Weather
Illinois Weather: Springfield Rain Chance Reaches 95% Thursday Night
Lincoln, IL – Rain chances will increase across central and southeast Illinois through Thursday, with many locations seeing their highest probabilities Thursday night into Friday morning.
By Blake Harrison · 2026-09-30T22:43:16.989Z
Lincoln, IL – Rain chances will increase across central and southeast Illinois through Thursday, with many locations seeing their highest probabilities Thursday night into Friday morning.
According to the National Weather Service in Lincoln, the timing will vary considerably across the region. Northwestern locations are expected to see rain earlier, while the highest chances shift toward central and southeast Illinois later Thursday and overnight.
Galesburg has an 85% rain chance at 6 a.m. Wednesday, rising to 90% by 9 a.m. Peoria also begins Wednesday with probabilities of 70% to 75% before chances temporarily decrease later in the day.
A broader increase develops Thursday. Rain chances reach 80% to 90% around Peoria during the afternoon and evening, while Bloomington and Lincoln climb into the 85% to 95% range by Thursday evening.
Farther south and east, the strongest probabilities arrive later. Springfield reaches a 95% chance Thursday night, while Champaign also climbs to around 90% to 95% overnight into early Friday.
Rain chances remain elevated Friday morning in portions of southeast Illinois. The Weather Service chart shows probabilities reaching roughly 75% to 80% around Lawrenceville during the morning as the rain shifts farther southeast.
The percentages represent the probability of measurable precipitation at each location and do not indicate how long it will rain or how much will fall.
Overall, residents should expect the best rain chances to progress from northwest to southeast through the period. Chances are expected to diminish across much of the region during Friday, with the latest rain lingering longest in southeast Illinois.