After Record High, Illinois Preps for Storms and 50 Degree Temp Drop

I'm a huge fan of the fall season and the cooler temperatures, and I've been wearing my hoodies and warm weather gear for a while.  So the record high today, near 90 degrees in mid-October, was a surprise.

But we don't have to wait very long for some of the coldest temps of the season, as they arrive later this week.

Record-Breaking Heat Sets Up a Stunning Weather Reversal

Northern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin are in for a pretty dramatic weather change by Friday (10/16), with record-breaking autumn warmth giving way to thunderstorms and falling temperatures.

Rockford reached 88 degrees on Monday (10/12), breaking the previous October 12 record of 85 set in 1930 and tied in 2008.

Storm Could Arrive Before Big Cooldown

The warmth will help set the stage for potential severe thunderstorms expected to move into the Rockford area on Tuesday, with the National Weather Service currently at a 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday night, followed by cooler conditions on Wednesday (10/14) with highs in the upper 60s.

Showers are again likely on Thursday (10/15), with a possible thunderstorm after 10 am, and highs in the lower 60s. A 40 percent chance of rain on Thursday night, and a low around 46, says the NWS.

Temperatures Could Plunge Into the 20s

The biggest change could arrive later in the week. After Monday's record 88-degree high, temps are forecast to tumble nearly 50 degrees, with the Weather Channel calling for the Rockford region to have lows in the upper 20s on Friday night (10/16).

If the temp goes from 88 on Monday to 28 on Friday night, that's a 60-degree swing in less than a week, which is the kind of weather transition that reminds us that October weather in the Stateline area can change quickly.