Chance of Storms Tonight

High pressure has kept our skies clear for the past few days, but tonight a cold front brings a chance of storms.

Sunshine and breezy winds out of the west and southwest will warm us up in a big way this afternoon. Highs today will be about 10 degrees above normal for this time of year, in the low to mid 80s.

By tonight, a cold front will move in from the northwest, building up a bit of cloud cover by the evening. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to form in a line along the front, pushing southeast overnight.

A few of the initial, more isolated storms that develop have the potential to be strong to severe. The best chance for that will be north of our area, but a few of the stronger storms could trail south before sunset. Small hail and gusty winds will be the primary threat for our northernmost counties. Storms will decrease in intensity after dark. 

Another cool, dry high pressure system will build in on Wednesday morning bringing clear skies back to Central Illinois. We'll likely stay sunny for much of the end of the work week, with temperatures warming quickly back into the 80s. On Sunday, a cold front pulling through will spark up a few showers and thunderstorms in the area. Behind that system, temperatures will drop back into the 70s for early next week.