A rapid warmup is expected after Monday with Wednesday back in the 90’s. Strong southwest winds are expected to begin on Wednesday, and are expected to block any lake breeze.
For this week, dew points and humidity are expected to be lower than normal for late June. The heat index is not expected to be much higher than the actual temperature. Upper air is very warm and if it mixes the right amount with the surface air, temperatures could be as high as 105° or 107°F on Thursday.
The rain on Thursday night is not expected to bring much relief with temperatures back in the 90’s on Friday. Drought conditions are developing, and there is likely to be an increased fire weather risk (RED FLAG WARNING) later in the week. According to the US Drought Monitor, all of Illinois is in either “Abnormally Dry” conditions or in moderate to extreme drought conditions. Central Illinois is generally in worse shape than northern Illinois, and parts of the southern tip of Illinois near Metropolis, Illinois are in extreme drought conditions. The U.S. Drought Monitors is a group effort of the USDA, NOAA, US Geological Survey, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Maps of the drought conditions are released every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. CT.
National Weather Service Forecast for the last week of June 2012 …
Today: Sunny, with a high near 73. Northeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 54. North northeast wind between 10 and 15 mph becoming calm.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 80. East wind between 5 and 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 91. South southwest wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 75.
Thursday: Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 99.
Thursday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 78.
Friday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 95.