Current weather · Sep 26, 10:49 PM CDT

39.7830, -89.4460

64°

Mostly CloudyFeels like 64° · Humidity 73%NWS forecast for this hour; no recent station reportForecast by NWS Central Illinois · grid 55,56
High
74°
Low
57°
Rain today
14%
Sunrise
6:49 AM
Sunset
6:48 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
Sat 10 PM64°64°55°73%5%E3 mph7 mph66%2%—10 mi16,100 ft
Sat 11 PM63°63°55°75%8%E3 mph9 mph67%2%—10 mi16,900 ft
Sun 12 AM63°63°54°72%8%E3 mph8 mph67%2%—10 mi15,900 ft
Sun 1 AM62°62°54°75%12%E3 mph8 mph68%4%—10 mi19,500 ft
Sun 2 AM61°61°53°75%12%E3 mph8 mph65%4%—10 mi13,300 ft
Sun 3 AM59°59°52°78%11%E3 mph7 mph63%4%—10 mi12,600 ft
Sun 4 AM59°59°51°75%10%E3 mph7 mph60%1%—10 mi13,100 ft
Sun 5 AM58°58°51°77%8%E3 mph7 mph62%1%—10 mi12,900 ft
Sun 6 AM57°57°51°80%8%E3 mph7 mph65%1%—10 mi12,500 ft
Sun 7 AM57°57°51°80%7%E3 mph7 mph67%—10 mi12,600 ft
Sun 8 AM58°58°53°83%5%E3 mph8 mph58%—10 mi13,200 ft
Sun 9 AM60°60°54°81%2%ESE5 mph7 mph50%—10 mi
Sun 10 AM64°64°54°70%3%ESE5 mph7 mph41%—10 mi
Sun 11 AM67°67°55°65%3%E3 mph6 mph38%—10 mi
Sun 12 PM70°70°54°57%3%ENE3 mph6 mph33%—10 mi
Sun 1 PM73°73°54°51%2%NE3 mph5 mph29%—10 mi
Sun 2 PM74°74°54°50%1%NNE3 mph6 mph32%—10 mi
Sun 3 PM75°75°53°46%1%NNE3 mph6 mph35%—10 mi
Sun 4 PM75°75°53°46%1%NNE5 mph7 mph38%—10 mi
Sun 5 PM73°73°53°49%1%NNE6 mph7 mph38%—10 mi
Sun 6 PM72°72°54°53%1%NNE6 mph7 mph38%—10 mi
Sun 7 PM69°69°54°59%0%NNE6 mph8 mph37%—10 mi
Sun 8 PM64°64°54°70%0%NE6 mph8 mph31%—10 mi
Sun 9 PM62°62°53°72%0%NE6 mph8 mph24%—10 mi
Sun 10 PM60°60°53°78%0%NE5 mph9 mph18%—10 mi
Sun 11 PM59°59°52°78%0%NE5 mph8 mph20%—10 mi
Mon 12 AM57°57°51°80%0%NE5 mph8 mph23%—10 mi
Mon 1 AM56°56°51°83%0%ENE5 mph8 mph25%—10 mi
Mon 2 AM55°55°50°83%0%ENE3 mph7 mph15%—10 mi
Mon 3 AM54°54°50°86%0%ENE3 mph7 mph21%—10 mi
Mon 4 AM53°53°49°86%0%ENE3 mph6 mph16%—10 mi
Mon 5 AM52°52°49°89%0%NE3 mph6 mph22%——
Mon 6 AM52°52°49°89%0%NE3 mph6 mph21%——
Mon 7 AM51°51°49°93%0%NE3 mph6 mph27%——
Mon 8 AM53°53°51°93%0%NE3 mph6 mph36%——
Mon 9 AM58°58°53°83%0%ENE3 mph7 mph25%——
Mon 10 AM63°63°54°72%0%ENE3 mph6 mph13%——
Mon 11 AM67°67°54°63%0%ENE3 mph5 mph10%——
Mon 12 PM70°70°54°57%0%ENE1 mph3 mph8%——
Mon 1 PM72°72°53°51%0%ENE1 mph3 mph5%——
Mon 2 PM74°74°53°48%0%ENE1 mph3 mph5%——
Mon 3 PM75°75°53°46%0%ENE2 mph5 mph6%——
Mon 4 PM75°75°53°46%0%ENE2 mph5 mph6%——
Mon 5 PM73°73°53°49%0%ENE2 mph5 mph6%——
Mon 6 PM71°71°54°55%0%ENE2 mph5 mph6%——
Mon 7 PM69°69°54°59%0%ENE2 mph5 mph6%——
Mon 8 PM66°66°54°65%0%ENE2 mph5 mph6%——
Mon 9 PM63°63°54°72%0%E2 mph5 mph7%——

