Slight cooldown in the Stateline this weekend as 40s end work week

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ROCKFORD (WREX) — An impressive stretch of 40s continues for early December, but slightly cooler temperatures move in for the weekend.

Friday: The work week ends on a quiet note as high pressure remains in control of the weather pattern. Another day with highs in the 40s looks likely, as sunshine and only a few passing clouds continue.

Saturday and Sunday: As the weekend approaches, we're all looking forward to trying to squeeze in some outdoor time. It looks like Saturday is going to be the best day for that, with sunny skies and highs in the lower 40s. Sunday brings at least a small chance for a few light snow showers or flurries.

A quick-moving disturbance dives through the Midwest during the day and models continue to suggest light shower activity possible. If this does occur, accumulations are certainly not expected as precipitation remains light. Highs to wind down the weekend fall into the upper 30s, which is a bit closer to average.

Next week: Another week of quiet weather looks likely early next week. Temperatures start in the lower 40s early in the week, but gradually rise into the mid-and-upper-40s by the second half of the week. A shifting pattern for the second half of the month could bring an end to the seasonably mild temperatures and quiet weather.

Turning more active?:

This time of the year typically isn't this quiet, but the general weather pattern has remains fairly flat. In meteorology, this is referred to as "zonal flow". This means storms tend to go west-to-east along the jet stream, which has been primarily locked over Canada.

By mid-December, this could change. The pattern turns more meridional, with the jet stream acquiring a wiggly sort of pattern. This is when