Heavy rain possible Friday through Sunday

[August 29, 2012]  The National Weather Service in Lincoln released a special weather statement at 4:47 a.m. Wednesday indicating that heavy rain is possible during the Labor Day weekend with the remnants of Hurricane Isaac.

The following forecast is for the counties of Knox, Stark, Peoria, Marshall, Woodford, Fulton, Tazewell, McLean, Schuyler, Mason, Logan, DeWitt, Piatt, Champaign, Vermilion, Cass, Menard, Scott, Morgan, Sangamon, Christian, Macon, Moultrie, Douglas, Coles, Edgar, Shelby, Cumberland, Clark, Effingham, Jasper, Crawford, Clay, Richland and Lawrence, including the cities of Galesburg, Peoria, Bloomington, Normal, Havana, Lincoln, Champaign, Urbana, Danville, Jacksonville, Springfield, Taylorville, Decatur, Charleston, Mattoon, Shelbyville, Effingham, Flora and Lawrenceville:

Hurricane Isaac, which came ashore in southeast Louisiana early this morning, is expected to track northwest through the lower Mississippi Valley through late Thursday before heading on a more northerly course on Friday. Rain will gradually spread north into the area on Friday and continue through much of the weekend. By Saturday the storm will begin to move northeast. Current projections from the National Hurricane Center indicate the remnants of Isaac will be located in southwest Missouri very early on Saturday, with the weakening surface low moving roughly along a Jacksonville-to-Danville line on Sunday.

Based on the current track of this system, heavy rains will likely occur over parts of central and southeast Illinois during the holiday weekend. Current rainfall forecasts indicate the potential for 3 to 5 inches of rain along the track of the low through Monday, with locally higher amounts possible. In addition to the heavy rain threat, gusty winds may accompany some of the heavier showers and thunderstorms as the system approaches on Saturday night.

A large portion of the Midwest, from southern Missouri into central Indiana, will have the potential for heavy rain. However, any deviation in the forecast track will produce a significant adjustment in the axis of heavy rain across the region.

The weather service says to be sure to monitor later forecasts if you have any outdoor plans for the upcoming holiday weekend or if you will be traveling across the Midwest.

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Graphical depiction:
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/wxstory.php?site=ilx
or see below.

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For more information and updates:
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ilx/

[Text from National Weather Service, Lincoln office]

The remnants of Hurricane Isaac are expected to move northward into the Midwest late this week and will drift through Illinois on Sunday. Rain is expected to spread in from the south on Friday and continue over much of central and southeast Illinois through most of the holiday weekend before diminishing from west to east Sunday night. Rainfall amounts are likely to exceed 2 inches over a large area, with potential for 3 to 5 inches along the track of the remnant low. For the latest updates on Isaac, visit http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/.