Current weather · Sep 28, 3:23 AM CDT

38.9640, -88.2230

52°

ClearFeels like 52° · Humidity 83%NWS forecast for this hour; no recent station reportForecast by NWS Central Illinois · grid 99,21
High
79°
Low
52°
Rain today
0%
Sunrise
6:46 AM
Sunset
6:40 PM

Hour by hour

NWS forecast grid

Scroll sideways for more hours. Pick an hour for every number.

Every hour as a table48 hours
TimeWeatherTemperatureFeels likeDew pointHumidityChanceAmountSnowDirWindGustSky coverThunderPressureVisibilityCeiling
Mon 3 AM52°52°47°83%0%N3 mph9 mph5%—10 mi
Mon 4 AM51°51°47°86%0%N3 mph8 mph7%—10 mi
Mon 5 AM50°49°47°89%0%N3 mph8 mph8%—10 mi
Mon 6 AM49°48°46°89%0%N3 mph8 mph6%—10 mi
Mon 7 AM48°47°46°93%0%N3 mph8 mph5%—10 mi
Mon 8 AM52°52°48°86%0%N3 mph9 mph6%—10 mi
Mon 9 AM58°58°50°75%0%NNE3 mph7 mph5%—10 mi
Mon 10 AM63°63°51°65%0%NNE3 mph6 mph4%—10 mi
Mon 11 AM68°68°51°55%0%NNE3 mph6 mph2%—10 mi
Mon 12 PM73°73°50°44%0%NNE3 mph6 mph3%—10 mi
Mon 1 PM75°75°49°40%0%NNE3 mph7 mph3%—10 mi
Mon 2 PM77°77°49°37%0%NNE3 mph6 mph8%—10 mi
Mon 3 PM79°79°48°34%0%NNE5 mph7 mph20%—10 mi
Mon 4 PM79°79°48°34%0%NNE5 mph7 mph10%—10 mi
Mon 5 PM77°77°48°36%0%NNE5 mph6 mph15%—10 mi
Mon 6 PM74°74°50°43%0%NNE3 mph6 mph10%—10 mi
Mon 7 PM69°69°49°49%0%NNE3 mph7 mph4%—10 mi
Mon 8 PM67°67°50°54%0%NE3 mph8 mph3%—10 mi
Mon 9 PM63°63°50°62%0%NE3 mph8 mph4%—10 mi
Mon 10 PM61°61°50°67%0%NE3 mph8 mph1%—10 mi
Mon 11 PM59°59°51°75%0%NE2 mph8 mph1%—10 mi
Tue 12 AM58°58°51°77%0%ENE3 mph7 mph2%—10 mi
Tue 1 AM57°57°52°83%0%ENE3 mph7 mph2%—10 mi
Tue 2 AM56°56°52°86%0%ENE2 mph7 mph3%—10 mi
Tue 3 AM55°55°52°90%0%ENE2 mph7 mph3%—10 mi
Tue 4 AM55°55°52°90%0%E2 mph7 mph3%—10 mi
Tue 5 AM54°54°52°93%0%E2 mph6 mph3%—10 mi
Tue 6 AM53°53°51°93%0%E2 mph6 mph3%—10 mi
Tue 7 AM52°52°51°96%0%E2 mph6 mph3%—10 mi
Tue 8 AM57°57°53°86%0%E2 mph6 mph3%—10 mi
Tue 9 AM62°62°54°75%0%SE3 mph7 mph2%—10 mi
Tue 10 AM68°68°55°63%0%SSE3 mph8 mph2%—10 mi
Tue 11 AM73°73°55°53%0%SSE5 mph7 mph1%——
Tue 12 PM76°76°53°45%0%SSE5 mph7 mph1%——
Tue 1 PM79°79°52°39%0%SSE3 mph6 mph1%——
Tue 2 PM81°80°51°35%0%SSE5 mph7 mph1%——
Tue 3 PM82°81°50°33%0%SSE5 mph7 mph2%——
Tue 4 PM82°81°50°33%0%SSE5 mph7 mph3%——
Tue 5 PM80°80°50°35%0%SSE3 mph7 mph6%——
Tue 6 PM76°76°50°40%0%SE3 mph6 mph19%——
Tue 7 PM74°74°52°46%0%ESE2 mph5 mph25%——
Tue 8 PM69°69°52°55%0%ESE2 mph6 mph68%——
Tue 9 PM66°66°51°58%0%SE2 mph7 mph51%——
Tue 10 PM64°64°50°60%0%SE3 mph7 mph34%——
Tue 11 PM62°62°50°65%0%SE3 mph7 mph36%——
Wed 12 AM62°62°50°65%0%SSE3 mph7 mph37%——
Wed 1 AM61°61°51°70%0%SSE3 mph7 mph39%——
Wed 2 AM61°61°51°70%0%SSE3 mph7 mph43%——