The next 16 days

NWS grid published Sep 26, 10:36 PM CDT to day 8, the National Blend of Models to day 11, the mean of GFS, ECMWF, ECMWF AI to day 16
  1. TodaySep 2674°57°Mostly Cloudy14%wind 3 mph · gusts 9 mph
  2. SunSep 2775°51°Mostly Sunny12%wind 6 mph
  3. MonSep 2875°56°Sunny0%wind 5 mph
  4. TueSep 2980°65°Mostly Sunny8%wind 8 mph
  5. WedSep 3077°66°Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely57%0.56 inwind 10 mph · gusts 16 mph
  6. ThuOct 176°62°Showers And Thunderstorms Likely65%0.64 inwind 10 mph · gusts 17 mph
  7. FriOct 271°59°Chance Rain Showers55%1.36 inwind 9 mph · gusts 15 mph
  8. SatOct 372°58°Chance Showers And Thunderstorms25%0.10 inwind 9 mph · gusts 15 mph
  9. SunOct 470°54°National Blend17%0.02 inwind 9 mph
  10. MonOct 568°52°National Blend6%wind 8 mph
  11. TueOct 670°55°National Blend10%0.02 inwind 7 mph
  12. WedOct 7~71°50°Model mean
  13. ThuOct 8~70°53°Model mean
  14. FriOct 9~67°46°Model mean
  15. SatOct 10~70°51°Model mean0.10 in
  16. SunOct 11~67°47°Model mean

Right now

NWS grid for this hour · UV from the EPA · air quality from AirNow
  • Feels like64°
  • WindE 3 mphgusts 7 mph
  • Radar over this pointno reading
  • Humidity73%
  • Dew point55°
  • Pressure—
  • UV index—
  • Air quality—
  • Visibility10 mi
  • Sunrise and sunsetSunrise · Sunset · set
  • Moonrise6:38 PMMoonset 6:43 AM
  • Moon phaseFull moon100% lit

The National Blend of Models

NOAA NBM v5.0 · run of Sep 26, 7:00 PM 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 26—57°NWS grid 74° / 57°rain 5%wind 2 mph
  2. SunSep 2775°51°NWS grid 75° / 51°rain 2%wind 5 mph
  3. MonSep 2875°55°NWS grid 75° / 56°rain 0%wind 3 mph
  4. TueSep 2980°65°NWS grid 80° / 65°rain 35%wind 8 mph
  5. WedSep 3079°67°NWS grid 77° / 66°rain 54%thunder 20%0.36 inwind 10 mph · gusts 16 mph
  6. ThuOct 177°62°NWS grid 76° / 62°rain 64%thunder 17%0.85 inwind 9 mph · gusts 16 mph
  7. FriOct 271°59°NWS grid 71° / 59°rain 53%thunder 22%1.18 inwind 9 mph
  8. SatOct 371°58°NWS grid 72° / 58°rain 35%thunder 22%0.24 inwind 8 mph
  9. SunOct 470°54°Beyond the NWS gridrain 17%thunder 12%0.02 inwind 9 mph
  10. MonOct 568°52°Beyond the NWS gridrain 6%wind 8 mph
  11. TueOct 670°55°Beyond the NWS gridrain 10%0.02 inwind 7 mph
  12. WedOct 771°—Beyond the NWS gridrain 11%wind 8 mph
50°68°86°SunMonTueWedThuFriSat

BlendNWS gridChance of rain, hourly

The models, side by side

HRRR Sep 26, 7:00 PM CDT · GFS Sep 26, 1:00 PM CDT · GEFS Sep 26, 1:00 PM CDT · ECMWF Sep 26, 7:00 AM CDT · ECMWF AI Sep 26, 7:00 AM 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.

