chicago Rockford Int'l Airport as the chill remains in the air for one more day. 

Temperature extremes are very common for this time of year as the seasons begin to change.  Our temperature swings come Tuesday and Wednesday as the mercury is expected to climb into the middle and upper 80s both days.  The ridge of high pressure in the west will shift east over the Great Plains as high pressure moves into the Mid-Atlantic.  Winds will turn southerly this afternoon and pick up Tuesday allowing temperatures to quickly rise into the middle 80s during the day.  Since humidity will be lacking and the soil is still relatively dry from the ongoing drought in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin it's possible temperatures may reach near 90° Wednesday afternoon.  Don't get too excited, however, as another strong front comes through Thursday bringing temperatures back below average by the weekend.

A Delightful Start to the Week

Canadian High pressure over Wisconsin will drop southward into Illinois overnight.  Skies will be clear, wind will be calm, and the temperature will drop into the upper 40's by daybreak.  There could be some patchy fog in low lying areas later tonight. The high pressure will move across northern Illinois into northern Indiana by daybreak on Monday.  The high will be the dominate force in Stateline area weather for the next few days.  It will be sunny on Monday, but with the center shifting off to the east, the wind will pick up from the southwest at 10 to 15 mph on Monday afternoon.  The high will be around 76 degrees on Monday with low humidity.... another fabulous day!  It will still be clear on Monday night, but it will not be as cold with a low around 53 degrees.  On Tuesday, with southwesterly breezes continuing under a sunny sky, the warming trend will continue with a high around 84 degrees.  On Wednesday northern Illinois will still be on the periphery of the departing along the east coast.  Skies will be sunny again, and with a persistent southwesterly wind, the afternoon temperatures will be pushed toward 90 degrees once again.  It probably will not reach 90, and my forecast is for 88 degrees, but 90 degrees cannot be ruled out with this pattern, and sunshine, and dry soils from the ongoing extreme drought across most of northern Illinois.  A cool front will move from northwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Iowa on Wednesday morning into the Stateline by 6 am on Thursday.  Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop across northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin on Wednesday night.  The front will slow down as a disturbance forms on the front just to our south on Thursday night contining chances of showers through Thursday night into Friday.  It will be cooler behind the front with afternoon temperatures dropping into the low 70's on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.