The next 16 days

NWS grid published Sep 28, 1:42 AM CDT to day 8, the National Blend of Models to day 10, the mean of GFS, ECMWF, ECMWF AI to day 16
  1. TodaySep 2879°52°Sunny0%wind 5 mph
  2. TueSep 2982°59°Sunny0%wind 5 mph
  3. WedSep 3087°67°Mostly Sunny1%wind 10 mph · gusts 16 mph
  4. ThuOct 186°64°Chance Rain Showers51%0.28 inwind 14 mph · gusts 21 mph
  5. FriOct 272°59°Chance Showers And Thunderstorms53%0.72 inwind 12 mph · gusts 17 mph
  6. SatOct 371°59°Chance Rain Showers39%0.12 inwind 9 mph · gusts 15 mph
  7. SunOct 472°57°Chance Rain Showers36%0.43 inwind 9 mph
  8. MonOct 570°54°24%0.15 inwind 9 mph
  9. TueOct 671°56°National Blend11%0.01 inwind 6 mph
  10. WedOct 772°55°National Blend13%0.05 inwind 7 mph
  11. ThuOct 8~65°56°Model mean0.23 in
  12. FriOct 9~62°46°Model mean
  13. SatOct 10~69°48°Model mean
  14. SunOct 11~66°50°Model mean
  15. MonOct 12~59°40°Model mean
  16. TueOct 13~57°43°Model mean

Right now

NWS grid for this hour · UV from the EPA · air quality from AirNow
  • Feels like52°
  • WindN 3 mphgusts 9 mph
  • Radar over this pointno reading
  • Humidity83%
  • Dew point47°
  • Pressure—
  • UV index—
  • Air quality—
  • Visibility10 mi
  • Sunrise and sunsetSunrise · Sunset · not yet up
  • Moonrise7:29 PMMoonset 8:58 AM
  • Moon phaseWaning gibbous95% lit

The National Blend of Models

NOAA NBM v5.0 · run of Sep 28, 1:00 AM CDT

NOAA’s weighted blend of every model it runs, to eleven days, with the chances the grid above does not carry. Where the local office’s grid reaches, its figure sits beneath the blend’s; where it does not, the blend stands alone.

  1. TodaySep 2878°52°NWS grid 79° / 52°rain 0%wind 3 mph
  2. TueSep 2981°59°NWS grid 82° / 59°rain 0%wind 3 mph
  3. WedSep 3087°67°NWS grid 87° / 67°rain 5%wind 10 mph · gusts 16 mph
  4. ThuOct 186°64°NWS grid 86° / 64°rain 56%thunder 16%0.30 inwind 14 mph · gusts 21 mph
  5. FriOct 272°59°NWS grid 72° / 59°rain 50%thunder 13%0.71 inwind 12 mph · gusts 17 mph
  6. SatOct 371°59°NWS grid 71° / 59°rain 39%0.16 inwind 9 mph · gusts 15 mph
  7. SunOct 472°57°NWS grid 72° / 57°rain 36%thunder 13%0.46 inwind 9 mph
  8. MonOct 570°54°NWS grid 70° / 54°rain 20%0.13 inwind 9 mph
  9. TueOct 671°56°Beyond the NWS gridrain 11%0.01 inwind 6 mph
  10. WedOct 772°55°Beyond the NWS gridrain 13%0.05 inwind 7 mph
  11. ThuOct 871°—Beyond the NWS gridrain 5%wind 8 mph · gusts 14 mph
41°68°95°TueWedThuFriSatSunMon

BlendNWS gridChance of rain, hourly

The models, side by side

HRRR Sep 27, 7:00 PM CDT · GFS Sep 27, 7:00 PM CDT · GEFS Sep 27, 7:00 PM CDT · ECMWF Sep 27, 7:00 AM CDT · ECMWF AI Sep 27, 7:00 PM CDT

Each line is one model’s own forecast at its own grid cell: three kilometers for HRRR, a quarter of a degree for the global models, which can sit a few hundred meters above or below the town. Where they agree the forecast is settled; where they part is where it is not.

41°68°95°TueWedThuFriSatSunMon

DayNWS gridHRRRGFSGEFSECMWFECMWF AI
Today Sep 2879° 52°80° 49°79° 52°79° 51°77° 51°~76° 49°
Tue Sep 2982° 59°82° 50°83° 54°83° 54°79° 55°~80° 50°
Wed Sep 3087° 67°—92° 62°89° 62°87° 60°~85° 61°
Thu Oct 186° 64°0.28 in—88° 70°0.06 in84° 72°0.32 in88° 69°~87° 68°
Fri Oct 272° 59°0.72 in—69° 58°0.23 in73° 64°0.54 in71° 60°0.10 in~74° 67°0.59 in
Sat Oct 371° 59°0.12 in—63° 56°0.28 in71° 62°0.55 in~73° 59°~72° 59°0.02 in
Sun Oct 472° 57°0.43 in—78° 61°71° 62°0.26 in~70° 65°0.66 in~74° 63°0.09 in
Mon Oct 570° 54°0.15 in—70° 50°67° 53°0.12 in~73° 66°0.02 in~65° 52°
Tue Oct 6——71° 44°68° 47°0.03 in~69° 63°0.01 in~66° 42°
Wed Oct 7——70° 48°0.12 in71° 51°~72° 64°~75° 53°0.29 in
Thu Oct 8——~62° 59°0.35 in—~65° 55°0.33 in~69° 53°
Fri Oct 9——~60° 43°—~50° 45°~75° 50°
Sat Oct 10——~68° 46°—~54° 40°~84° 58°
Sun Oct 11——~63° 45°—~63° 42°~72° 62°
Mon Oct 12——~53° 37°0.01 in—~53° 47°~65° 43°
Tue Oct 13——~57° 43°———

A ~ marks a high or low read from six-hourly steps, which miss the true extreme by a degree or two.

