Champaign, Illinois 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

788
FXUS63 KILX 131752
AFDILX

Area Forecast Discussion...Updated Aviation
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
1152 AM CST Tue Jan 13 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- After highs in the 50s today, sharply colder conditions with
  readings falling into the 20s are expected by Wednesday
  afternoon.

- Another surge of very cold air will arrive by the weekend. Highs
  will only reach the teens and 20s while overnight lows dip into
  the single digits both Saturday and Sunday.

- No major storm systems will impact central Illinois through
  early next week: however, occasional snow showers Thursday
  night into Saturday may result in a minor snow accumulation.

&&

.SHORT TERM... (Today through Wednesday)
Issued at 331 AM CST Tue Jan 13 2026

Southwesterly winds ahead of an approaching trough axis will
increase to 10-15mph with gusts reaching 25-30mph today. Despite a
thick blanket of high clouds that will limit sunshine, the strong
southwesterly flow will boost high temperatures well above
climatological normals for this time of year into the lower to
middle 50s. As low pressure tracks across Ontario into Quebec, it
will pull a strong cold front southward toward central Illinois
tonight. With deep-layer moisture lacking, the boundary will
struggle to generate more than overcast conditions and perhaps a
few very light showers mainly along/south of the I-72 corridor.
Have therefore limited low chance PoPs (20-40%) to the southern
half of the KILX CWA with expected rainfall only amounting to a
couple hundredths of an inch at best.

Once the front passes and deep-layer northwesterly flow increases
over the Midwest, sharply colder air will pour southward on
Wednesday. After morning highs ranging from the lower 30s north of
I-72 to around 40 degrees south of I-70, readings will drop into
the 20s by afternoon. In addition, strong N/NW winds will gust
25-35mph...creating wind-chills in the teens. A prominent band of
lake-enhanced snow will develop off the southern shores of Lake
Michigan Wednesday into Wednesday night: however, trajectories
keep the bulk of the snow just E/NE of the CWA across northern and
central Indiana. Further west, am anticipating only scattered
snow flurries within the cyclonic flow pattern. The 00z HREF
indicates just a 20-40% chance of greater than 0.1" snowfall
along/northeast of a Paxton to Georgetown line in closer proximity
to the lake effect snow band...with probabilities of less than
20% further west to the I-55 corridor.

Barnes

.LONG TERM... (Thursday through Monday)
Issued at 331 AM CST Tue Jan 13 2026

High pressure will build into the region for Thursday, providing
mostly sunny and cold conditions with highs in the 20s. As the
high shifts eastward into the Ohio River Valley, the next in a
series of short-wave troughs will quickly approach from the
northwest by Thursday night. The trough will enhance WAA on the
back side of the departing high and will trigger a band of light
snow that will likely lead to a minor accumulation by Friday
morning. While this will not be a significant snow event and it is
still too early to pinpoint exact amounts, the 00z LREF indicates
a 30-50% chance of greater than 1 inch of snow along and north of
a Macomb to Tuscola line Thursday night into Friday morning. The
snow will taper off and may come to an end by midday Friday as the
strongest lift shifts east of the region. In addition, surface
temperatures warming back into the upper 30s to around 40 degrees
will lead to melting of any snow that manages to accumulate.

Yet another short-wave trough is progged to dive southward out of
Canada...further sharpening the prevailing upper trough east of
the Rockies this weekend. As it arrives, it will help pull another
surge of even colder air into Illinois. A few snow showers will
accompany this features on Saturday: however, the main weather
story will be the cold. Highs will drop into the 20s on Saturday
and into the teens and lower 20s by Sunday...while overnight lows
plunge into the single digits. While some moderation in
temperature is expected by early next week, teleconnections and
medium range computer guidance suggest below normal temperatures
will linger through the end of the month.

Barnes

&&

.AVIATION...  (For the 18z TAFs through 18z Wednesday Afternoon)
Issued at 1145 AM CST Tue Jan 13 2026

VFR conditions will prevail through this evening across the
central IL airports, before MVFR ceilings arrive during overnight
into Wednesday morning with passage of a cold front. Mid and high
clouds will stream across central IL with ceilings as low as
8-12k ft at times mainly along I-74 TAF sites. A cold front
currently over the upper MS river valley to pass southeast across
central IL during overnight and to bring MVFR ceilings of 2-3k ft
arriving between 08Z-10Z. Breezy WSW to SW winds into mid
afternoon with gusts 20-27 kts and diminishing to around 10 kts
around sunset out of the west. Winds will then veer to NW and
increase to 12-18 kts with gusts 22-27 kts after FROPA overnight
(starting at PIA between 07-08Z and CMI and DEC around 10Z) and
NNW winds around 20 kts and gusts 28-33 kts after 14-15Z Thu.

07

&&

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

&&

$$