Cooler Temps for Rest of Week, Maybe for February

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Published on January 31 2018 1:43 pm
Last Updated on January 31 2018 1:44 pm

BY JEFF BROWN, FARM WEEK NOW

Illinois’ run of mild temperatures could be coming to an end this week.

According to EJS Weather meteorologist Eric Schmidt, temperatures could be pleasant for another day, but will likely dip on Thursday and could remain on the cold side of normal through February.

For those waiting for some moisture, the best hope over the next few weeks will be snowfall.

“It’s going to be generally colder than average for the next couple of weeks, with maybe some small snow systems but no real big winter storms at this point,” said Schmidt, who’s based in Jasper County. “With the cold air that’s coming back in place, that (snowfall) is always a threat if you can get a better storm system to develop.”

The fronts currently on the radar aren’t expected to provide much relief, though.

A storm system is expected to move through Illinois on Thursday without dropping much precipitation. Another front on Saturday could drop some light snow in northern Illinois, followed by another system on Sunday that could sprinkle flurries in central and southern Illinois.

“It doesn’t look like a real big deal but maybe a light snow to cover the ground,” Schmidt said of the Sunday forecast.

The colder-than-average temperatures could last all the way into March.

Schmidt added that some long-range weather prediction models call for a wetter-than-average spring.