Third straight day with snow possible Thursday, intense chill to follow

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - The calendar may read mid-November, but lately, it’s felt more like mid-December in the Stateline.

For the fourth time in the past five days, temperatures failed to get out of the 30s, and for the third time in the past five days, snowfall was recorded. In fact, the 0.8″ of snow reported at the Chicago-Rockford International Airport tied a November 16 record most recently set in 2014.

While things should be generally quiet overnight and to start the day Thursday, another shot of snow appears to be at least a decent bet to occur during the afternoon. As the graphics below illustrate, Thursday’s snowfall activity will be widely scattered in nature, and snow would be quite brief. However, there could be heavier bursts of snow, and with increasingly gusty winds likely, there could be some rather significant visibility reductions, albeit for a short amount of time.

Expect there to be scattered snow showers and a few brief squalls from time to time Thursday... — Expect there to be scattered snow showers and a few brief squalls from time to time Thursday afternoon.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

Expect there to be scattered snow showers and a few brief squalls from time to time Thursday... — Expect there to be scattered snow showers and a few brief squalls from time to time Thursday afternoon.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

Expect there to be scattered snow showers and a few brief squalls from time to time Thursday... — Expect there to be scattered snow showers and a few brief squalls from time to time Thursday afternoon.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

Expect there to be scattered snow showers and a few brief squalls from time to time Thursday... — Expect there to be scattered snow showers and a few brief squalls from time to time Thursday afternoon.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

Expect there to be scattered snow showers and a few brief squalls from time to time Thursday... — Expect there to be scattered snow showers and a few brief squalls from time to time Thursday afternoon.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

Expect there to be scattered snow showers and a few brief squalls from time to time Thursday... — Expect there to be scattered snow showers and a few brief squalls from time to time Thursday afternoon.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

Temperatures on Thursday may reach the freezing mark, but no better than that, and the aforementioned winds out of the northwest will keep wind chills in the lower 20s all day long.

Chills in the lower 20s will be as good as it gets here for at least the next few days. — Chills in the lower 20s will be as good as it gets here for at least the next few days.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

Sadly, that’s the “best” we’re going to see the rest of the week. Another shot of Arctic air will take up residence here for both Friday and Saturday. With extensive cloudiness in place both days and a cold west-northwesterly wind remaining intact, temperatures both Friday and Saturday aren’t to get out of the middle 20s. Factor in the wind, we’re to expect wind chills in the single digits all day Friday, and will likely go below zero Friday night and again on Saturday night.

Wind chills will have dropped well into the single digits by Friday morning. — Wind chills will have dropped well into the single digits by Friday morning.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

Wind chills during the day on Friday aren't to get out of the single digits. — Wind chills during the day on Friday aren't to get out of the single digits.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

Wind chills will already be flirting with 0° by dinnertime Friday, and sub-zero chills are... — Wind chills will already be flirting with 0° by dinnertime Friday, and sub-zero chills are nearly certain to follow.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

The chill will begin to shift eastward a bit Sunday, though we’ll remain well below normal once again. Still, temperatures then are anticipated to be around or slightly above freezing.

Sunday, while not warm, will certainly feature improvements over the previous two days. — Sunday, while not warm, will certainly feature improvements over the previous two days.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

More pronounced changes are on the docket next week, as we appear primed to enjoy a lengthy stretch of 40s and 50s that could quite possibly take us through the entire Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

The pattern does look to turn decidedly milder in November's final week. — The pattern does look to turn decidedly milder in November's final week.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

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