textproduct: Central Illinois

KEY MESSAGES

- Strong southwesterly winds will develop on Tuesday. Wind gusts will increase into the 30-40mph range...with a low probability (20-30% chance) of reaching 45mph along the I-57 corridor.

- A storm system will bring a period of rain and snow to central Illinois Wednesday night into Thursday morning. A light/slushy accumulation is anticipated. The latest guidance suggests a 30-60% chance of amounts over 1 inch along and north of a Macomb to Champaign line.

LONG TERM

(Wednesday through Next Monday) Issued at 148 PM CST Mon Feb 23 2026

As the cold front settles southward into the region and the pressure gradient relaxes, winds will decrease by Tuesday evening...then will drop to 10mph or less on Wednesday. Highs on Wednesday will range from around 40 degrees far north near Galesburg and Lacon to the lower 50s south of I-70.

12z Feb 23 models have continued the recent trend of featuring a weaker and further south mid-week storm system. Consensus now suggests a weak area of low pressure will track from western Nebraska Wednesday afternoon...across Missouri...then into eastern Tennessee by Thursday afternoon. Modest isentropic lift along/north of the low track and precipitable water values increasing into the 0.75-1.00 range will be sufficient to produce a light precipitation event across central Illinois. Thermal profiles initially support light rain: however, as temperatures cool after dark and dynamic cooling occurs as precip develops, the rain will mix with and gradually change to snow everywhere north of the I-70 corridor overnight. Given the antecedent warm conditions Wednesday afternoon and the light/transient nature of the precipitation, am not expecting a significant snow event. The latest guidance suggests a 30-60% chance of greater than 1 inch of wet/slushy snow along/north of a Macomb to Champaign line by Thursday morning...with a 0% chance of more than 4 inches. The official forecast will therefore feature 1-2 inches along and near the I-74 corridor, which could create some slick conditions for the Thursday morning commute. Any snow that falls will quickly start melting as afternoon highs climb into the lower to middle 40s.

Once the system passes, southwesterly winds will return for the end of the week...pushing highs well into the 50s and 60s for Friday and Saturday. After that, another storm system will approach early next week, bringing rain and/or wet snow chances back into the picture by next Sunday and Monday.

Barnes

AVIATION

(For the 00z TAFs through 00z Tuesday Evening) Issued at 503 PM CST Mon Feb 23 2026

VFR through the period with increasing high clouds tonight and mid level clouds Tuesday. High pressure will shift over the region this evening, bringing light/variable winds. After the ridge axis pushes east later tonight, south winds will develop. Winds will become gusty by mid morning, with gusts increasing to 30-35 kt and veering SSW midday through the afternoon.

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ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.