Illinois wakes up to a frosty 32-degree morning in Lincoln and Champaign, where breath hangs in the still air and car windows glisten with a thin icy film. The wind chill sits closer to the upper 20s, adding a sharp edge to the early commute.
Roads are mainly dry, but patchy fog could develop late tonight into early Sunday, especially along I-55 and rural highways. Visibility may drop quickly in low-lying areas. Take it slow if you encounter sudden gray walls of fog.
Today stays mostly cloudy with a high near 50 degrees. A slight chance of rain lingers before 4 p.m., then again after 5 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Winds remain light out of the south around 3 to 5 mph.
Tonight brings a 50 percent chance of rain and patchy fog after 2 a.m. Temperatures settle near 40 degrees. While that stays above freezing, cooler pockets could flirt with slick spots toward dawn.
Sunday starts with patchy fog, then turns mostly sunny with a high near 57 degrees. Sunday night clears out with lows around 36.
President’s Day delivers partly sunny skies and a mild high near 59 degrees. South-southwest winds increase to 5 to 11 mph, with gusts up to 18 mph. Tuesday holds near 59 under mostly cloudy skies, and Wednesday jumps to 65 with breezy conditions.
This warming trend runs well above average for mid-February. Long-range signals show temperatures 10 to 20 degrees above normal into next week.
Winter isn’t done yet, but central Illinois is getting a strong taste of spring. Are you seeing fog or clear skies in your neighborhood this morning?
Five-Day Outlook – Lincoln/Champaign, Illinois
Today: Mostly cloudy, high 50.
Sunday: Patchy fog early, then sunny, high 57.
Monday (President’s Day): Partly sunny, high 59.
Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, high 59.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny and breezy, high 65.
