Wind Chill Advisory Tonight

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
343 PM CST THU JAN 31 2013

...BITTERLY COLD CONDITIONS TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING...

.ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE MIDWEST TONIGHT AND
FRIDAY MORNING. VERY COLD TEMPERATURES COMBINED WITH WINDS OF
10 TO 15 MPH WILL PRODUCE WIND CHILLS OF 15 TO 20 BELOW ZERO.

ILZ027>031-036>038-011000-
/O.CON.KILX.WC.Y.0001.130201T0600Z-130201T1600Z/
KNOX-STARK-PEORIA-MARSHALL-WOODFORD-FULTON-TAZEWELL-MCLEAN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GALESBURG...PEORIA...BLOOMINGTON...
NORMAL
343 PM CST THU JAN 31 2013

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO
10 AM CST FRIDAY...

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO
10 AM CST FRIDAY.

* WIND CHILL VALUES...15 TO 25 BELOW ZERO.

* IMPACTS...FROST BITE CAN OCCUR ON EXPOSED SKIN IN 25 TO 30
  MINUTES UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS
WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS. THIS WILL RESULT IN
FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN.
IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS...MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND
GLOVES...AND MINIMIZE AS MUCH EXPOSED SKIN AS POSSIBLE.

Blustery Thursday

We're on the cold side of the storm system from the past few days with a few scattered flurries and strong winds hanging out this morning. Some clearing is possible today, but northwesterly winds will drop temperatures into the teens this afternoon.

More clearing is possible overnight as strong winds continue. Lows will drop into the single digits above and below zero with wind chills as low as -20°. Cloud cover increasing through the day on Friday will keep tomorrows highs in the upper teens and low 20s. A wave of upper level energy will bring a chance of snow Friday night into Saturday morning. 1-2" of accumulation are possible.

 

We'll dry out on Saturday with temperatures warming into the upper 20s and low 30s this weekend. Sunday will be sunny, but cloud cover returns next week. Southerly winds will warm highs into the upper 30s and low 40s all next week. A slight chance of wintery mix is possible with a cold front on Tuesday. However, a better chance will come with a low pressure system next Thursday night into Friday.

Back to January

After an unseasonably warm and wet Tuesday, a cold front will force us back to reality today. We're starting off with a few scattered showers and mild temperatures in the upper 30s and low 40s. A cold front moving east will bring strong northwesterly winds and drop our temperatures through the day.

That will turn our rain into snow by noon. Light snow will continue into the early evening hours bringing up to an inch of accumulation. The snow moves out overnight as lows drop back into the low teens.

Thursday will be mostly cloudy with a slight chance at a few leftover flurries. Highs will hit the upper teens and low 20s. The coldest of the air will come early Friday as a Canadian high pressure system builds in. Lows could drop below zero.

Southerly winds and some sunshine will warm highs into the mid to upper teens Friday afternoon. Temperatures continue to warm overnight and into the weekend. A quick low pressure system will bring a slight chance at snow Friday night into Saturday morning, but we'll likely see sunshine by Sunday. Temperatures continue to warm into the mid to upper 30s next week, despite cloudy skies into Tuesday.

Heavy Rain Moving East

Strongest line of showers and storms has cross the I-55 corridor.  Heavy rain for eastern McLean and Livingston counties can be expected through 7:30.  The rest of the area will continue with light to moderate rain at times through the early overnight.

Strong/Severe Storms and Record Setting Highs

A low pressure system moving through the area today and tonight will bring some unseasonably warm and wet conditions. Scattered showers and storms will take us through the morning and early afternoon. Highs will likely break records, reaching the mid to upper 60s.

During the late afternoon and evening hours, a cold front slicing in from the west and southwest will bring a line of strong to severe thunderstorms through central Illinois. The southern half of the viewing area is under a slight risk of severe weather from the Storm Prediction Center. Strong winds and hail are the primary threat. Heavy rainfall totals are likely into Wednesday. Widespread totals upwards of 2.0" are possible. A Flood Watch is in effect for much of the area. Remember, never drive through a flooded roadway. Always go around.

We may catch a break in the action on Wednesday morning, but as temperatures drop during the day, snow will mix in with the rain on the back side of the system.

