We had a few severe warned thunderstorms for Jo Daviess County earlier in the day and a few showers up near the state line, but conditions are drying out for the time being. There remains a threat of severe weather Wednesday and Thursday. Wind and hail would be our primary threats still, though, an isolated tornado threat Thursday cannot be ruled out, but the threat of tornadoes overall is low. However, the best chance of severe Thursday remains just to our south/southwest where there is a slight risk. The Storm Prediction Center upgraded the marginal risk to now include the entire Stateline Thursday, like today.

Temperatures are warming very quickly south of Stateline where they are already in the mid to upper 70s in areas like Ottawa, Peoria, Normal, Kankakee and Joliet. Thanks to a warm front, there is a huge temperature gradient from north to south. Temperatures just two and a half hours north of Ottawa in Madison are only in the lower 40s! Temperatures in southern Wisconsin are in the upper 50s/lower 60s while Sterling is already in the lower 70s. We are expected to continue to warm up. Rockford should top out in the mid 60s today, while places like Sycamore, DeKalb, Amboy, Dixon, and Sterling should make it into the lower to maybe even mid 70s due t the placement of the warm front.

Temperatures Wednesday night are going to stay mild, in the lower 50s under mostly cloudy skies. Isolated showers remain in the forecast overnight into early Thursday. Wind gusts could reach 15 mph Wednesday night. Thursday afternoon temperatures should rise close to the 70-degree mark. Wind gusts could approach 25-30 mph Thursday.

Thursday’s severe threat looks to potentially come in two rounds. The initial round in the late morning/early afternoon, and then the main line ahead of the cold front in the mid to late afternoon into the early evening Thursday. Make sure to have several ways to get watches and warnings if they do get issued.

Temperatures fall back into the lower 60s Friday and then much cooler air settles in for the weekend. Temperatures will likely only be in the mid 40s Saturday and Sunday. Once we head into next week, temperatures do look to warm up some. We’ll still be below average but back into the mid 50s.