Tumbling Temeratures

All aboard the temperature roller coaster! Please keep your arms and legs inside the car while the ride is in motion. It's going to be a warm and windy Thursday throughout the Stateline. Highs today will warm into the upper 80s to near 90°. Lows tonight will remain mild in the low 70s, and that will more than likely also be our high for tomorrow because temperatures will be tumble. A cold front slides through early Friday bringing a round of showers, continued windy conditions and cool air behind it. Highs on Saturday will top out in the upper 60s and lower 70s. Low and mid 70s stick around into early next week, and that's exactly where we should be for this time of the year.


Not only will temperatures be the story over the next few days, but also the flooding potential along the Pecatonica River in Freeport.






 
The flooding potential is due to heavy rain throughout southern Wisconsin. As of this morning, the stage was just over 9 feet and will continue to rise to over 13.5 feet by Monday evening. Flood stage is at 13 feet.

Thunderstorm Chances Increase Late Wednesday Night - Flooding Rainfall Possible for Some in the Midwest

Flash Flood Watches have been issued for parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa in anticipation of heavy rainfall late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.  Thunderstorms have already started to develop over northern Iowa this evening and will only grow in coverage during the night.

The storms are forming ahead of a warm front that will move through the Stateline early

Thursday morning.  Stronger thunderstorms are possible over Iowa and Wisconsin, but some storms locally could produce hail - especially with any of the storms that develop after Midnight.  A Marginal Risk for strong thunderstorms does exist for parts of the Plains, Iowa, Minnesota, southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. 

Continuous thunderstorms along the warm front

overnight could allow for nearly two to four inches of rain to fall where the Flash Flood Watches have been issued.  Closer to home another half an inch, up to an inch, of rain could fall through Thursday morning.

 

Summer Heat to Fall Chill

Temperatures the past couple of days have stayed in the low to mid 70's thanks to an abundance of cloud cover and rain.  But a shifting wind following a warm front late Wednesday night will give temperatures quite a boost, back into the upper 80's and low 90's Thursday afternoon.

Winds will increase from the southwest on Thursday, gusting at times near 30 mph.  Temperatures will remain very warm Thursday evening ahead of a cold front that will bring strong to severe thunderstorms over Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa during the evening Thursday. Once the front passes early Friday, winds will shift around to the northwest, gusting once again near 30 mph.  Temperatures early Friday will start off mild but then quickly fall back into the upper 60's by the afternoon.  Overnight lows Friday night will drop back into the 40's.

Highs over the weekend will feel more like fall - averaging the low 70's Saturday and Sunday.  An even bigger cool down is possible, though, towards the end of next week!

Roller Coaster Ride For Temperatures

It's going to be a roller coaster ride for temperatures over the next 7 days. Today we will see temperatures warming into the mid 70s. Going into tomorrow, we will be approaching record territory with highs warming into the upper 80s and low 90s. The record stands at 92° set back in 1920. The brief return of the heat is thanks to a warm front lifting though. In addition to the heat, we will also see windy conditions. Winds Thursday will be sustained 10-20mph and gusting upwards of 30mph.



Fall begins Saturday, and that means that it is also pumpkin spice latte season. With that said, you'll probably only want a tall pumpkin spice latte tomorrow, unless it's an iced one! On the other hand, you are definitely going to want a venti sized pumpkin spice latte this weekend as temperatures will be seasonable, in the lower 70s, for the start of fall. Overnight lows this Friday and Saturday will dip down into the upper 40s.

Tuesday Evening Weather Update

The heavy rainfall from Tuesday morning and afternoon has come to an end with only a few light showers and sprinkles remaining Tuesday evening.  Under mostly cloudy skies temperatures will remain in the low 60's during the overnight.  Unfortunately highs didn't warm as much as hoped, staying in the upper 60's and low 70's Tuesday afternoon. 

While most of the night will remain dry, showers and thunderstorms will move back in Wednesday with the arrival of an upper level disturbance.  Rain and thunderstorms should increase in coverage through late morning and early afternoon Wednesday.

Rainfall totals Tuesday ranged anywhere from a quarter of an inch, all the way to an inch in some spots.  Additional rainfall Wednesday and Thursday may bring another one to two inches for northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, with higher amounts to the northwest in Iowa and Minnesota.

A Rainy Few Days

Showers and thunderstorms have been moving throughout the area all morning. This rain is associated with a cold front that will slowly dip down into our neck of the woods. As it slowly slides south, more rain is expected throughout the rest of the day, Wednesday, Thursday and early Friday. The heaviest rain will fall off to our west and north.


Meteorological fall began on September 1st, but the Autumn Equinox falls this Saturday at 8:54pm. Temperatures to start off the fall season will be seasonable. High temperatures Friday and into the weekend will be in the lower 70s, which is right where we should be for this time of the year.

Dry Stretch Comes To An End

It's been a copy and paste forecast for over the last week. Our dry stretch of sunny days will be coming to an end after today. When today is all said and done, we will have went the last 10 days without any rainfall.

Not only will the dry stretch be coming to an end, but also the above average temperatures. Today we will see highs top out in the upper 80s to near 90 degrees.

Tuesday and Wednesday will be in the upper 70s and lower 80s. Thursday we will briefly bounce back into the mid 80s, but going into Friday and the weekend we will back down around average. Our average for this time of the year should be in the mid to low 70s.

Late tonight we will begin to see the chance for an isolated shower return to the forecast. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible Tuesday, and more likely going into Wednesday and Thursday.

The rain this week will be nothing compared to the rain that Hurricane Florence dumped over North Carolina. Swansboro, NC picked up 33.90", as of Sunday 9/16/18 at 2pm. That sets a record for the highest amount of rainfall from a tropical disturbance in North Carolina.