50°68°86°SunMonTueWedThuFriSat

DayNWS gridHRRRGFSGEFSECMWFECMWF AI
Today Sep 2674° 57°~68° 61°~68° 63°~67° 62°72° 57°~71° 58°
Sun Sep 2775° 51°78° 59°75° 57°74° 57°74° 55°~73° 55°
Mon Sep 2875° 56°78° 58°78° 50°77° 52°74° 50°~74° 50°
Tue Sep 2980° 65°—83° 56°82° 56°77° 55°~78° 51°
Wed Sep 3077° 66°0.56 in—83° 69°83° 65°0.06 in69° 65°0.46 in~83° 63°
Thu Oct 176° 62°0.64 in—72° 68°0.18 in76° 69°0.62 in79° 64°0.17 in~80° 72°0.22 in
Fri Oct 271° 59°1.36 in—81° 66°0.04 in74° 65°0.31 in~68° 60°1.37 in~67° 62°0.84 in
Sat Oct 372° 58°0.10 in—77° 65°0.37 in73° 61°0.14 in~60° 57°1.11 in~60° 57°0.66 in
Sun Oct 4——73° 51°0.23 in69° 59°0.16 in~65° 58°~63° 57°0.09 in
Mon Oct 5——59° 42°63° 54°0.11 in~69° 53°~64° 58°0.27 in
Tue Oct 6——70° 47°~62° 47°~66° 49°~67° 53°
Wed Oct 7——~76° 55°—~66° 46°~71° 49°
Thu Oct 8——~71° 57°—~68° 48°~72° 53°
Fri Oct 9——~63° 44°—~71° 49°~69° 46°
Sat Oct 10——~64° 44°—~71° 58°0.30 in~76° 49°
Sun Oct 11——~67° 47°—~58° 58°~64° 56°

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 Springfield (SPI) · 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 Sun Oct 11, 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 leanwarmer 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 near normal or equal chances

Week ofNormalWarmest on recordColdest on recordTemperature leanPrecipitation lean
Sep 2675° / 47°100° (1953)23° (2003)no outlookno outlook
Oct 372° / 49°93° (1954)24° (1952)near normal most likely · days 6 to 1033% chance above normal · days 6 to 10
Oct 1069° / 44°90° (1962)24° (1987)40% chance above normal · Oct 2026equal chances · Oct 2026
Oct 1765° / 42°89° (1979)19° (1992)40% chance above normal · Oct 2026equal chances · Oct 2026
Oct 2458° / 40°89° (1950)13° (1925)40% chance above normal · Oct 2026equal chances · Oct 2026
Oct 3157° / 36°86° (1950)11° (1991)33% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Nov 756° / 35°79° (1915)1° (1991)33% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Nov 1452° / 33°79° (2016)4° (1959)33% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Nov 2148° / 31°75° (1913)-2° (1950)33% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Nov 2845° / 28°76° (1905)-3° (1964)33% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Dec 540° / 24°70° (1980)-7° (1917)33% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Dec 1241° / 26°72° (1948)-12° (1951)33% chance above normal · Oct to Decequal chances · Oct to Dec
Dec 1940° / 25°66° (1933)-21° (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.

The sun is down, so each rating says which span it is for: tomorrow’s daylight, tonight, or the next 24 hours.

Health

  • Arthritisnext 24 hLowsteady conditions
  • Sinus pressurenext 24 hLowsteady conditions
  • Common coldtomorrowLowmild
  • FlutomorrowLowmild
  • Migrainenext 24 hLowsteady conditions
  • Asthmanext 24 hLowclean air
  • Heat stresstomorrowLowmild
  • SunburntomorrowLowweak sun
  • Frostbitenext 24 hLowmild
  • SleepingtonightIdealcool, quiet night

Outdoors

  • RunningtomorrowVery goodhot
  • HikingtomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • BikingtomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • GolftomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • FishingtomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • Boating and paddlingtomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • Beach and pooltomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • CampingtonightIdealfine conditions
  • StargazingtonightPoormostly cloudy

Travel

  • Air travelnext 24 hIdealclear skies
  • Drivingnext 24 hIdealclear roads

Home and garden

  • Lawn mowingtomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • GardeningtomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • Outdoor entertainingtomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • Drying laundry outsidetomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • Painting and outdoor projectstomorrowIdealfine conditions
  • FrosttonightLowmild

Pests

  • MosquitoestomorrowHighwarm
  • TickstomorrowHighwarm
  • Indoor pestsnext 24 hLowmild
  • Outdoor peststomorrowModeratewarm

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 poor.