ECMWF ensemble meteogram

ECMWF ensemble meteogram for this place: box plots of cloud cover, precipitation, wind speed and temperature from the 51 ensemble members for ten days.
Rendered by ECMWF from its 51-member ensemble, in metric units: each box spans the middle half of the members, the whiskers the rest, the line the control run. A forecast, not an observation. © ECMWF, CC BY 4.0.

The next 90 days

NOAA GHCN normals and records at Olney-Noble (OLY) · Climate Prediction Center outlooks

No forecast has skill day by day past about two weeks, and this page does not print one. Where the models stop, the calendar takes over: the 1991 to 2020 normal for each date, the record high and low ever set on it, and where the Climate Prediction Center leans warm, cool, wet or dry over the coming weeks, the month and the season. A site that shows a high for a date three months out is showing you this normal with a wobble.

The forecast reaches Tue Oct 13, from the NWS grid, then the National Blend, then the mean of the global models. Beyond it the lines are the calendar.

Climate Prediction Center (CPC) temperature lean33%warmer 40% · Oct 202633% chance above normal · Oct to Dec-20°0°20°40°60°80°100°TodayOct 1Nov 1Dec 1

Forecast high and lowNormal high and lowRecord high and lowCPC leans warmer than normalCPC leans cooler than normalCPC near normal or equal chances

Week ofNormalWarmest on recordColdest on recordTemperature leanPrecipitation lean
Sep 2876° / 50°101° (1953)27° (1899)40% chance above normal · Oct 2026equal chances · Oct 2026
Oct 574° / 48°94° (1939)24° (1964)33% chance below normal · days 8 to 1433% chance below normal · days 8 to 14
Oct 1269° / 45°93° (1928)20° (1917)40% chance above normal · Oct 2026equal chances · Oct 2026
Oct 1968° / 42°90° (1953)18° (1981)40% chance above normal · Oct 2026equal chances · Oct 2026
Oct 2662° / 40°89° (1940)17° (1952)40% chance above normal · Oct 2026equal chances · Oct 2026
Nov 260° / 38°82° (1987)11° (1951)33% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Nov 954° / 33°80° (1975)4° (2019)33% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Nov 1655° / 34°80° (1952)7° (1959)33% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Nov 2350° / 33°77° (1909)-0° (1950)33% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Nov 3048° / 30°74° (1982)-2° (1929)33% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Dec 744° / 26°71° (1998)-10° (1917)33% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Dec 1442° / 27°72° (1933)-18° (1989)33% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Dec 2140° / 24°71° (1942)-19° (1989)33% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec

Health and activities

Rules of thumb over the next 24 hours of forecast, the warnings in force, the station’s report, air quality and pollen

None of these is a measurement. Each is a rating of the forecast ahead, and of what is happening at the point right now, against what the activity or the ailment is known to mind, and each names the figure that decided it. An ailment or a pest is rated as a risk, low to extreme; an activity, a chore or a journey as a condition, poor to ideal.

Each rating says which span it is for: the rest of today’s daylight, tonight, or the next 24 hours.

Health

  • Arthritisnext 24 hModeratehumid
  • Sinus pressurenext 24 hLowsteady conditions
  • Common coldtodayLowmild
  • FlutodayLowmild
  • Migrainenext 24 hLowsteady conditions
  • Asthmanext 24 hLowclean air
  • Heat stresstodayLowmild
  • SunburntodayLowweak sun
  • Frostbitenext 24 hLowmild
  • SleepingtonightIdealcool, quiet night

Outdoors

  • RunningtodayGoodhot
  • HikingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • BikingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • GolftodayIdealfine conditions
  • FishingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • Boating and paddlingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • Beach and pooltodayIdealfine conditions
  • CampingtonightIdealfine conditions
  • StargazingtonightGoodbright moon

Travel

  • Air travelnext 24 hIdealclear skies
  • Drivingnext 24 hIdealclear roads

Home and garden

  • Lawn mowingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • GardeningtodayIdealfine conditions
  • Outdoor entertainingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • Drying laundry outsidetodayIdealfine conditions
  • Painting and outdoor projectstodayIdealfine conditions
  • FrosttonightLowmild

Pests

  • MosquitoestodayHighwarm
  • TickstodayHighwarm
  • Indoor pestsnext 24 hHighcool nights, warm days
  • Outdoor peststodayModeratewarm

Stargazing

Worked out from the NWS hourly forecast and the sun and moon

Tonight has no dark, clear hour without a bright moon in this forecast. Rated fair.

