textproduct: Central Illinois

KEY MESSAGES

- Cold and windy conditions develop on Wednesday behind a cold front with a small chance for a few rain and snow showers.

- Additional chances for snow come Thursday night through Saturday, potentially resulting in minor accumulations.

- Even colder air arrives this weekend with highs expected to only reach the teens to 20s with overnight lows in the single digits.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 203 PM CST Tue Jan 13 2026

Upper analysis depicts a large upper trough over Canada nosing into the Upper Midwest. An expansive area of cloud cover stretches from the central Plains into the middle Mississippi Valley out ahead of a southward advancing cold front. Breezy southwest winds with gusts up to 30 mph are common out ahead of the front, which has allowed temperatures to warm into the upper 40s to 50s. The front will work through the area tonight, passing through mostly dry. A few spotty showers may develop near/south of I-70 late tonight, but chances of that occuring are quite low (20%).

Northwest flow sets up behind the cold front for Wednesday, bringing much colder air to the region, especially by afternoon when temperatures fall into the 20s to low 30s. The colder air paired with northwest winds gusting up to 35 mph will send wind chills into the teens. Although moisture will be limited through Wednesday, large-scale ascent under cyclonic flow aloft may support a few snow showers or flurries through the day, or sprinkles where temperatures remain warmer longer in the south. Little to no snow accumulation is expected. More meaningful snow accumulations are expected to our northeast and east where lake-effect snow will target north-central Indiana through Wednesday night.

Additional chances for snow come Thursday night through Saturday as a couple shortwaves track south in the northwest flow aloft. Light snow accumulations are possible with each passing wave, with guidance suggesting a 40-60% chance for over 1 inch across our north with the Thursday night-Friday wave. More notably, a colder push of air arrives over the weekend with forecast highs only expected to only reach the teens to 20s and wind chills falling below zero. The colder weather and active pattern looks to stick around through at least the early to middle parts of next week as northwest flow remains locked in aloft.

NMA

AVIATION

(For the 06z TAFs through 06z Wednesday Night) Issued at 1054 PM CST Tue Jan 13 2026

A cold front has pushed across central Illinois with winds continuing to gradually veer to the northwest late this evening. As cold air filters into the region, steep low level lapse rates will help produce gusty conditions with gusts picking up overnight and eventually peaking around 30 kt Wednesday afternoon. Meanwhile, MVFR ceilings are also spreading south across the region behind the front and should overspread the terminals overnight then lift diurnally back to VFR around midday. A few spotty light snow showers or flurries are possible as instability maximizes mid to late morning into the early afternoon.

Deubelbeiss

ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.