We'll finally dry out by the end of the week, but the coolest of the air moves in Thursday and Friday. Highs will only reach the upper teens and low 20s. A weak wave of upper level energy and a cold front will bring a slight chance of snow Friday night into Saturday. Most of us will stay dry though, with temperatures warming into the 30s this weekend.

Severe Weather Breakdown Tuesday

Slight risk for severe weather on Tuesday afternoon as a cold front moves across the Midwest.  Primary concern will be damaging straight line winds.  An isolated tornado can't be ruled out.  Heavy rain may cause flooding in areas east of the Illinois River as well.

Light to moderate showers will move into the area for the morning though the early afternoon.  Storms will pick up intensity as the cold front moves into the state by late afternoon into the early evening.  Line of strong storms should clear the area by late evening.  Here's the break down:

As mentioned earlier, while severe storms are possible, flooding may be the bigger story.  Most area should pick up close to 1" of rain.  Many will pick up nearly 2" of rain, and some could get as high as 2.5" of rain.  

Flood Watch Tuesday

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
202 PM CST MON JAN 28 2013

ILZ038-042>046-051>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-290415-
/O.NEW.KILX.FA.A.0002.130129T1800Z-130130T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
MCLEAN-LOGAN-DE WITT-PIATT-CHAMPAIGN-VERMILION-SANGAMON-CHRISTIAN-
MACON-MOULTRIE-DOUGLAS-COLES-EDGAR-SHELBY-CUMBERLAND-CLARK-
EFFINGHAM-JASPER-CRAWFORD-CLAY-RICHLAND-LAWRENCE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BLOOMINGTON...NORMAL...LINCOLN...
CHAMPAIGN...URBANA...DANVILLE...SPRINGFIELD...TAYLORVILLE...
DECATUR...CHARLESTON...MATTOON...SHELBYVILLE...EFFINGHAM...
FLORA...LAWRENCEVILLE
202 PM CST MON JAN 28 2013

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE
TUESDAY NIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LINCOLN HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL
  ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING
  AREAS...IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS...CHRISTIAN...DE WITT...LOGAN...
  MACON...MCLEAN...MOULTRIE...PIATT...SANGAMON AND SHELBY. IN
  EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...CHAMPAIGN...CLARK...COLES...
  CUMBERLAND...DOUGLAS...EDGAR AND VERMILION. IN SOUTHEAST
  ILLINOIS...CLAY...CRAWFORD...EFFINGHAM...JASPER...LAWRENCE AND
  RICHLAND.

* FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT

* HEAVY RAINFALL IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE MAJORITY OF CENTRAL
  ILLINOIS AND ALL OF EASTERN AND SOUTHEASTERN ILLINOIS TUESDAY
  AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AROUND 2
  INCHES IS POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA. A LARGE PART OF THE AREA
  HAS FROZEN GROUND AND THIS WILL CAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE RAIN
  TO BECOME RUNOFF...CAUSING A RAPID RISE OF STREAMS AND AREA
  RIVERS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTS.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE
FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.

Dense Fog Advisory Tonight

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
458 PM CST MON JAN 28 2013

...DENSE FOG TO AFFECT NORTHERN AREAS THROUGH THIS EVENING...

.AN BAND OF DENSE FOG OVER CENTRAL ILLINOIS WILL AFFECT AREAS
GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF THE I-74 CORRIDOR. A WARM FRONT
LIFTING NORTH TONIGHT SHOULD HELP THE FOG TO DIMINISH ABOVE DENSE
FOG ADVISORY LEVELS TOWARD MIDNIGHT.

ILZ027>031-036>038-043>046-290600-
/O.NEW.KILX.FG.Y.0002.130128T2258Z-130129T0600Z/
KNOX-STARK-PEORIA-MARSHALL-WOODFORD-FULTON-TAZEWELL-MCLEAN-
DE WITT-PIATT-CHAMPAIGN-VERMILION-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GALESBURG...PEORIA...BLOOMINGTON...
NORMAL...CHAMPAIGN...URBANA...DANVILLE
458 PM CST MON JAN 28 2013

...DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LINCOLN HAS ISSUED A DENSE FOG
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT.

* VISIBILITY...WIDESPREAD VISIBILITY OF ONE QUARTER MILE OR
  LESS...WITH SOME AREAS SEEING VISIBILITY DROPPING TO NEAR ZERO.