Night ofRatingDarkClear hoursClear and moonlessMoon litTransparency (est.)DewStrongest wind
MondayFair8:09 PM to 5:18 AM9 of 9None93%Fair2 h3 mph
TuesdayPoor8:07 PM to 5:19 AM0 of 9None87%3 mph
WednesdayPoor8:06 PM to 5:20 AM0 of 9None79%9 mph
ThursdayPoor8:04 PM to 5:21 AM0 of 9None70%6 h9 mph
FridayPoor8:02 PM to 5:22 AM0 of 9None60%6 h8 mph
SaturdayPoor8:01 PM to 5:23 AM0 of 9None50%6 h6 mph
SundayPoor7:59 PM to 5:24 AM0 of 9None39%7 h7 mph

Dark is the sun 18 degrees below the horizon; where it never gets that low, 12 degrees, marked nautical. Clear is sky cover of 20% or less. A bright moon is one above the horizon with a quarter or more of its disc lit. Transparency in the table is estimated from surface humidity (70% and 85% mark fair and poor) and visibility, since the forecast carries no haze or high cloud moisture. Seeing and transparency by hour, where shown, are Environment and Climate Change Canada’s astronomy forecast (regional model; seeing from cloud, wind shear, turbulence near the ground and the surface temperature trend; transparency from the moisture through the whole air column), under the Open Government Licence - Canada. Dew is the air within 2 °C of its dew point. Excellent is four or more clear moonless hours with good transparency; good is three; fair is one, or two clear hours.

Golden hour and blue hour

Computed from the sun and moon positions
DayBlue hour, morningGolden hour, morningGolden hour, eveningBlue hour, evening
Mon6:20 AM to 6:30 AM6:30 AM to 7:21 AM6:05 PM to 6:56 PM6:56 PM to 7:07 PM
Tue6:20 AM to 6:31 AM6:31 AM to 7:22 AM6:03 PM to 6:55 PM6:55 PM to 7:05 PM
Wed6:21 AM to 6:32 AM6:32 AM to 7:23 AM6:02 PM to 6:53 PM6:53 PM to 7:04 PM
Thu6:22 AM to 6:33 AM6:33 AM to 7:24 AM6:00 PM to 6:52 PM6:52 PM to 7:02 PM
Fri6:23 AM to 6:34 AM6:34 AM to 7:25 AM5:58 PM to 6:50 PM6:50 PM to 7:00 PM
Sat6:24 AM to 6:35 AM6:35 AM to 7:26 AM5:57 PM to 6:49 PM6:49 PM to 6:59 PM
Sun6:25 AM to 6:35 AM6:35 AM to 7:27 AM5:55 PM to 6:47 PM6:47 PM to 6:57 PM
NESWSRSSMRMS
  • SR Sunrise 6:46 AM, 92° E
  • SS Sunset 6:40 PM, 268° W
  • MR Moonrise 7:29 PM, 67° ENE
  • MS Moonset 8:58 AM, 290° WNW
  • Waning gibbous, 95% lit

Golden hour is the sun between 6 degrees above the horizon and 4 degrees below it; blue hour is the sun between 4 and 6 degrees below. These are the definitions timeanddate.com and PhotoPills use. Directions are degrees clockwise from true north, where the sun’s upper edge and the moon’s center cross a flat horizon; hills and buildings change both. None means the sun does not reach that height on the day; all day means it stays inside the band.

Drone flying

NWS hourly forecast, SWPC Kp, FAA TFRs and 14 CFR Part 107

This hour: fly with caution (gusts near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)). Next good stretch: Mon 7 AM to 6 PM, 11 hours.

Today: civil twilight for Part 107 6:16 AM to sunrise 6:46 AM, and sunset 6:40 PM to 7:10 PM. Anti-collision lighting is required in those minutes and at night.

Mon6 AM12 PM6 PM
Tue12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Wed12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM

Good Caution No-fly

HourVerdictWind (mph)400 ft est. (mph)Gust (mph)RainVisibilityCloud allowsTempKpWhy
Mon 3 AMCaution314190%10 mi52°gusts near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Mon 4 AMCaution314180%10 mi51°gusts near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Mon 5 AMCaution314180%10 mi50°gusts near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Mon 6 AMCaution314180%10 mi49°gusts near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Mon 7 AMGood3490%10 mi48°nothing against it
Mon 8 AMGood34100%10 mi52°nothing against it
Mon 9 AMGood3480%10 mi58°nothing against it
Mon 10 AMGood3460%10 mi63°nothing against it
Mon 11 AMGood3460%10 mi68°nothing against it
Mon 12 PMGood3460%10 mi73°nothing against it
Mon 1 PMGood3480%10 mi75°nothing against it
Mon 2 PMGood3460%10 mi77°nothing against it
Mon 3 PMGood5680%10 mi79°nothing against it
Mon 4 PMGood5680%10 mi79°nothing against it
Mon 5 PMGood5670%10 mi77°nothing against it
Mon 6 PMCaution3460%10 mi74°civil twilight: lighting required (107.29)
Mon 7 PMCaution314170%10 mi69°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Mon 8 PMCaution314180%10 mi67°gusts near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Mon 9 PMCaution314180%10 mi63°gusts near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Mon 10 PMCaution314180%10 mi61°gusts near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Mon 11 PMCaution29150%10 mi59°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Tue 12 AMCaution314170%10 mi58°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Tue 1 AMCaution314170%10 mi57°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Tue 2 AMCaution29140%10 mi56°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)

Flight restrictions nearby

Reading the FAA’s temporary flight restrictions.

