Thundery downpours, which began overnight, are likely to deposit a total of 1-2” of rain here before day’s end. That’s more than all of the rain which has fallen in the past 55 days and marks the beginning of a decidedly wetter pattern. A cold front responsible for the rain may not pass until 3 or 4 p.m. Saturday. As morning downpours yield to sun, temps are likely to surge into the 70s—the warmest here in two weeks. That heating threatens to fuel afternoon t-storms. With powerful jet stream winds overhead and a more rapid than usual temp decline with altitude, the elements supporting severe weather appear to be in place. Weather watches may become necessary.
This morning’s t-storms are part of a cluster which produced hail 1.75” in diameter Friday afternoon at Volga, in NE Iowa. Thundery rains by nightfall had accumulated to nearly 1” at Dubuque and Doppler rainfall estimates ranged as high as 3” in sections of eastern Iowa and western Illinois.
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
