Rockford Meteorologist Gives Surprising Cicada Forecast

Backyard hangouts are about to get very noisy. For 17 years, the Brood X cicadas have been underground and now billions of them are about to emerge.

Upon their arrival to the top of the dirt, the first order of business for the Brood X cicada, is to find something in your yard to latch their claws onto, so they can shed that underground skin. You'll find them on your fence, your house, a tree, just about anything they can latch onto. The males will then start making all kinds of noise trying to attract a female for mating.

Eyewitness News Meteorologist Candice King took to Facebook to update the forecast for the late-April/early-May Brood X cicada arrival. The warmer weather we've had in the last couple weeks has softened up the ground enough to lead to a slightly earlier arrival. The other surprise in Candice's cicada forecast is helping me deal with the whole 'snakes love to eat cicadas backyard nightmare scenario' I've had swirling in my head. Candice says in Illinois, most of the emergence will likely be over east-central Illinois.

Steve Shannon is host of The Steve Shannon Show on 97ZOK. On the air weekday mornings from 6 to 10 a.m. and a special 'Rewind' show, featuring favorite moments from previous shows, on Saturday mornings from 5 to 7 a.m.. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and like his page on Facebook.