Night ofRatingDarkClear hoursClear and moonlessMoon litTransparency (est.)DewStrongest wind
SaturdayPoor8:18 PM to 5:20 AM0 of 9None100%3 mph
SundayFair8:16 PM to 5:21 AM4 of 9None98%Fair6 mph
MondayFair8:15 PM to 5:22 AM9 of 9None93%Fair2 h3 mph
TuesdayPoor8:13 PM to 5:23 AM0 of 9None87%9 mph
WednesdayPoor8:11 PM to 5:24 AM0 of 9None79%2 h8 mph
ThursdayPoor8:10 PM to 5:25 AM0 of 9None70%9 h8 mph
FridayPoor8:08 PM to 5:26 AM0 of 9None60%8 h5 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
Sat6:22 AM to 6:33 AM6:33 AM to 7:25 AM6:12 PM to 7:05 PM7:05 PM to 7:15 PM
Sun6:23 AM to 6:34 AM6:34 AM to 7:26 AM6:11 PM to 7:03 PM7:03 PM to 7:13 PM
Mon6:24 AM to 6:35 AM6:35 AM to 7:27 AM6:09 PM to 7:01 PM7:01 PM to 7:12 PM
Tue6:25 AM to 6:36 AM6:36 AM to 7:28 AM6:08 PM to 7:00 PM7:00 PM to 7:10 PM
Wed6:26 AM to 6:37 AM6:37 AM to 7:29 AM6:06 PM to 6:58 PM6:58 PM to 7:08 PM
Thu6:27 AM to 6:38 AM6:38 AM to 7:30 AM6:04 PM to 6:56 PM6:56 PM to 7:07 PM
Fri6:28 AM to 6:39 AM6:39 AM to 7:31 AM6:03 PM to 6:55 PM6:55 PM to 7:05 PM
NESWSRSSMRMS
  • SR Sunrise 6:49 AM, 91° E
  • SS Sunset 6:48 PM, 269° W
  • MR Moonrise 6:38 PM, 82° E
  • MS Moonset 6:43 AM, 273° W
  • Full moon, 100% 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 (night: lighting and night training required (107.29)). Next good stretch: Sun 7 AM to 6 PM, 11 hours.

Today: civil twilight for Part 107 6:19 AM to sunrise 6:49 AM, and sunset 6:48 PM to 7:18 PM. Anti-collision lighting is required in those minutes and at night.

Sat
Sun12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Mon12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM

Good Caution No-fly

HourVerdictWind (mph)400 ft est. (mph)Gust (mph)RainVisibilityCloud allowsTempKpWhy
Sat 10 PMCaution38125%10 mi400 ft64°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Sat 11 PMCaution38148%10 mi400 ft63°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Sun 12 AMCaution38138%10 mi400 ft63°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Sun 1 AMCaution381312%10 mi400 ft62°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Sun 2 AMCaution381312%10 mi400 ft61°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Sun 3 AMCaution381211%10 mi400 ft59°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Sun 4 AMCaution381210%10 mi400 ft59°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Sun 5 AMCaution38128%10 mi400 ft58°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Sun 6 AMCaution38128%10 mi400 ft57°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Sun 7 AMGood3487%10 mi400 ft57°nothing against it
Sun 8 AMGood3495%10 mi400 ft58°nothing against it
Sun 9 AMGood5682%10 mi60°nothing against it
Sun 10 AMGood5583%10 mi64°nothing against it
Sun 11 AMGood3463%10 mi67°nothing against it
Sun 12 PMGood3463%10 mi70°nothing against it
Sun 1 PMGood3452%10 mi73°nothing against it
Sun 2 PMGood3461%10 mi74°nothing against it
Sun 3 PMGood3461%10 mi75°nothing against it
Sun 4 PMGood5681%10 mi75°nothing against it
Sun 5 PMGood6791%10 mi73°nothing against it
Sun 6 PMCaution6791%10 mi72°civil twilight: lighting required (107.29)
Sun 7 PMNo-fly623250%10 mi69°gusts near or over your limit, wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Sun 8 PMNo-fly623250%10 mi64°gusts near or over your limit, wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Sun 9 PMNo-fly623250%10 mi62°gusts near or over your limit, wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, 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

