textproduct: Central Illinois

KEY MESSAGES

- An upper-level disturbance will bring snow flurries to parts of central Illinois tonight into Sunday morning. There is a very low probability (around a 10% chance) for measurable snowfall northeast of a Bloomington to Paris line.

- The next significant chance for precipitation will hold off until late Wednesday into Thursday.

LONG TERM

(Monday through Next Saturday) Issued at 125 PM CST Sat Feb 21 2026

After one more cold day on Monday, the Great Lakes upper low will lift northeastward and upper heights will rise across the Midwest. As a result, highs will climb into the 40s on Tuesday, then well into the 50s by Wednesday. The next chance for widespread precipitation will materialize late Wednesday night into Thursday as low pressure and its associated cold front track through the Midwest. The 12z Feb 21 GFS and ECMWF are in fairly good agreement with the track of this system and its associated precip types. The atmosphere will be warm enough to initially support rain Wednesday evening: however, as dynamic cooling occurs and CAA develops to the N/NW of the low track, there is an increasingly strong signal for wet snow across parts of the KILX CWA late Wednesday night into Thursday morning. While it is still too early to pin down exactly where the snow will occur and how much will accumulate, we will need to keep a close eye on future model runs. At this time, have focused snow chances along/north of a Macomb to Bloomington line...but these may need to be adjusted as the scenario becomes clearer over the next couple of days. Once the mid-week system passes, a return to mild and dry conditions with highs in the 50s is anticipated for next Friday and Saturday.

Barnes

AVIATION

(For the 06z TAFs through 06z Sunday Night) Issued at 957 PM CST Sat Feb 21 2026

Central Illinois will remain in a moderate northwesterly gradient through the period with gusts in the low to mid 20 kt range tonight, then increasing to 25-30 kt Sunday morning. Modeled probabilities of MVFR ceilings have lowered across central IL for later tonight and Sunday morning, with the better chances of these ceilings over northeast IL. Will go with a SCT025 mention for the terminals near I-74, otherwise BKN-OVC mid level ceilings will dominate the region for much of Sunday.

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ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.