Tuesday, April 24 and Wednesday, April 25

Wednesday a low- pressure system moves down from Central Canada and creates a warm front across the upper Midwest Wednesday morning along with a cold front extending back behind into the Northern Plains/ Pacific Northwest. Scattered to isolated thunderstorms will be possible north and northeast of this warm front due to instability from relatively high MCAPE values from 2,000-4,000 J/kg. The chances of thunderstorms increase at night for the Midwest and Ohio Valley, as the nocturnal low- level jet will aid thunderstorm development. Within the warm sector of this low- pressure system we will see record high temperatures from the Northern to Southern Plains Wednesday with temperatures possibly breaking 100 degrees in parts of Texas and Oklahoma. The Northern Plains and upper Midwest will also see temperatures in the 50s, 60s and even low 70s. The following graphics show you the large warm sector between the two synoptic fronts, while the next graphic depicts the temperatures expected within the warm sector. The final graphic shows the departure from normal highs for April 25^th with some areas of the Central and Southern Plains expected to be up to 20 degrees above normal! 

In Champaign-Urbana on Tuesday we can expect to see a daytime high of 65°F after a morning low of 39°F. Skies will remain mostly to partly cloudy throughout the day with a possible spotty shower in the morning and/or evening hours. Winds will be from the WNW at 5-11 mph. On Wednesday, temperatures will rise as a warm front moves through Wednesday afternoon bringing temperatures up to a high of 75°F from a morning low of 46°F. As this warm front passes through we will see some chances of rain and isolated thunderstorms ahead of it. Chances of rain and isolated thunderstorms begin Wednesday afternoon around 1 pm and continue on into Wednesday evening. Cloud cover on Wednesday will be partly cloudy with periods of sunshine throughout the day and winds will be from the SSE at 6-14 mph.