Memorial Day Weather Outlook: CLOUDY SKIES and Afternoon THUNDERSTORMS

Following a rainy afternoon and evening, the rain swiftly dissipated in the late evening as a cold front moved through the region. Temperatures in the mid-50s will return for a seasonably cool night as this cold front moves through.

The weather for Memorial Day could be cloudy and sporadic thunderstorms in the afternoon, after a sunny start to the day. Most places will have temperatures in the low 70s, with other places possibly experiencing slightly higher temperatures due to greater sunshine.

Here we can see one computer model’s prediction for the afternoon storms. After three-quarters of an hour, a few storms form over northwest Illinois, and a couple of them stick around until nine or ten o’clock in the evening. After midnight, the weather will clear up again, while a few light showers might stick around into the early hours of the night.

On Monday, there is a chance that some storms might bring mild to moderate severe weather. Much of the state is now under a Level 1/5 severe storm risk, according to the Storm Prediction Center. The major hazards, according to the center, are gusty winds and heavy hail. If you’re planning on being outside, keep an eye on the weather forecast in case any storms roll in.

On Tuesday, while with less coverage than Monday, another day with isolated storms is still probable. More sunshine, tolerable humidity, and gradually increasing temperatures (to the upper 70s by Friday) are in store for Wednesday through Friday. It will probably be the weekend before we get any further rain.