Illinois Weather: Labor Day Weekend Sun, Then Sudden Fall Chill

Labor Day weekend weather will kick off in style across the Rockford region and in Chicagoland with lots of sunshine and temps close to 80.

Long Weekend Warm, Sunny, and Mostly Dry

According to the latest forecast from The Weather Channel, Rockford's high will be in the mid-70s on Saturday (8/30), but around 80 on both Sunday and Labor Day Monday.

Chicago will also have fantastic weather with mostly sunny skies and highs in the mid to upper-70s through Tuesday (9/2), says the Weather Channel.

Midweek Cold Front As September Settles In

A big change is on tap after the holiday weekend, according to the latest predictions from the National Weather Service.

Wednesday (9/3) brings a strong cold front sweeping through the region, with the Rockford region cooling down rapidly, with highs only reaching the mid-60s, and scattered storms and heavy rain possible, according to the NWS.

4u4me

According to the latest prediction from the National Weather Service, a polar trough will plunge southeast into the Great Lakes, which will unleash cold air into the area with noticeably cooler conditions late in the week.

Late Week: Fall-like Chill Holds On

On Thursday (9/4) and Friday (9/5), cooler temps will be firmly in place, with Rockford's highs dipping into the lower 60s, and the Chicagoland area will linger in the mid-60s under partly sunny skies, according to the Weather Channel.

In Wisconsin, much of the same is expected, with highs struggling to get out of the mid-60s next Thursday and Friday.

Get our free mobile app

This cooler stretch of temperatures is a reminder that autumn is just around the corner, when we expect our first frost and freeze. Typically, in Rockford, we get the first frost in the second week of October.

Our first hard freeze usually isn't far behind, typically in late October, but it could arrive earlier. On average, Chicago gets its first freeze in mid-October, with a first freeze happening in the final days of the month.

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

Gallery Credit: KATELYN LEBOFF