Storm Chances-80's Return This Week

Rain has moved out of the area for now.  We are waiting on a warm front currently just to our southwest to move into central Illinois Tuesday.  Showers & storms could be a result, but will not be quite as widespread as our rain on Monday.  We could be in for a bit of patchy fog overnight, otherwise we are mild and quiet.  

Once the warm front moves through the area, we will be in a much more unstable air mass, which could allow for shower & thunderstorm chances for most of this week.

We will keep our eye on Wednesday afternoon, as a few thunderstorms that develop could be strong to severe.  Right now, the best chance for elevated severe chances look to be in Iowa, Wisconsin & Minnesota.

Rain Chances, but Not Much Rain

Despite daily rain chances this week, the amount of rain anticipated is fairly light according to longer range models.  The above image shows the forecast for rain for the next 5 days.  Central Illinois looks to be the donut hole of less rain around the Midwest.  Areas will be fortunate to see up to .5" of rain, but some could see higher amounts if stronger storms develop over the next few days.

Rainy Week Ahead

Warmer temperatures with rainy conditions work into the area this week.

TONIGHT:  Mostly cloudy and mild.  Lows in the middle 50's

TOMORROW:  Mostly cloudy with scattered showers & storms.  Highs in the middle 70's

TOMORROW NIGHT:  Mostly cloudy with scattered showers & storms.  Lows in the lower 60's

WEDNESDAY:  Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers & storms.  Some storms could be strong to severe.  Highs in the lower 80's

THURSDAY:  Partly cloudy with scattered showers & storms.  Highs around 80.

FRIDAY:  Mostly cloudy with scattered showers & storms.  Highs around 80.

Much Cooler Weekend

It was a beautiful Thursday, with plenty of sunshine and highs in the upper 60s and low 70s across the area. However, a much cooler and rainier pattern begins building in tomorrow and will last us into next week. 

A low pressure system moving in from the west will gradually increase cloud cover overnight. Lows will drop back into the upper 30s and low 40s. Mostly cloudy skies and a cool high pressure system will keep tomorrow's highs in the mid to upper 50s. By Friday night, the low will start moving through, bringing showers to Central Illinois. Expect rain to continue into much of the day on Saturday. Sunday will see some clearing, but highs will only reach the mid to upper 50s through the weekend.

Next week, much warmer conditions will filter in on the backs of southerly winds. But a very unsettled upper level pattern will continue to throw bursts of energy our way. This will mean on and off shower and thunderstorms chances starting Sunday night and lasting through Thursday. It won't be constant rain, but it will help us catch up on some much needed moisture. We're currently 1.25" below normal for the month, and 3.17" below normal for the year. Also, with more heat and energy back in the forecast, some of the afternoon/evening storms could be strong to severe. Stay tuned over the next week for updates.

Storms today, Cooler End to the Week

Tracking strong storms this afternoon.

TODAY:  Increasing clouds. Afternoon showers & storms likely.  Some storms could be strong to severe, with large hail and damaging winds.  Highs near 80.

TONIGHT:  Showers and storms early, otherwise mostly cloudy.  Lows in the mid 50's

THURSDAY:  Partly cloudy.  Highs in the upper 60's

FRIDAY & SATURDAY:  Mostly cloudy with showers likely.  Much cooler.  Highs in the middle 50's.

SUNDAY:  Partly cloudy and cool.  Highs in the upper 50's.

Much Needed Rain on the Way

Some good news for farmers and gardeners across central Illinois.  The 5 day outlook for precipitation is advertising the possibility of around 0.75" - 1.00" of much needed rain across the region for Wednesday, Friday & Saturday.  The downside will be the potential for a few strong storms Wednesday afternoon, and much cooler temperatures for Friday & Saturday.  For the month of April we are running a deficit of 1.12 in the rain gauge, and nearly 2.50" since March 1!

Slight Risk for Severe Storms Wednesday

Upper level low will swing through the Midwest Wednesday afternoon, sparking showers & storms across the area.  The primary threat will be for large hail, and damaging winds with these elevated storms.

Rain Chances and Warmer Temperatures

Showers & storms expected with warm temperatures for Wednesday.

TONIGHT:  Partly cloudy.  Lows in the upper 40's and lower 50's

TOMORROW:  Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers & storms possible.  Some storms could be strong to severe, with large hail and damaging winds the primary threat.  Highs in the mid to upper 70's

THURSDAY:  Partly cloudy.  Highs in the upper 60's

FRIDAY:  Mostly cloudy with showers possible.  Highs in the upper 50's

SATURDAY:  Mostly cloudy with scattered showers.  Highs in the upper 50's

SUNDAY:  Partly cloudy.  Highs in the mid to upper 50's

MONDAY:  Partly cloudy.  Highs in the upper 50's

National Severe Weather Preparedness Week

Did you know 2011 holds the record for the greatest number of multi-billion dollar weather related disasters in U.S. history? The deadly outbreak of tornadoes that claimed hundreds of lives in the southeast U.S. was just one of them. As the year anniversary of that tragedy approaches, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) are launching the first ever National Severe Weather Preparedness Week from April 22-28. We are coming into the heart of severe weather season in Central Illinois, so now is the time to be prepared.