  • Sat 10 PM to Sun 8 AM 10 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Sun 9 AM to Mon 1 AM 16 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Mon 10 AM to 12 PM 2 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Tue 9 AM to 9 PM 12 hours, some with delta T between 8 and 10 °C
  • Sat 12 PM to 4 PM 4 hours, every hour within the rules
Sat
Sun12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Mon12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Tue12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM

Good Marginal No

Field days

DayDaytimeChance of rainRainLowest humidityStrongest windDry days in a rowHay drying
SundayDry5%0.00 in46%6 mph3 dGood
MondayDry0%0.00 in46%3 mph2 d
TuesdayDry8%0.00 in42%8 mph1 dGood
WednesdayWet57%0.56 in69%10 mph
ThursdayWet65%0.64 in79%10 mph
FridayWet48%1.36 in73%9 mph
SaturdayShowers possible25%0.10 in71%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 Saturday, rated best.

DayRatingMajor periodsMinor periodsMoonSunrise, sunset
Sat Best11:23 PM to 1:23 AM11:46 AM to 1:46 PM6:13 AM to 7:13 AM6:08 PM to 7:08 PM 100%6:49 AM, 6:48 PM
Sun Best12:09 AM to 2:09 AM12:33 PM to 2:33 PM7:23 AM to 8:23 AM6:33 PM to 7:33 PM 99%6:50 AM, 6:46 PM
Mon Good12:57 AM to 2:57 AM1:23 PM to 3:23 PM8:35 AM to 9:35 AM7:02 PM to 8:02 PM 95%6:51 AM, 6:45 PM
Tue Good1:49 AM to 3:49 AM2:17 PM to 4:17 PM9:49 AM to 10:49 AM7:37 PM to 8:37 PM 90%6:52 AM, 6:43 PM
Wed Poor2:46 AM to 4:46 AM3:15 PM to 5:15 PM11:05 AM to 12:05 PM8:21 PM to 9:21 PM 82%6:53 AM, 6:42 PM
Thu Fair3:46 AM to 5:46 AM4:17 PM to 6:17 PM12:17 PM to 1:17 PM9:14 PM to 10:14 PM 73%6:54 AM, 6:40 PM
Fri Fair4:48 AM to 6:48 AM5:20 PM to 7:20 PM1:22 PM to 2:22 PM10:19 PM to 11:19 PM 64%6:55 AM, 6:38 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. Tonight57° · 12% · E 3 mph

    Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. East wind around 3 mph.

  2. Sunday75° · 8% · ENE 6 mph

    Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. East northeast wind around 6 mph.

  3. Sunday Night51° · 1% · NE 6 mph

    Mostly clear, with a low around 51. Northeast wind around 6 mph.

  4. Monday75° · NE 3 mph

    Sunny, with a high near 75. Northeast wind around 3 mph.

  5. Monday Night56° · E 3 mph

    Mostly clear, with a low around 56. East wind around 3 mph.

  6. Tuesday80° · 1% · SSE 3–8 mph

    Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. South southeast wind 3 to 8 mph.

  7. Tuesday Night65° · 40% · SSE 6–9 mph

    A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. South southeast wind 6 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

  8. Wednesday77° · 57% · S 10 mph

    A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7am, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

  9. Wednesday Night66° · 50% · SSE 8 mph

    A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

  10. Thursday76° · 65% · SSW 10 mph

    Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76.

  11. Thursday Night62° · 63% · SW 8 mph

    Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62.

  12. Friday71° · 52% · NE 9 mph

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

  13. Friday Night59° · 44% · NE 7 mph

    A chance of rain showers before 7pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.

  14. Saturday72° · 25% · ENE 6–9 mph

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

The forecaster’s discussion

NWS Central Illinois · issued Sep 26, 8:20 PM 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

Expect mostly dry conditions and seasonable temperatures through Tuesday afternoon, though a few light showers are possible over west central IL into this evening.

