Well below normal temperatures on this St. Patrick’s Day

QUINCY (WGEM) - It is much colder this Friday due to a sharp cold front that punched through the Tri-States late yesterday evening/night. We have sustained northwesterly winds around 15 to 20 mph with wind gusts reaching into the 30 mph range. These windy conditions will persist for much of the day before weakening for at least a brief period later this evening. The winds will carry our body heat away from us making it feel colder. Daytime highs for much of the area will only be able to make it into the 30s. However, a few locations such as Pittsfield, Illinois, Hannibal and Paris, Missouri, will be closer to 40°. With the continued breezy northwesterly winds though, wind chill values this afternoon will be in the 20s. We will have sunshine through the first half of the day, before some thin upper-level clouds start to arrive late in the afternoon/evening.

Overnight tonight an upper-level low pressure (currently located across southern Canada) will dive through our region. This low may provide just enough forcing to produce some flurries or even some light snow. However, considering how dry the atmosphere will be by tonight, it will be a challenge for full blown snow showers to happen. That is why it will be more possible to just see some flurries.

This upper-level low will also usher in an even colder airmass into our area. As a result, temperatures tomorrow morning will be in the teens. Wind chill values for much of the area will be in the single digits, with some areas as low as -5°. The northwesterly winds will increase overnight and will remain gusty through the day tomorrow. Daytime highs tomorrow will only reach into the upper 20s with wind chill values in the afternoon/early evening hours in the teens.

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