Warming trend expected in Summer’s final week

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Sunday certainly wasn’t a bad one, meteorologically speaking, in the Stateline. But it did mark the continuation of a cool pattern that’s now lasted a full week.

Sunday’s 73° high temperature marked the seventh straight day with below normal temperatures, and it appears to be a decent possibility that another sub-normal day may occur Monday, though that’s not a slam dunk.

Speaking of Monday, we’re confident in the fact we’re to see a good deal of sunshine, mixed at times with just a few fair weather clouds. But, with no real wind around, temperatures may still struggle a bit. We’re currently forecasting a high temperature of 74°, which would be right on par with where we should be on September 18.

A sun-splashed Monday is expected.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

A disturbance will then approach the area Monday night into early Tuesday, first bringing the region clouds, and then rain. Right now, the thought is that rain would arrive after midnight, and will stick around through the morning commute or very shortly thereafter.

Showers are forecast to arrive late Monday night into early Tuesday morning.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

Showers should come to an end by mid to late morning Tuesday.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

As a warm front lifts northward through the area, winds will shift to the south, initiating warming in the process. Though we won’t likely see a ton of sunshine on Tuesday, we may see a few peeks in the afternoon, which would be enough to bring temperatures back above normal, topping out at 76°.

A few peeks of sunshine are possible later in the day Tuesday.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

Sunshine and clouds will battle for supremacy on Wednesday, with southwesterly winds blowing with more gusto. That should allow our temperatures to reach or even eclipse the 80° for the first time since September 10.

Warming is to accelerate Wednesday with partly cloudy skies and southerly winds.(Mark Henderson, WIFR)

The warming trend will just be getting underway at that stage in the game. Current projections suggest that 80°+ temperatures are to occur Thursday, Friday, and again on Saturday, which just happens to be the first day of Autumn. Speaking of which, it’s likely that Autumn is to commence on a more summery note, with above normal temperatures likely to persist through at least September 27.