Heavy rainfall and localized flooding become the primary concern Wednesday through Friday as repeated rounds of rain move across central Illinois.

NBM has a 30 to 50% chance of rainfall exceeding 2 inches from overnight Tue night through Friday night over central and southeast IL.

Update

820 PM CDT Sat Sep 26 2026

A lingering area of 20dbz radar returns in our western CWA are likely virga and not reaching the ground from the 8-10K FT bases. CAM guidance continues to show radar returns approaching our western counties later tonight. Can't rule out a few sprinkles for Knox to Schuyler counties, but not enough probability to throw it into the forecast. Plenty of sub-cloud dry air to prevent any precip from reaching the ground. Winds will remain light and variable under the weak forcing regime, with easterly flow resuming on Sunday in the 5-10 mph range. Precip looks to remain just west of our CWA on Sunday, so no changes with that portion of the forecast with the evening update.

Discussion

200 PM CDT Sat Sep 26 2026

An upper level blocking pattern continues across much of the country, with IL nestled between a deep coastal low (Nor'easter) tracking along the Mid Atlantic/New England seaboard through Monday and a shortwave trough lifting north/NE across the Great Plains toward the Upper Mississippi Valley. Mid level convergence and moisture advection will support isolated to scattered mainly light showers into this evening over west central IL, primarily along and west of a Galesburg to Springfield line. Areas further east are drier with dewpoints of 45-50F from persistent gentle east to NE flow so this will keep shower chances further west. The latest CAM runs keep patchy fog near or northeast of Kankakee and Lafayette IN overnight and over nw Iowa. Lows overnight range from lower 50s in eastern IL (upper 40s possible from Champaign and Robinson east/ne and upper 50s in cloudier areas from Galesburg to Springfield west/sw.

Nice early fall weather should continue Sunday and Monday across the area with persistent blocking pattern remaining with Canadian high pressure continuing to ridge toward IL with light east to NE winds. Western and sw CWA will continue to see more mid level clouds than eastern IL where partly to mostly sunny skies should prevail. Seasonable highs in the low to mid 70s with lows Sunday night mostly lower 50s, but ranging from around 50 in eastern IL and mid 50s over west central IL/MS river valley.

The Nor'easter to weaken and start pulling away from the New England Coast Monday night and Tue while high pressure ridge settles into the Mid Atlantic Region giving a southerly flow of a bit warmer air into IL. Highs Tue in the upper 70s to near 80F with increasing clouds from the west during Tue afternoon ahead of an approaching frontal boundary in the Central Plains. It should be dry during daytime hours over CWA on Tue with chances of showers and a few thunderstorms arriving over the IL river valley Tue evening and over rest of central IL overnight Tue night. Chances of showers and thunderstorms likely holds off until Wed in southeast IL.

Repeated rounds of showers and a few thunderstorms appears likely from overnight Tue night through Friday evening. Very high PWATs of 1.5-2.25 inches from Wed through Friday along with remnants of Hurricane Polo interacting with the frontal boundary near IL Wed-Fri to support moderate to heavy rains at times. NBM has 30-50% chance over over 2 inches of rain over much of CWA during this time frame. Weak instability and wind shear parameters to keep the severe weather threat low with localized flooding the main concern. Latest extended models are trending wetter during next weekend with another deep mid/upper level trof moving into the Midwest.

Aviation · 00Z TAFs Through 00Z Monday

623 PM CDT Sat Sep 26 2026

VFR condtions will continue across the central IL terminals through 00Z/7 pm Sunday. Broken to overcast mid level clouds are lingering this evening with bases of 10-12k ft for SPI/PIA/DEC. Light showers associated with those clouds have remained just west of the terminals, with a weakening trend evident in the latest radar analysis. Latest CAM runs continue to support those showers ending by 01z with variable clouds the rest of the night under light and variable winds. Tomorrow the winds will increase slightly to 5-7kts out of the east.

ILX Watches / Warnings / Advisories

None.

