Illinois wakes to thick fog clinging to roads and neighborhoods, blurring stoplights and softening headlights across Champaign and central Illinois.
Visibility has dropped to one-quarter mile or less in many areas, prompting a Dense Fog Advisory until 10 a.m. CST, according to the National Weather Service. The fog developed overnight and continues early this morning, creating hazardous driving conditions on city streets, rural roads, and highways like I-57 and I-74.
Drivers heading out for Christmas morning plans should expect sudden visibility drops. Damp pavement from patchy drizzle adds to the risk. Slow speeds and extra following distance are strongly advised.
Conditions gradually improve late this morning. Fog thins toward midday as temperatures climb into the low 50s, unusually mild for late December. Visibility improves through the afternoon, allowing for smoother holiday travel.
The calm doesn’t last long.
Forecast models show areas of fog returning Friday morning, followed by a mild and breezy afternoon with highs reaching the low 60s. Friday night stays cloudy, with patchy fog possible again. Saturday remains quiet and mild, offering one of the better travel windows of the five-day outlook.
Attention turns to Sunday and Monday.
Rain becomes likely Sunday afternoon and evening. As colder air surges in late Sunday night, temperatures drop sharply. By early Monday, wind chills may fall below zero, marking a dramatic shift to true Winter Weather.
Road conditions could deteriorate quickly if lingering moisture freezes. Bridges and untreated surfaces may develop black ice during early Monday travel. Gusty winds will add a biting edge to the cold, especially during morning hours.
Meteorologists continue tracking a broader Midwest cold pattern settling in as December ends.
Plan ahead today. Use headlights in fog, allow extra time this morning, and prepare for a Cold Snap that could significantly impact post-Christmas travel across central Illinois.
