Springfield, Illinois – Residents across central Illinois will experience a dramatic temperature swing over the next several days as springlike warmth gives way to storms, snow and much colder air by early next week.
According to the National Weather Service in Lincoln, temperatures will climb into the lower to upper 60s Sunday afternoon across cities including Springfield, Bloomington, Decatur and Champaign before a strong cold front sweeps across the region later in the day.
Forecasters say showers and thunderstorms are expected Sunday evening, with the system quickly pulling colder air into the state overnight. As temperatures fall sharply, rain is expected to transition to snow late Sunday night into early Monday.
While snowfall amounts remain uncertain, light accumulations are possible across parts of central Illinois, especially north of Interstate 72.
The bigger change will be the temperature drop. After Sunday’s mild conditions, highs Monday will struggle to reach the mid to upper 20s, with overnight lows potentially falling into the single digits and teens Monday night.
The quick freeze could lead to slick roads during the Monday morning commute, especially on bridges and overpasses along Interstates 55, 72 and 74.
Temperatures will remain cold Tuesday with highs only in the upper 20s to lower 30s, though a gradual warming trend is expected to begin later next week.