Flight restrictions on the map. TFRs are not the whole picture: controlled airspace around airports needs LAANC authorization. Check the FAA’s B4UFLY.

Wind at 400 ft is estimated from the 10 m forecast by the power law, with exponents for each Pasquill stability class (Irwin 1979, rural, as in EPA dispersion models; the class from wind, sun height and cloud, after Turner 1970); gusts keep the ground gust’s margin. Caution from three quarters of your limit; the default 24 mph is the wind resistance printed for common sub-250 g drones. 14 CFR 107.51: “The minimum flight visibility, as observed from the location of the control station must be no less than 3 statute miles” and at least “500 feet below the cloud”. 14 CFR 107.29: “No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system during periods of civil twilight unless the small unmanned aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles”; civil twilight is the 30 minutes before sunrise and after sunset, in Alaska the Air Almanac’s. Kp: SWPC’s scales say satellite navigation problems may occur at G3 (Kp 7) and navigation is “degraded for hours” at G4 (Kp 8); Kp 5 is the typical app warning. Typical limits, not rules: rain chance 30% caution and 60% no-fly, thunder 10% and 20%, below 0 °C caution and −10 °C no-fly, over 40 °C caution. Your drone’s manual and the airspace come first.

Spraying and field work

Worked out from the NWS hourly forecast

Hours fit for spraying, and the days dry enough for fieldwork and hay, read from this forecast’s wind, gusts, humidity, temperature and rain.

Spraying windows

  • Mon 9 AM to 11 PM 14 hours, some with delta T between 8 and 10 °C
  • Tue 9 AM to 3 PM 6 hours, some with delta T between 8 and 10 °C
  • Tue 5 PM to 7 PM 2 hours, some with delta T between 8 and 10 °C
  • Tue 10 PM to Wed 1 PM 15 hours, some with delta T between 8 and 10 °C
  • Wed 6 PM to Thu 4 AM 10 hours, some with delta T between 8 and 10 °C
  • Sat 7 PM to 9 PM 2 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Mon 11 AM to 4 PM 5 hours, every hour within the rules
Mon6 AM12 PM6 PM
Tue12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Wed12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Thu12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM

Good Marginal No

Field days

DayDaytimeChance of rainRainLowest humidityStrongest windDry days in a rowHay drying
MondayDry0%0.00 in34%5 mph3 d
TuesdayDry0%0.00 in33%5 mph2 d
WednesdayDry1%0.00 in32%10 mph1 dGood
ThursdayWet51%0.28 in55%14 mph
FridayWet49%0.72 in64%12 mph
SaturdayShowers possible39%0.12 in68%9 mph
SundayWet36%0.43 in66%9 mph
MondayShowers possible14%0.15 in61%9 mph

Spraying: sustained wind 3 to 10 mph, the range US extension services and most labels give; gusts no more than 15 mph (this page’s limit); delta T (air minus wet-bulb temperature) 2 to 8 °C preferred and 8 to 10 °C marginal, from GRDC guidance, with the wet bulb by Stull’s formula; no hour at a 30% chance of rain or 0.25 mm forecast during the rain-free time. Follow the product label, which overrides all of this. Field days: dry is no daytime hour at a 30% chance and under 1 mm all day, wet is 6 mm (0.25 in) or more; soil moisture is not in the forecast, so ground still wet from earlier rain is not accounted for. Hay drying marks a dry day with humidity down to 50% and a breeze of 5 mph or more.

Solunar times

Computed from the moon’s position

The best-rated day this week is Monday, rated good.

DayRatingMajor periodsMinor periodsMoonSunrise, sunset
Mon Good12:52 AM to 2:52 AM1:18 PM to 3:18 PM8:28 AM to 9:28 AM6:59 PM to 7:59 PM 95%6:46 AM, 6:40 PM
Tue Good1:44 AM to 3:44 AM2:12 PM to 4:12 PM9:42 AM to 10:42 AM7:35 PM to 8:35 PM 90%6:47 AM, 6:39 PM
Wed Poor2:40 AM to 4:40 AM3:10 PM to 5:10 PM10:57 AM to 11:57 AM8:18 PM to 9:18 PM 82%6:48 AM, 6:37 PM
Thu Fair3:41 AM to 5:41 AM4:12 PM to 6:12 PM12:09 PM to 1:09 PM9:13 PM to 10:13 PM 73%6:49 AM, 6:35 PM
Fri Fair4:43 AM to 6:43 AM5:15 PM to 7:15 PM1:14 PM to 2:14 PM10:17 PM to 11:17 PM 64%6:50 AM, 6:34 PM
Sat Fair5:46 AM to 7:46 AM6:16 PM to 8:16 PM2:09 PM to 3:09 PM11:28 PM to 12:28 AM 53%6:51 AM, 6:32 PM
Sun Fair6:46 AM to 8:46 AM7:14 PM to 9:14 PM2:53 PM to 3:53 PM 43%6:52 AM, 6:31 PM

