Cold and windy weather get us into the new week
ROCKFORD (WREX) -- The new week looks quiet and sunny, but look for a big change in temperature to kick off the week. A winter chill hits the Stateline starting Monday.
Chilly start:
Cold air from Canada slides into the Stateline Monday, giving us a brisk end to November. Temperatures barely rise above freezing during the afternoon. While this is close to average for this time of year, it will feel a lot colder than the 40's and 50's we've had recently.
On top of the wintry chill, a strong north breeze kicks in. Northerly winds up to 20 mph with gusts to 30 mph are felt throughout the day. The breezy winds and the cold air combine to keep wind chills in the teens all day long. Get the warm layers out, especially if you'll be outside for a while!
Monday starts out cloudy, but steadily clears through the day. We should see some sunshine by the afternoon. Monday may the cloudiest day of the week, as a bright sunny sky more often than not hangs overhead for the rest of the week.
Temperatures recover back to the 40's later in the week, but may take a few days to get there. Tuesday gets a little further above freezing, but still only warms in the 30's. That day should be calmer, so the wind chills won't feel as cold.
By Wednesday, we jump into the low 40's, and stay there for the rest of the week. This is relatively mild for December. Compared to how warm November, was, however, the 40's may still feel a little cold.
Quiet week:
The storm track stays out of the Stateline all week, leading to quiet and sunny weather all week long. High pressure is overhead more often than not, which keeps the weather quiet. A couple of storm systems will be nearby in the region, but the track of those take them around the Stateline.
Overall, December may stay on the drier side of the scale. The next few weeks have drier than usual weather favored, according to the Climate Prediction Center. That drier weather pattern may extend deep into the month, and possibly all the way until the holidays. This doesn't mean we only see sunshine. A shower or snow storm may still cross our path. However, we could see a lot of dry time in between, keeping us below average for precipitation.
