Winning pattern continues with brief humid following, drought becoming a concern

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - A fantastic Saturday is behind us and the nice conditions stick around for Father’s Day and Juneteenth on Sunday. This is great news for any outdoor celebrations or activities that will be outside. Enjoy it because we’ll have another brief bout with heat and humidity to start next week with big rain chances remaining absent in the forecast. This is becoming a bit of a concern.

FATHER’S DAY & JUNETEENTH SUNDAY OUTLOOK

Temperatures and conditions overall will be an improvement compared to Saturday. We won’t be dealing with a breeze from Lake Michigan Sunday as winds will come more out of the south to southwest. Otherwise, skies will be sunny with highs in the mid-to-upper 80s likely. Have the sunscreen because UV indices will be between 8 and 10 in the “Very High” category.

While there will be a few clouds on Sunday, highs in the 80s with mostly sunny skies will be... — While there will be a few clouds on Sunday, highs in the 80s with mostly sunny skies will be the name of the game.(Ethan Rosuck, WIFR)

HEATING UP

With high pressure remaining in place overall, a ridge of moist-filled air will start to move in. Monday will be hot but the humidity will hold off for now. Highs Monday will be in the low-to-mid 90s with lots of sunshine. It’s Tuesday that looks to be the most humid day of the two with dew points getting back into that oppressive category.

Monday looks to get those southwest winds in here with sunshine and hotter temperatures. — Monday looks to get those southwest winds in here with sunshine and hotter temperatures.(Ethan Rosuck, WIFR)

We'll have a brief bout with humidity for Tuesday. Heat indices near 100° are likely. — We'll have a brief bout with humidity for Tuesday. Heat indices near 100° are likely.(Ethan Rosuck, WIFR)

Dew points around 70° will be around Tuesday which will make heat indices approach or even surpass 100°. With that in mind, I don’t think it will be as humid compared to what we dealt with last week. Highs on Tuesday will be in the upper 90s with lots of sunshine.

Heat indices near 100° are likely for Tuesday. — Heat indices near 100° are likely for Tuesday.(Ethan Rosuck, WIFR)

LACK OF RAIN CHANCES

A cold front should work through the area Tuesday night but the precipitation chances remain very low at this time. In fact, a majority of the area should remain dry so we held back from putting any rainfall chances in there for Tuesday night and Wednesday. That front will drop temperatures slightly and end the humid bout we’ll have. Wednesday calls for high temperatures in the upper 80s and the same will be said for Thursday.

A 20% chance of a shower or two exists Thursday and similar trends are in the forecast for Friday and next Saturday. Otherwise, nothing big in the rainfall department for the time being. This is the “best” chance of precipitation in our forecast but it looks low and not promising for any beneficial rain. For the month, we are nearly 2.0″ below what we should normally see month-to-date.

Very little rain chances are in the forecast for the next week or so. — Very little rain chances are in the forecast for the next week or so.(Ethan Rosuck, WIFR)

With this in the cards, chances for drought are ticking upward across the region and most of Illinois, too in the days ahead. In fact, the long-term outlook through September does have chances for a drought to redevelop this summer across the state.

With the warmer temperatures and overall dry conditions, the CPC says a drought may reemerge in... — With the warmer temperatures and overall dry conditions, the CPC says a drought may reemerge in the Stateline.(Ethan Rosuck, WIFR)

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