DANCING WITH THE SHOWERS

For the past few days, a weak upper level trough has been meandering across the Midwest. It's had enough cool air aloft to create widely scattered showers and a few thunderstorms. Due to the fact forcing is minimal, the showers are instability driven, fueled by daytime heating. That makes them random and hard to pinpoint, as they fall under the hit-and-miss category. Coverage is also minimal, with generally no more than 30 percent of the area experiencing any rain. However, with steering currents weak, the storms move slow and where it rains, it pours!

Monday, one of the areas of focus happened to be the north and east sides of the Quad City metro, where a slow moving cell dumped 1-2 inch rains in short order. So much so that a flash flood warning was issued through 9:15pm.

Take a look at the localized nature of the situation, with large parts of eastern Iowa and western Illinois rain free.

This Doppler estimate shows the heaviest rains over the NE Quad Cities. You can also see another isolated pocket of 1-2" rains near Clinton and Fulton.

These types of localized convective systems belong to a breed of storms known as pulse storms. It's basically a single cell thunderstorm of substantial intensity which only produces impactful weather for short periods of time. Its intensity ebbs and flows until it weakens and dies. They are usually slow movers due to weak wind shear and localized pockets of instability. They derive their name "pulse" due to their up and down fluctuations in strength. In their mature stage they can produce wind and hail, and are well documented heavy rain produces where they occur.

Several of the isolated storms produced small funnels Monday afternoon. However, the high based nature of the updraft generally keeps the funnel confined to the clouds. This image was taken by Rhys Love near Freeport, Illinois.

The next couple of days, the overall pattern remains intact. Here you can see the weakness at 500mb that's producing the instability for spotty showers and storms during the late afternoon and evening both Tuesday and Wednesday. Coverage will again be no more than 30-40% but here and there, some additional downpours are possible. Temperatures will remain below slightly below normal in the range of 80-84.

Wednesday night, a backdoor front slips through the region, building high pressure over the Great Lakes. The E/ES component to the wind will deliver slightly drier air, ending the scattered rain chances through at least Saturday. All in all, seasonal temperatures are anticipated until a change aloft allows warmer weather later in the weekend and next week. In fact, the EURO indicates highs potentially climbing into the low 90s much of next week.

I do expect a warmer brand of weather to take over by early next week, but the EURO may be a bit on the high side. However, the slightly cooler readings may be off-set by higher humidity levels, with the GFS indicating dew points soaring into the upper 70s.

That would no doubt create heat index issues, and the GFS does show them reaching 100 degrees plus Monday and Tuesday, especially in the south. By that time we may be close to the ring of fire and thunderstorm chances should also be on the increase.

The Climate Prediction Center in its 6-10 day outlook does show above normal temperatures and near to above normal precipitation. The coming changes have the potential to put us back into an active convective pattern. That will ultimately be determined by the northern extent of the heat and humidity that develops next week.

With that, I shall call it a post. Enjoy your day and roll weather...TS

THE REVIEWS ARE SPECTACULAR. OUR AIRBNB IS A MOST LOVED GUEST FAVORITE!

AIRBNB has rated my renovated church in Galena A GUEST FAVORITE, A MOST LOVED home according to visitors. Check out some of our reviews and get in on the flexible deals we have available below.

Christa-Monument, Colorado

The Little White Church is amazing!!!! Pictures do not do it justice. I would absolutely recommend it to my friends and family. It is just so unique. Carolyn is an amazing host and super responsive. I would give our experience 6 out of 5 stars if I could.

Phillip-Queensland, Australia

Amazing and thoughtful renovation. Stayed in a piece of history. Great location and modern amenities. Would stay again!

Jill

The Little White Church is beautiful. The decorations are perfect, and it was redone with impeccable taste. Carolyn was a great host.

Brent

Such a gem. Relaxing in the countryside in a historic church that was beautifully decorated and recently renovated was exactly what we experienced. Everyone loved our stay, and we will be back!!!

Leigh

Beautiful and unique. We were all captivated by the adorable chapel turned AIRBNB

Jenny-Frisco, Texas

It was a magical place for our family to celebrate Christmas!

Kelly

What a gem! The Little White Church exceeded our expectations. It was the perfect spot to meet up with another couple to relax and explore nearby Galena. We enjoyed the beautiful great room with its fireplace and amazing views of the rolling countryside. (The photos simply can't do it justice). The charming church/home was quiet, well appointed and clean. And Carolyn was proactive with instructions and a terrific communicator. We will definitely be back!

John

Absolutely incredible! Loved the tranquility and the beautiful views. The decor was so inviting. AND the bell tower works!! Would 100% stay here again!

Tori-Cedar Falls

This place is so beautiful! Carolyn and Terry were so thoughtful and kind to let us have our wedding at the church. They even provided extra supplies in case we needed them. The private garden worked perfectly for our ceremony, and the backyard easily fit our reception needs. Not to mention, the balconies make perfect photo spots! My husband and I recommend the Little White Church and will be telling all our friends about it.

Mahesh-Buffalo Grove

Carolyn was a great host, very flexible! The place is super clean, spacious with a private backyard overlooking the fields and bluffs! We spent a lot of time on the deck. Great kitchen, clean bedrooms and baths. Highly recommend the place.

William

Great place. Great host. Will definitely book again and tell our friends.

Miriam

Carolyn and Terry's place is BEAUTIFUL! The Little White Church is a wonderful place, way more beautiful than the pictures. Everything is brand new and extremely clean. Staying at the church was a unique experience and I would love to come back soon. I strongly recommend the place if you are looking for a 5-star location!

Vanessa-Chicago

Carolyn was great! Absolutely beautiful place! I would not hesitate to go back. We spent Thanksgiving and the next night. Very well stocked and above and beyond with extras included. Thank you!

MAKE US AN OFFER...

What about pricing? Right now, we are able to offer you our best pricing ever. We have 3 nights for the price of 2 which, depending on the days, can save as much as $300-$400 dollars. If you book directly through us, you can also eliminate booking fees and taxes that the big chains charge. Cleaning fees are also drastically reduced. It all adds up to exceptional deals at a destination worth visiting. Let us assist in finding a time and price that works for you. Here's a link to some pictures. https://www.tswails.com/galena-airbnb

Carolyn and I will do all we can to make sure your stay is a memorable one. Please call or text Carolyn for more details and options and get a prime date while they are still available. Again, that's Carolyn at 563-676-3320. Or carolynswettstone@yahoo.com

Now that it's vacation season, there is no better place to visit than Galena and no better place to stay than my newly renovated AIRBNB, the Little White Church. We are located in the bluffs, just 5 miles from the 2nd largest tourism destination in Illinois. In fact, "Tourist Destination", rated Galena as the 2023 top place to visit in the entire Midwest.

Now is the best time to enjoy all there is to offer, and my 5-star AIRBNB is the perfect location to stay. Set in the rolling hills just outside of town, our completely renovated church is designed for you to unwind and relax.

Again, we are an AIRBNB Super host and can accommodate up to 8 guests. We've got cable, hi-speed WIFI, Sirius XM and a sparkling full kitchen. We are a home away from home and take great pride in cleanliness and comfort. All of our ratings have attained perfect 5-star status!

Hope to see you soon,

Terry and Carolyn

7 GREAT REASONS TO VISIT GALENA

1. It’s Steeped In History

2. It’s Home To One Of The Best Main Streets In America

3. The Restaurants Are Amazing

4. There’s A Lot To Do Outdoors

5. You Don’t Have To Travel To The Mountains To Go Skiing

6. It’s A Great Place To Spend The Fourth Of July

7. Did I Mention The Shopping?