Here are a few tips to help keep you and your family safe:

• Follow the forecast daily, to know when severe or hazardous weather are possible be in your area.
• Purchase a NOAA Weather radio and sign up for WMBD Severe Weather Text Alerts. These will alert you when severe weather is an immediate threat in your area. Don't rely on outdoor warning sirens. They are often unreliable and inaudible indoors.
• Have a safety plan in place. Remember, during a severe thunderstorm or tornado, the safest place is on the lowest level in the most interior room.
• Have a safety kit prepared. Include non-perishable food items, bottled water, first aid, flash light, and other supplies. Basically, anything you would need to survive on for at least 3 days.
• "Be a Force of Nature"- Talk to others about having safety plans, especially in businesses or public places. Also, once you are in a safe place, alert family and friends that they should also take cover using social media and cell phones.

This applies to other hazards as well. Know what to do in case of flooding, winter storms, extreme heat/cold, etc. For more information, check out www.ready.gov/severeweather.

Brief Warm Up on the Way

A brief warm up is on the way, with rain chances returning later in the week.

TONIGHT:  Partly cloudy & not as chilly.  Lows in the lower 40's

TOMORROW:  Partly cloudy and warmer.  Highs near 70.

WEDNESDAY:  Mostly cloudy with scattered showers & storms.  Highs in the middle 70's.

THURSDAY:  Partly cloudy.  Highs in the middle 60's

FRIDAY:  Mostly cloudy with scattered showers.  Cooler.  Highs in the upper 50's

SATURDAY & SUNDAY:  Partly cloudy with scattered showers.  Highs near 60.

Spring Nor'easter

A winter-like Nor'easter continues to charge up the east coast today, bringing the potential for heavy, wet snow and other hazards. A strong low pressure center will slowly move northeast today and tomorrow. So far, most of the precipitation has fallen as moderate to heavy rain.

However, as moisture and cooler air wrap around the low, rain will switch to freezing rain and snow. Lake Enhanced Snow is also a possibility into Tuesday morning as winds switch out of the northwest. Snowfall totals are expected to be heaviest in the higher elevations, where isolated totals upwards of 15" are possible.

The snow will be heavy and wet, which could easily break power lines and tree limbs. Also, strong winds will limit visibilities to less than a quarter mile at times. If you plan on traveling to these areas, prepare for delays. WINTER STORM WARNINGS and WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES are in effect for much of the area into Tuesday morning.

Frost Advisory in Effect For Northern Counties

...FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 8 AM CDT SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN QUAD CITIES HAS ISSUED A FROST
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 8 AM CDT SATURDAY.

* TIMING...TEMPERATURES WILL FALL INTO THE MIDDLE 30S LATE
  TONIGHT. THE COLD TEMPERATURES...MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT
  WINDS WILL CREATE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR FROST FORMATION

* IMPACTS...THE FROST WILL CAUSE DAMAGE TO SENSITIVE OUTDOOR
  PLANTS THAT ARE NOT PROTECTED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FROST ADVISORY MEANS THAT FROST IS LIKELY.  COVER OR MOVE
SENSITIVE PLANTS INDOORS.

Cooler Weekend on the Way

Cooler temperatures stick around for the weekend.


TONIGHT:  Decreasing clouds.  Patchy frost possible.  Lows in the middle 30's

TOMORROW:  Partly cloudy & cool.  Highs in the middle to upper 50's

SUNDAY:  Partly cloudy.  Slightly warmer.  Highs around 60.

MONDAY:  Mostly sunny.  Highs in the lower 60's

TUESDAY:  Partly cloudy & warmer.  Highs in the middle 60's

WEDNESDAY:  Mostly cloudy with scattered showers.  Highs near 70.

Tracking Rain Tonight

Rain and cooler temperatures to wrap up the work week.

TONIGHT:  Mostly cloudy with overnight showers & storms likely.  Lows in the upper 40's and lower 50's.

TOMORROW:  A few morning showers, otherwise mostly cloudy & much cooler.  Highs in the middle to upper 50's.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY:  Mostly sunny to partly cloudy and cool.  Highs in the upper 50's.

MONDAY:  Partly cloudy.  Highs in the lower 60's.

TUESDAY:  Partly cloudy with rain chances late.  Highs in the middle 60's

WEDNESDAY:  Partly cloudy with scattered showers & storms.  Much warmer.  Highs in the middle 70's.

