QUAD CITIES, IA–IL – The air cuts sharp and still across the Mississippi River basin this morning, where a 9°F chill grips both Davenport and Moline. Streetlights glow through freezing fog, and the quiet hum of traffic masks the crunch of frost thickening on windshields.
According to the National Weather Service in the Quad Cities, freezing fog will linger into midmorning Tuesday, lowering visibility and coating untreated surfaces with a thin glaze of ice. Commuters are urged to slow down and leave extra distance, especially on bridges and overpasses along I-74 and US-61, where slick patches are likely.
By late afternoon, skies stay mostly cloudy, but attention turns to Wednesday, when another disturbance could bring light snow and a reinforcing wave of Arctic air. While snowfall totals should remain under an inch, wind chills could plunge as low as –15°F Wednesday night into Thursday.
The bitter cold settles through the weekend, marking the region’s first major December freeze. Highs may struggle to top the mid-20s through Saturday, and the pattern could set the stage for a stronger winter system early next week.
Five-Day Outlook (Quad Cities, IA–IL)
- Today: Freezing fog early, high 25°, low 14°.
- Wednesday: 50% snow chance, high 32°, low –3°.
- Thursday: Sunny, high 12°, low 0°.
- Friday: Partly sunny, high 27°, low 16°.
- Saturday: Mostly cloudy, high 28°.