Periods in bold fall within an hour of sunrise or sunset. The weather’s side is the fishing index

Major periods are two hours centered on the moon’s passage overhead and underfoot; minor periods are one hour centered on moonrise and moonset: the conventional durations of John Alden Knight’s solunar tables (1936). The rating is this site’s: one point to start, two more within a day and a half of a new or full moon (one more within three and a half days), and one more when a period falls within an hour of sunrise or sunset. The theory has mixed support in fisheries research; the times are exact astronomy.

In words

NWS forecast periods, as issued
  1. Overnight48° · N 3 mph

    Mostly clear, with a low around 48. North wind around 3 mph.

  2. Monday79° · NNE 5 mph

    Sunny, with a high near 79. North northeast wind around 5 mph.

  3. Monday Night52° · NE 3 mph

    Clear, with a low around 52. Northeast wind around 3 mph.

  4. Tuesday82° · SE 5 mph

    Sunny, with a high near 82. Southeast wind around 5 mph.

  5. Tuesday Night59° · SE 3 mph

    Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. Southeast wind around 3 mph.

  6. Wednesday87° · 1% · S 5–10 mph

    Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. South wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 16 mph.

  7. Wednesday Night67° · 6% · S 6–9 mph

    Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind 6 to 9 mph, with gusts as high as 16 mph.

  8. Thursday86° · 50% · SW 8–14 mph

    A chance of rain showers after 7am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

  9. Thursday Night64° · 53% · NW 5–10 mph

    A chance of rain showers before 1am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

  10. Friday72° · 53% · NNE 12 mph

    A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72.

  11. Friday Night59° · 44% · NE 8 mph

    A chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.

  12. Saturday71° · 39% · NE 9 mph

    A chance of rain showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 71.

  13. Saturday Night59° · 33% · ENE 7 mph

    A chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.

  14. Sunday72° · 36% · ENE 6–9 mph

    A chance of rain showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 72.

The forecaster’s discussion

NWS Central Illinois · issued Sep 28, 2:46 AM CDT

Written by the forecaster on duty for their own colleagues and for anyone who wants to know why the forecast says what it says. It is not edited for the public, so it uses the office’s shorthand; it is also the most honest thing any weather service publishes.

KEY Messages

Quiet and Seasonable Early Week: Quiet, mild conditions continue through tonight with highs in the mid-70s and lows near 50. Warm air pushes afternoon temperatures into the 80s for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Widespread Rain Thursday into Friday: A slow-moving cold front will bring widespread rainfall to central Illinois late Wednesday night through Friday.

Rainfall Totals and Heavy Rain Potential: Areas north of Interstate 70 have a medium (40-60%) chance of receiving over 1 inch of rain through Friday evening. While the chance for over 2 inches is lower (1030%), localized heavy rain bands could produce higher amounts.

Cooling Down by the Weekend: Cooler, dry air moves in by Saturday afternoon, dropping high temperatures into the upper 60s to close out the week.

Discussion

245 AM CDT Mon Sep 28 2026

A blocking high anchored over the Great Lakes through tonight will keep central Illinois quiet under seasonable conditions, with high temperatures in the mid-70s and lows near 50. The region remains situated between an upper-level shortwave trough moving inland from the eastern Pacific and an east coast low off New England.

By Tuesday, the synoptic setup rapidly changes as the western trough absorbs the remnants of Tropical Depression Polo. Shortwave energy downstream will eject across the Plains into the Mid- and Upper-Mississippi Valleys, pushing the east coast low out to sea and dismantling the blocking ridge. Associated thermal and moisture advection will drive afternoon temperatures into the 80s for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Recent model guidance has pushed back precipitation timing. Trends show the parent trough phasing with Polo and forming a closed upper low. This will hold the surface cold front to our northwest, delaying rainfall chances across central Illinois until early Thursday morning.

While some uncertainty remains concerning the cutoff low, model guidance consistently shows it opening up and tracking eastward along the slow-moving cold front by Friday. High confidence exists for widespread rainfall from Thursday through Friday; however, exact accumulation totals and localized mesoscale banding will depend on the timing and sharpness of the front. Both blended and ensemble guidance suggest a 4060% probability of rainfall exceeding 1 inch north of Interstate 70 through Friday evening. The likelihood of total accumulations exceeding 2 inches is lower (1030%), though localized mesoscale banding could still produce these higher amounts.