A Sneak Peek at the Weekend

After a surface low and cold front are kicked east tonight by an upper level shortwave, much cooler conditions are expected into the weekend. We'll go from being about 10 degrees above normal today, to 5-10 degrees below average tomorrow. Look for highs in the upper 50s and low 60s Friday through Sunday. Showers are possible on Friday morning, but they will quickly end by the afternoon. A ridge of high pressure will bring the sunshine back for the weekend. If you are an avid gardener or farmer worried about frost, there is a potential for lows in the 30s on Saturday and Sunday morning.

Rain to End the Week

New weather webcast can be found at the right hand of your screen


Rain chances and cooler temperatures move in for the end of the week.

TONIGHT:   A few showers possible along I-80, otherwise mostly cloudy.  Lows in the middle 50's

TOMORROW:  Mostly cloudy.  Highs in the middle 70's

TOMORROW NIGHT:  Cloudy with showers & storms likely.  Lows in the upper 40's

FRIDAY:  Morning showers possible, otherwise mostly cloudy & cool.  Highs in the middle 50's

SATURDAY & SUNDAY:  Mostly sunny & cool.  Highs in the middle to upper 50's.

MONDAY:  Mostly sunny.  Highs in the lower 60's

MIDWEEK NEXT WEEK:  Partly cloudy and warmer.  Highs return to the upper 60's and lower 70's.

Warmer Wednesday Forecast

Breezy, southerly winds building in behind a warm front overnight have set us up for a warm Wednesday. Today's highs will reach the low to mid 70s, about 5-10 degrees above normal for this time of year. 

Changes in the forecast will begin tonight as a cold front approaches from the north. Showers and thunderstorms developing along the front will graze the northernmost counties in our viewing area. Most of us will stay dry into Thursday. An upper level shortwave pulling east Thursday night into Friday will help push the surface cold front through. A line of showers and thunderstorms developing along the front will slice through Central Illinois during this time frame. 

Showers will linger behind the front into Friday, with much cooler air dropping highs into the mid to upper 50s Friday and Saturday. A large ridge of high pressure will start shifting east over the weekend, clearing skies out into early next week. Temperatures will gradually warm into the 70s by midweek.

Rain Chances Return

New weather webcast can be found at the right hand of your screen.

Quiet weather pattern ends, as rain returns to the area for the second half of the week.


TONIGHT:  Mostly clear.  Lows in the middle 40's

TOMORROW:  Partly cloudy & warmer.  Highs in the lower 70's

TOMORROW NIGHT:  Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers & storms.  Lows in the lower 50's

THURSDAY:  Mostly cloudy with scattered showers & storms.  Highs in the lower 70's

FRIDAY:  Mostly cloudy with scattered showers.  Cooler.  Highs in the upper 50's

SATURDAY & SUNDAY:  Partly cloudy to mostly sunny & cool.  Highs near 60.

Still Need Rain

Although we picked up around .75" of rain around the area Sunday night, we still remain in an abnormally dry area on the U.S. Drought Monitor.  Since March 1st, we have 3.24" of rain.  The average rainfall we should see should be at 4.67" at this point of April.  That is a deficit of nearly 1.5", adding to a deficit of over 2.0" from the beginning of January with the low amount of snow we received this year.

More rain is expected later this week, as a few upper level disturbances will roll through the Midwest starting Wednesday night, and continue into Thursday, Friday and early Saturday.  Most recent model runs only put up to 0.5" at best around much of the area, and long range models keep us dry for much of next week, only adding to the drought concerns.

Week Ahead Forecast

 Today was very windy, but winds will diminish later this evening.  Clouds will continue to break overnight and temperatures will cool as a result.

Mostly sunny skies will return for Tuesday with near seasonable temperatures.  Wednesday will be even more mild as a warm front works through the region.

The first few days of the week will be dry, but much needed rain chances will return as early as Wednesday night and last through the end of the week.

Temperatures look to cool somewhat by the weekend, with highs returning to near 60° on Saturday and Sunday



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Winds Will Diminish Tonight

After a very windy Monday across the area, winds will slowly diminish between 5-10 mph during the mid evening hours.  Skies will clear, and temperatures will cool down to the lower 40's across the area.

Wind Advisory Continues

...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CDT /7 PM EDT/ THIS
EVENING...

* TIMING...STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.

* WINDS...SUSTAINED 25 TO 35 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS OVER 45
  MPH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO 39 MPH...OR
GUSTS BETWEEN 45 AND 57 MPH...ARE LIKELY. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN
CAUSE MINOR PROPERTY DAMAGE UNLESS PRECAUTIONS ARE TAKEN. DRIVING
MAY BE DIFFICULT...ESPECIALLY IN HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. MOTORISTS
SHOULD BE ALERT AND USE CAUTION.