ILLINOIS — Forecast models are shifting again, and the latest data now suggests accumulating snow could fall Thursday across central and northern Illinois, replacing what earlier projections showed as mostly rain. The newest ECMWF run indicates a colder setup capable of producing several inches of snowfall, if current trends continue.
This marks a notable change from previous runs that kept much of the state in the rain zone.
Latest Model Run Shows Snow Expanding North
The updated precipitation map valid Thursday, February 26 at 15z shows a band of accumulating snow stretching west to east across portions of:
- Central Illinois
- Northern Illinois
- Parts of Indiana
- Southern Michigan
The snow band appears positioned just north of a mixed precipitation zone (pink shading), with rain (green shading) confined farther south into the Ohio Valley.
If the colder air remains locked in place, Illinois communities along and north of the rain/snow line could see measurable accumulation.
Low Pressure Tracks Through the Mid-Mississippi Valley
The model places a 1000 mb low pressure system tracking through the Mid-Mississippi Valley, pulling moisture northward while colder air wraps into Illinois from the northwest…