LIFE ON BORROWED TIME

What a splendid day we enjoyed Friday! On the final legs of high pressure, winds were light, skies mostly sunny and highs well above normal, primarily in the range of 60-65. That's well above the norms, which now range from 49 north to 53 south. Here's a sampling of readings around the Midwest at 3:00pm. Needless to say, we've captured bonus weather, and are living on borrowed time!

We've now put together 3 days of dry weather after a 7-day siege of rain. While the wet weather to start November did not completely alleviate drought conditions, it put a big dent in them. A lot of my northern counties went from severe to moderate drought. In the south, many areas went from moderate drought to unusually dry conditions. That's good news for our farming friends. You can see the latest "improved" drought outlook compared to the previous one a week earlier.

NOW

ONE WEEK AGO

We are in a situation now where some showers move back into the forecast Saturday as a vigorous upper air disturbance swings through from the west. The rain arrives in the SW around midday and gradually overspreads the region, not crossing the Mississippi and my NE counties until sunset. The vorticity and forcing moves along at a steady clip, meaning rainfall should generally be light ranging from 1/10th to 1/3rd of an inch. The southeast is a bit more favored for the higher totals.

The EURO

The GFS

The 3k NAM

THE HRRR

Saturday's temperatures will be cooler in the 50s with the addition of clouds, which thicken ahead of the eventual late day showers.

Sunday, the day starts with clouds and perhaps a few scattered showers in my northern counties. With the disturbance pulling away, the clouds should decrease from south to north as the afternoon progresses. Highs will hold in the 50s with a brisk NW wind.

A PROGRESSIVE PATTERN

Next week starts with ridging, transitions to a midweek trough, followed by more ridging, and another trough next weekend. The wave lengths are pretty short, so moisture will have difficulty getting entrained in the midweek system. In fact, Wednesday now looks relatively dry. Temperatures with the steady progression of systems are not expected to fluctuate significantly. The EURO ensemble shows this for temperatures the next 2 weeks. There is a window where colder weather makes an appearance at the end of the period. I'll believe it when I see it.

Here are the week 1 temperature departures from the EURO ensembles through November 15th.

Week 1 precipitation departures look like this.

Week 2 temperature departures ending November 23rd continue very mild from the Rockies east

Precipitation in the week 2 period does show a substantial increase from week 1.

The 8-14 day outlook from the Climate Prediction Center indicates higher than average chances of mild temperatures and precipitation November 16th to the 22nd.

Basically, the CPC outlook summarizes what I see big picture the next two weeks. No need for the big coat or the snow shovel if I'm reading the tea leaves right through November 20th. Have a solid weekend and roll weather....TS

PEOPLE LOVE IT. OUR AIRBNB IS A MOST LOVED GUEST FAVORITE!

ANOTHER 5-STAR REVIEW....thanks Myriam

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