BIG CHANGES THIS WEEK AS COLDER WEATHER MAKES APPEARANCE

Nov 16

2 min read

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Change is on the way with a big pattern shift this week that will finally send some cooler weather plummeting into the central U.S.

Ahead of the cool down, unseasonably warm weather will once again surge north Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Temperatures will warm into the upper 60s and lower 70s, which is around 15 degrees ABOVE average.

A combination of two large storms systems will bring a chance for rain showers and a major cool down. As the first large system tracks from the Plains into the Upper Mississippi Valley late Monday night and into early Tuesday morning, Southern Illinois will see a few showers track across the region. This will amount to 0.25" or less of rainfall and by sunrise Tuesday morning, rain should be exiting to the east with sunshine taking hold the remainder of the day. This is still ahead of the cold front, so temperatures will approach 70-degrees Tuesday afternoon.

The second storm system will track into the Midwest on Wednesday. Colder air will move into Southern Illinois throughout the day Wednesday as temperatures will only peak in the lower 50s. A few cold rain showers look to be possible Wednesday afternoon and evening. With the colder air aloft, I can't entirely rule out a few wet snowflakes mixing in.

Thursday and Friday, it will feel like winter. Cloudy skies, strong winds from the northwest, and some of the coldest air of the season so far. Morning temperatures near freezing are likely with afternoon highs only in the 40s.

In addition to the cool down, wind will be much more prevalent this week. Picking up from the southwest Monday afternoon, gusts over 20 miles per hour will become common. Even stronger winds are possible Monday night with gusts pushing near 40 miles per hour.

By Wednesday, winds will transition to the northwest, with gusts over 30 miles per hour possible. Northwest winds will remain breezy through the end of the week.

As ridging aloft builds in next weekend, bringing in quieter and warmer weather. Temperatures will rebound back into the low to mid 50s, closer to average for November.