Although low precipitation chances persist through midday Saturday to account for a potential delay in the northern stream shortwave and frontal boundary, conditions are expected to dry out as Continental Polar (cP) high pressure rapidly expands across the Midwest and Great Lakes region. This airmass shift will usher in a distinct cooling trend relative to mid-week temperatures, holding daily highs in the upper 60s as the week draws to a close. Extended guidance suggests this high-pressure system will remain entrenched through midweek, maintaining a stretch of ideal autumn weather.

Aviation · 06Z TAFs Through 06Z Tuesday

1147 PM CDT Sun Sep 27 2026

VFR with SCT high clouds through Monday. There is a low chance (30%) of lowered visibilities in fog early this morning, particularly at KCMI. Winds continue light northeast.

ILX Watches / Warnings / Advisories

None.

Hazardous weather outlook Sep 27, 2:41 PM CDT

The office’s own seven-day heads-up for spotters and emergency managers.

FLUS43 KILX 271941
HWOILX

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
241 PM CDT Sun Sep 27 2026

ILZ027>031-036>038-040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-281100-
Knox-Stark-Peoria-Marshall-Woodford-Fulton-Tazewell-McLean-Schuyler-
Mason-Logan-De Witt-Piatt-Champaign-Vermilion-Cass-Menard-Scott-
Morgan-Sangamon-Christian-Macon-Moultrie-Douglas-Coles-Edgar-Shelby-
Cumberland-Clark-Effingham-Jasper-Crawford-Clay-Richland-Lawrence-
241 PM CDT Sun Sep 27 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Illinois, east 
central Illinois, southeast Illinois and west central Illinois.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Periods of showers and thunderstorms are expected Wednesday night  
through Friday. While the severe weather threat is low, areas of 
heavy rain will be possible.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not anticipated tonight.

$$

Geelhart

The outlooks beyond

SPC, WPC, CPC and the Drought Monitor, read at this point

The national centers each publish a judgment the local grid does not carry. Read here at this exact coordinate.

Severe weather

  1. Day 1 · Mon Sep 28No risk area
  2. Day 2 · Tue Sep 29No risk area
  3. Day 3 · Wed Sep 30No risk area
  4. Day 4 · Thu Oct 1No risk area
  5. Day 5 · Fri Oct 2No risk area
  6. Day 6 · Sat Oct 3No risk area
  7. Day 7 · Sun Oct 4No risk area
  8. Day 8 · Mon Oct 5No risk area

Rainfall

  1. Day 1 · Mon Sep 28Under 0.01 in
  2. Day 2 · Tue Sep 29Under 0.01 in
  3. Day 3 · Wed Sep 30Under 0.01 in
  4. Day 4-5 · Oct 1–Oct 21.00 in
  5. Day 6-7 · Oct 3–Oct 40.50 in

The rainfall forecast on the map, days 1 to 7

Flash flood risk

  1. Day 1 · Mon Sep 28Below marginal
  2. Day 2 · Tue Sep 29Below marginal
  3. Day 3 · Wed Sep 30Below marginal
  4. Day 4 · Thu Oct 1Below marginal
  5. Day 5 · Fri Oct 2Marginal

Six to fourteen days

  1. Days 6–10 · TemperatureNear normal most likelyOct 3–Oct 7
  2. Days 6–10 · Precipitation33% chance above normalOct 3–Oct 7
  3. Days 8–14 · Temperature33% chance below normalOct 5–Oct 11
  4. Days 8–14 · Precipitation33% chance below normalOct 5–Oct 11

Drought

  1. Drought Monitor, map of Sep 22D0 Abnormally dry

Drought in this county: the map, the record since 2000 and the outlook

Frost and climate

NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Newton

The last spring freeze (32°F) usually comes around April 13 and the first fall freeze around October 22: a growing season of about 190 days.

One fall in ten brings a freeze by October 9; one spring in ten still has one after April 29.

Climate of 38.96, -88.22: normals, records and every month

Everything else on the grid

NWS forecast grid · 26 elements

The forecast office edits about sixty fields for every cell of its grid. The common ones are above; these are the rest, as the daily extreme, for anyone who needs the mixing height, the fire danger or the swell.

ElementMonTueWedThuFriSatSunMon
HeatRisk max1 · Minor1 · Minor1 · Minor1 · Minor1 · Minor0 · Little0 · Little0 · Little
Wet bulb globe temperature max70°73°76°78°68°67°68°66°
Heat index max79°81°85°86°72°70°71°
Wind chill min47°
Chance of thunder max0%0%1%10%16%10%12%6%
Visibility min10 mi10 mi
Mixing height max4,300 ft5,100 ft4,700 ft4,300 ft2,300 ft2,700 ft2,600 ft3,200 ft
Transport wind max10 mph9 mph14 mph16 mph14 mph14 mph9 mph9 mph
Twenty-foot wind max3 mph3 mph8 mph12 mph9 mph7 mph7 mph7 mph

Against the record

NOAA GHCN · Olney-Noble (OLY) · 17 mi away

Each forecast day against the same calendar date at the nearest long-record station: the 1991 to 2020 normal, and the record high and low with the year they were set.

