Dubuque Could Experience 70°F and a Wintry Mix in the Span of 24 Hours

We're no strangers to weird weather here in the Tri-Statest. Be it the extreme cold we just experienced a month ago, or nearly record heat we suffered through last summer, we are a resilient bunch of individuals. Just last week, I wrote about how six of the top 20 most at-risk counties for tornadoes are in Illinois.

But things might get a little weirder in Dubuque and the larger Tri-State region here this week. Our area is in the midst of the warmest February on record, and this week, we could experience three of the four seasons in the span of 24 hours in transitioning from springlike temps to the frigid cold of winter in what will seem like record time.

According to both the National Weather Service and KWWL, the next 24-72 hours for Dubuque will be a strange one. Let's start with today (Monday, February 25th), where a Red Flag Warning is in effect and temps are expected to flirt with 70°F. Aside from the occasionally strong wind gust, it looks to be a pleasant day, even at night, when temps dip to the mid-40s.

Tuesday, however, is poised to be a crazy day. Our high of 68°F is the same as Monday, but as the day goes on, a cold front moves in, bringing rain and potential snowfall into the mix. Later in the afternoon into the evening, we will likely see some rain and increasing winds as temps plummet to the mid-teens! With that drop could bring a wintry mix of rain and snow.

Here's how the National Weather Service is breaking it down, as of this writing:

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Tuesday Night: A chance of rain before 9pm, then a chance of snow and sleet between 9pm and midnight, then snow likely after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18. Blustery, with a northwest wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible. - per National Weather Service

The positive in all of this is that the snow won't likely accumulate. However, when you have a 50-degree drop in temperatures over a short period of time, truly anything can happen. This leads to the potential for tornadoes, and the imminent rain combined with the cold front could lead to icy roadways.

The good news, however, is this awkward and potentially dangerous weather pattern isn't expected to linger for long. The National Weather Service predicts temperatures back in the 60s and potentially higher for this coming weekend. As the saying goes in Iowa, if you don't like the weather, wait 20 minutes. It's bound to change, even inexplicably.

Keep up to date with this weird weather pattern on the National Weather Service's website and KWWL's website.