Illinois Crops Face Subzero Conditions, Freeze Warning Issued

UPDATE: Monday, April 17, 2023 at 3:35 pm

Freeze tonight could kill Illinois crops

A Freeze Warning will be in effect tonight (Monday 4/17) through 8 am Tuesday morning (4/18) for Winnebago, Ogle, Lee, La Salle, Livingston, and Ford counties in Illinois.

The National Weather Service says temperatures are expected to drop into the upper 20s causing damage to "sensitive vegetation" and "unprotected outdoor plumbing."

Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent freezing and possible bursting of outdoor water pipes they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly. Those that have in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above-ground pipes to protect them from freezing. -National Weather Service.

More than 40-degree swing from one day to the next

Less than 24 hours after it was over 80 degrees in Rockford, there were snow flurries and chilly temperatures showing up as the weekend wraps up in the Screw City.

Now we've got a Winter Weather Advisory for parts of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin that will make your drive back to the office or job site more difficult on Monday (4/17).

Winter Weather Advisory for Jo Daviess and Stephenson County

The National Weather Service predicts 2 to 4 inches of snow is possible during the Winter Weather Advisory that is in effect through 7 am Monday (4/17)

More than a foot of snow is possible in parts of Wisconsin

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect in parts of Wisconsin from LaCrosse to the Wisconsin Dells where up to 10 inches of snow is possible.

In far Northern Wisconsin, a Blizzard Warning will be in effect for some counties where more than 16 inches of snow is possible through Monday night (4/17).

Warmer weather and thunderstorms are in the forecast next

After high temperatures in the 30s on Monday, we will rebound into the 50s on Tuesday (4/18), and near 60 on Wednesday when there's a chance of rain and thunderstorms.

The current forecast for Rockford from the National Weather Service predicts milder temperatures through next weekend with highs in the lower 50s to upper 40s, and lows at night in the 30s.

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.