DayForecastNormalRecord highRecord low
Mon Sep 2879° / 52°78° / 51°97° (1939)28° (1942)
Tue Sep 2982° / 59°76° / 49°101° (1953)32° (1942)
Wed Sep 3087° / 67°76° / 49°93° (1952)27° (1899)
Thu Oct 186° / 64°76° / 50°94° (1919)31° (1963)
Fri Oct 272° / 59°76° / 50°97° (1953)30° (1985)
Sat Oct 371° / 59°76° / 52°94° (1953)29° (1952)
Sun Oct 472° / 57°75° / 52°93° (1922)27° (1987)
Mon Oct 570° / 54°75° / 49°93° (1897)29° (1968)

Sun and moon

DayCivil twilightSunriseSunsetCivil twilightDaylightMoon
Mon6:20 AM6:46 AM6:40 PM7:07 PM11 h 54 min Waning gibbous · 95% lit
Tue6:20 AM6:47 AM6:39 PM7:05 PM11 h 52 min Waning gibbous · 90% lit
Wed6:21 AM6:48 AM6:37 PM7:04 PM11 h 49 min Waning gibbous · 82% lit
Thu6:22 AM6:49 AM6:35 PM7:02 PM11 h 46 min Waning gibbous · 73% lit
Fri6:23 AM6:50 AM6:34 PM7:00 PM11 h 44 min Waning gibbous · 64% lit
Sat6:24 AM6:51 AM6:32 PM6:59 PM11 h 41 min Last quarter · 53% lit
Sun6:25 AM6:52 AM6:31 PM6:57 PM11 h 39 min Last quarter · 43% lit
Mon6:26 AM6:53 AM6:29 PM6:56 PM11 h 36 min Waning crescent · 32% lit

Forecast from the National Weather Service forecast grid at api.weather.gov, updated by the local office through the day; the written periods and hourly digest are the NWS’s own. Outlooks from the Storm Prediction Center, the Weather Prediction Center and the Climate Prediction Center via NOAA’s map services. Records and normals from NOAA’s Global Historical Climatology Network. Sun and moon computed here. Place names from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0).

What is here

Seven days
The high, the low, the chance and amount of rain and snow, the wind and the forecaster’s words for each day and night, from the National Weather Service grid for the exact cell your town sits in.
Hour by hour
Temperature, what it feels like, dew point, humidity, chance and amount of precipitation, wind and gusts, sky cover, the chance of thunder, pressure, visibility and ceiling, as a chart and as a table, with nights shaded.
Everything else on the grid
The office edits about sixty fields for every cell. The ones the mainstream forecast pages leave out are here as a daily table: HeatRisk, wet bulb globe temperature, lightning activity, mixing height, transport wind, the fire weather indices, and at the coast the waves and swell.
The discussion
The Area Forecast Discussion the forecaster wrote to explain the forecast, in their own words, with the specialist annexes folded away. Also the office’s hazardous weather outlook.
Beyond the week
The Storm Prediction Center’s severe weather category for each of the next eight days, the Weather Prediction Center’s rainfall forecast to day seven and its winter storm severity, and the Climate Prediction Center’s odds for days six to fourteen, all read at your coordinate.
Against the record
Each forecast day beside the same date at the nearest long-record station: the thirty-year normal and the record high and low with their years, so a forecast high that would break a record says so.
The next 90 days
The forecast as far as the grid, the National Blend and the global models reach, and the calendar after that: the normal and the record for every date, with the Climate Prediction Center’s lean for the weeks, the month and the season drawn over them. No made-up highs for a date three months out.

Common questions

Where does this forecast come from?

From the National Weather Service forecast grid published at api.weather.gov, the same grid the local forecast office edits through the day and the source of every forecast on weather.gov. The written periods, the hourly digest and the forecaster’s discussion are the NWS’s own products, shown as issued. Nothing here is a blend a website made.

How far ahead does it go?

The grid runs seven days ahead, hour by hour for the first days and in three to six hour steps after that. The National Blend of Models carries the days to eleven and the global models to sixteen. Beyond that the page carries the national centers’ outlooks, severe weather to day eight, rainfall to day seven, and the Climate Prediction Center’s odds for the coming weeks, month and season, over a ninety-day calendar of the normal and the record for each date. No forecast has skill day by day past about two weeks, and this page does not print one.

Why is this different from the app on my phone?

Most forecast apps show a blend of models chosen by the company that makes the app. This page shows the forecast the local National Weather Service office issues, edited by the forecasters who will also issue the warnings, and it shows all of it rather than the six numbers that fit on a phone. The discussion explains the reasoning, which no app carries.

What is a place’s address here?

Every town has its own page, such as /forecast/us/oklahoma/oklahoma-city/, and every day at a town has one too. A ZIP code typed into the search goes to the town it belongs to. Any coordinate at all can be looked up, and the page names the nearest town.

What the weather actually was · Open the live radar · Where the data comes from