textproduct: Central Illinois

KEY MESSAGES

- Windy and sharply colder conditions will prevail the rest of today with north to northwest wind gusts of 35-45 mph this afternoon, then gradually diminishing after sunset.

- A passing weather disturbance will bring a period of light snow Thursday night. The 12z LREF indicates a 40-50% chance of 1 inch or greater of snow along and northeast of Macomb to Lincoln to Paris line.

- Another surge of very cold air will arrive by this weekend and continue into early next week. Highs will only reach the mid teens to lower 20s Saturday through Monday, while overnight lows dip into the single digits across much of central IL Saturday through Monday nights, with wind chills as cold as around 10 below from I-72 north.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 215 PM CST Wed Jan 14 2026

The 20Z/2 pm surface map shows a cold front has passed southeast of IL, pushing into central Ohio and nw parts of KY and TN. Strong NW to NNW winds 20-30 mph and gusts 35-45 mph prevailed over central and southeast winds ushering in much colder air. Temps ranged from the mid 20s to lower 30s, with Bloomington and Rantoul the cold spots at 23F. Wind chills were down in the upper single digits from BMI and CMI northeast. Radar mosaic shows scattered light snow showers and flurries along and east of the IL river while more widespread snow showers were in Indiana and northeast IL. A special weather statement was issued this afternoon until sunset for brief snow bursts over east central IL where patchy slick roads could occur along with reduced vsbys in snow showers. Broken to overcast stratocumulus clouds covered central and eastern IL while mostly sunny skies over the MS river valley near the MO and Iowa border.

A strong 519 decameter 500 mb low near Benton Harbor MI embedded in a deep mid/upper level trof from western lower MI to the IL/IN border will move eastward across the Ohio river valley during tonight, diminishing the light snow showers by early evening and strong NNW winds diminishing as well during tonight. 1028-1032 mb Canadian high pressure over the eastern Dakotas and western MN and ridging into eastern CO will shift eastward into the MS river valley by early Thu morning, and help decrease the low clouds from the west during this evening and early overnight. Colder lows overnight in the mid teens with upper teens south of I-70. Wind chills to get as cold as zero to 5 above tonight and may slip just below zero at times from BMI and CMI northeast.

High pressure ridge brings lighter winds overnight into Thu morning along with more sunshine Thu especially Thu morning. Mid and high clouds to increase from the west during Thu afternoon. Highs Thu in the upper 20s to around 30F. Warm air advection band of light snow to spread in from the west/nw into central IL during Thu evening and into southeast IL early overnight Thu night, and diminishing Fri morning. We currently are forecasting a half to 1 inch of snow over much of CWA, with areas ne of I-74 possibly topping 1 inch. SW winds to gust 20-25 mph during Thu night so minor blowing snow possible. Lows Thu night in the low to mid 20s, coldest in eastern IL.

The 12Z models agree with a deeper mid/upper level trof digging southward across the Midwest and into IL during Friday and Fri night and bringing more chances of light snow Fri afternoon into Fri night with a dusting possible. Briefly milder Fri with highs in the upper 30s to near 40F, with lower 40s in southeast IL. A polar cold front to push through IL during Fri night to bring even colder air into the region this weekend into early next work week. Lows Fri night in the low to mid teens in central IL and upper teens/lower 20s in southeast IL. The deepest part of the upper level trof digs over IL Sat afternoon/evening and could still bring chance of flurries along with the frigid air mass. Generally dry and cold conditions expected much of this weekend into early next week. Highs Sat 15-20F in central IL and low to mid 20s in southeast IL. Lows Sat night in the single digits wind wind chills around 10 below in central IL overnight Sat night. The polar air mass to linger over IL through at least Tuesday night before temps modify into the 30s next Wed/Thu.

CPC 8-14 Day outlook for Jan 22-28 has 40-50% chance of below normal temperatures and 40-50% chance of above normal precipitation for central and southeast IL. So more winter weather could occur later next week into the last weekend of the month.

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AVIATION

(For the 00z TAFs through 00z Thursday Evening) Issued at 518 PM CST Wed Jan 14 2026

Stratocu with bases near 4000 ft AGL have cleared west of I-55 as of 23z and will continue to shift east of KDEC-KCMI by 01-02z. Then clear skies are forecast through Thu morning with an increase in high clouds Thu afternoon. Northwest winds gusting 20-30 kt early this evening will gradually lose gustiness overnight, then back southwest by midday Thu.

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ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.