775
FXUS63 KILX 290434
AFDILX

Area Forecast Discussion...Updated Aviation
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
1034 PM CST Wed Jan 28 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Very cold air remains in place through the weekend with
  overnight and morning wind chills falling as low as 5 to 20
  degrees below zero.

- Light snow chances (20-30%) return Thursday afternoon into
  Thursday night near and south of Interstate 72. Additional
  chances for snow are possible this weekend and early next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 259 PM CST Wed Jan 28 2026

Abnormally cold weather continues to blanket a good portion of the
central and eastern US late this month with temperatures not
expected to warm above freezing until the middle to later parts of
next week. Strong upper ridging over the western CONUS will remain
largely unchanged through the weekend with a large upper trough east
of the Rockies in the central and eastern US. At the surface, high
pressure ridging centered over the Southern Plains extends north
through the Ohio Valley. Steady west-northwest winds this afternoon
have allowed temperatures to warm into the teens to low 20s.
Overnight lows will dip down into the single digits above and below
zero with lighter winds keeping wind chills a little warmer than
previous nights, but still bottoming out between 10 to 15 below zero
in east-central Illinois.

Cloud cover will increase heading into Thursday as a weak surface
low tracks by to our south. The latest suite of guidance has shown a
shift northward with the light snow, which has resulted in an
increase in precipitation chances (20-30%) near and south of I-72
Thursday afternoon into Thursday night. Limited amounts of moisture
with this feature should keep any snow accumulations minor. However,
with snow ratios of 15-20:1 even a hundredth or two of QPF could
lead to a quick dusting or more of snow. Probabilities for 0.1" or
more of snow are sitting around 20-40% near and south of a
Springfield to Effingham line.

Temperatures remain well below normal Thursday through the weekend,
with daytime highs only expected to peak in the teens to low 20s and
overnight lows in the single digits above and below zero. Wind
chills will continue to bottom out between 10 and 20 below zero
during the overnight and morning timeframe with at least a small
chance we will need another cold headline once more through
Saturday morning. Temperatures slowly rise beginning Sunday with
values approaching the freezing mark by the middle parts of next
week.

Upper troughing pivots through the Midwest states on Friday as a
strong arctic high sinks into the Northern Plains states. Lake
effect snow will develop over Lake Michigan and bring accumulating
snow to parts of northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana Friday
afternoon through Saturday. Some light snow showers or flurries
associated with the lake effect bands could stretch as far south
as our northeast counties (Champaign/Vermilion) Friday afternoon
through Saturday. Additional chances for snow come Sunday
afternoon into Sunday night, and again by the early to middle
parts of next week as a series of upper waves work through the
area.

NMA

&&

.AVIATION...  (For the 06z TAFs through 06z Thursday Night)
Issued at 1034 PM CST Wed Jan 28 2026

Mainly mid and high level ceilings expected the next 24 hours,
with VFR conditions prevailing. Northwest winds will trend more
toward the northeast, but should generally be around 5 knots.

Geelhart

&&

.ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&

$$