Hazardous weather outlook Sep 26, 1:31 PM CDT

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

FLUS43 KILX 261831
HWOILX

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
131 PM CDT Sat Sep 26 2026

ILZ027>031-036>038-040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-271845-
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-
131 PM CDT Sat Sep 26 2026

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

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms return to the area Tuesday night
through Friday. Locally heavy rain will be a risk during this 
period.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight.

$$

Knutsvig

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 · Sat Sep 26No risk area
  2. Day 2 · Sun Sep 27No risk area
  3. Day 3 · Mon Sep 28No risk area
  4. Day 4 · Tue Sep 29No risk area
  5. Day 5 · Wed Sep 30No risk area
  6. Day 6 · Thu Oct 1No risk area
  7. Day 7 · Fri Oct 2No risk area
  8. Day 8 · Sat Oct 3No risk area

Rainfall

  1. Day 1 · Sat Sep 26Under 0.01 in
  2. Day 2 · Sun Sep 27Under 0.01 in
  3. Day 3 · Mon Sep 28Under 0.01 in
  4. Day 4-5 · Sep 29–Sep 301.00 in
  5. Day 6-7 · Oct 1–Oct 21.50 in

The rainfall forecast on the map, days 1 to 7

Flash flood risk

  1. Day 1 · Sat Sep 26Below marginal
  2. Day 2 · Sun Sep 27Below marginal
  3. Day 3 · Mon Sep 28Below marginal
  4. Day 4 · Tue Sep 29Below marginal
  5. Day 5 · Wed Sep 30Marginal

Six to fourteen days

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

Hazards, 3 to 14 days

  1. Oct 1–Oct 2Heavy Rain

Frost and climate

NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Springfield Capital AP

The last spring freeze (32°F) usually comes around April 14 and the first fall freeze around October 20: a growing season of about 187 days.

One fall in ten brings a freeze by October 5; one spring in ten still has one after April 29.

Climate of 39.78, -89.45: 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.

ElementSatSunMonTueWedThuFriSat
HeatRisk max0 · Little0 · Little0 · Little1 · Minor1 · Minor1 · Minor1 · Minor0 · Little
Wet bulb globe temperature max65°70°70°72°72°73°70°70°
Heat index max73°75°75°80°76°75°71°72°
Chance of thunder max2%4%0%8%26%22%22%16%
Cloud ceiling min12,900 ft12,500 ft
Visibility min10 mi10 mi10 mi
Mixing height max2,600 ft3,800 ft3,700 ft3,500 ft2,000 ft3,100 ft2,300 ft3,600 ft
Transport wind max10 mph10 mph9 mph12 mph12 mph13 mph14 mph14 mph
Twenty-foot wind max2 mph3 mph2 mph7 mph8 mph8 mph7 mph7 mph

Against the record

NOAA GHCN · Springfield (SPI) · 13 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
Sat Sep 2674° / 57°76° / 51°94° (2017)35° (1928)
Sun Sep 2775° / 51°76° / 50°91° (1998)37° (1942)
Mon Sep 2875° / 56°74° / 49°94° (1953)33° (1942)
Tue Sep 2980° / 65°75° / 47°100° (1953)32° (2003)
Wed Sep 3077° / 66°76° / 49°92° (1952)32° (1984)
Thu Oct 176° / 62°76° / 50°91° (2019)32° (2003)
Fri Oct 271° / 59°75° / 51°93° (1953)23° (2003)
Sat Oct 372° / 58°74° / 51°93° (1954)30° (2004)

Sun and moon

DayCivil twilightSunriseSunsetCivil twilightDaylightMoon
Sat6:22 AM6:49 AM6:48 PM7:15 PM11 h 59 min Full moon · 100% lit
Sun6:23 AM6:50 AM6:46 PM7:13 PM11 h 56 min Waning gibbous · 99% lit
Mon6:24 AM6:51 AM6:45 PM7:12 PM11 h 54 min Waning gibbous · 95% lit
Tue6:25 AM6:52 AM6:43 PM7:10 PM11 h 51 min Waning gibbous · 90% lit
Wed6:26 AM6:53 AM6:42 PM7:08 PM11 h 49 min Waning gibbous · 82% lit
Thu6:27 AM6:54 AM6:40 PM7:07 PM11 h 46 min Waning gibbous · 73% lit
Fri6:28 AM6:55 AM6:38 PM7:05 PM11 h 43 min Waning gibbous · 64% lit
Sat6:29 AM6:56 AM6:37 PM7:04 PM11 h 41 min Last quarter · 53% 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