* IMPACTS...REDUCED VISIBILITY WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL
  CONDITIONS THROUGH MIDNIGHT. BE PREPARED FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING
  VISIBILITY...SLOW DOWN AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR
  DESTINATION.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A DENSE FOG ADVISORY MEANS VISIBILITIES WILL FREQUENTLY BE
REDUCED TO LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE. IF DRIVING...SLOW DOWN...
USE YOUR HEADLIGHTS...AND LEAVE PLENTY OF DISTANCE AHEAD OF YOU.

Warm, Soggy Start to the Week

Southerly winds continue to pump in warm moist air today. An unsettled upper level weather pattern will lift that warm moist air and bring a chance of light rain and fog through the day. Temperatures will warm from the mid 40s this morning to the mid 50s this afternoon.

Light rain chances continue overnight, with a few possible thunderstorms as temperatures warm into early Tuesday. We'll see near record highs tomorrow afternoon reaching the mid 60s. A powerful cold front will move in Tuesday afternoon and spark up a line of strong to severe showers and thunderstorms. The southeastern half of our viewing area is under a slight risk of severe weather from the Storm Prediction Center. Large hail and damaging winds will be the primary threat.

Everyone will see a chance at heavy rainfall before chilly air behind the front mixes in some snow. We'll see precipitation end early Wednesday and temperatures dropping Wednesday afternoon. Highs on Thursday and Friday will only reach the upper teens and low 20s. A few flurries are possible next Saturday, but most of us will be cloudy with highs in the 30s into next week.

Freezing Rain Done; Rising Temps Overnight

Scattered showers continue to hang around the area, but the bulk of the steady rain has moved off to the northeast, along with the sub-freezing temperatures.

Rain chances will continue for the remainder of the evening and overnight in a very scattered fashion.  Any brief rounds of rain will be very light and brief.

Temperatures are already above freezing now, and will continue to rise during the overnight hours.

Light Snow Clearing Out Early

Light snow is moving through the area early today. Expect a dusting to a few tenths of an inch before it moves out this morning. Skies will clear this afternoon, teaming with southerly winds to warm highs into the upper 20s and low 30s. A quick cold front overnight will drop lows into the low to mid teens. Cool high pressure will limit Saturday's highs to the mid to upper 20s despite sunshine.

Sunday into early next week will bring a warm up to the area, but and unsettled upper level weather pattern will make for a soggy forecast. We'll start with freezing rain and sleet Sunday afternoon, changing to rain Sunday night.

Rain chances, even a few thunderstorms, will continue into Monday and Tuesday. Highs will warm near 50 by Tuesday.

A cold front Tuesday night will push the rain out of the area and bring in cooler temperatures for the end of next week. Highs will only reach the low 30s Wednesday and the upper teens and low 20s Thursday.

Tracking Snow Chances Tonight

A weak upper level system working its way through the northern parts of the country will head our direction as we roll though the overnight.

Snow looks to arrive after midnight, and could linger around for the morning commute Friday.

Accumulations will very light, with most areas seeing less than 0.50" of snow accumulation.

Blustery Start to the Day

We're starting off very chilly again this morning. Temperatures are in the single digits, with wind chill values below zero. Northerly winds will switch out of the east today keeping temperatures cool. Look for increasing clouds and highs near 20 degrees.

A wave of upper level energy moving in from the northwest overnight will bring a good chance of light snow. Accumulations will likely be less than an inch.

The snow will move out by early Friday morning. Temperatures overnight will stay steady in the upper teens and low 20s, warming towards 30 degrees tomorrow afternoon. Saturday will be clear and cool as a high pressure system builds in. Behind that, we're looking at a warm up into early next week. A wave of upper level energy from the southwest will bring in a chance of sleet and snow Sunday afternoon and Sunday night. We'll see it change to rain as temperatures warm into early Monday morning. Highs will reach the low to mid 40s Monday and the upper 40s and low 50s on Tuesday. A low pressure system and a cold front next Tuesday and Wednesday will bring another chance at rain. We could see some ice and snow mixing in as temperatures drop into the middle of next week. Highs by next Thursday will only reach the upper 20s.