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Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in the far north of Illinois, and is often referred to as "The Forest City". Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA; the city has 150,115 residents, while the metro area has 339,178 residents as of the 2000 census and is the third largest city in Illinois, though it was the second largest city during the latter part of the 20th century. The current mayor is Lawrence J. Morrissey, an independent elected to a four year term in April 2005.
Geography
Rockford is located at (42.269770, -89.069754). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 146.9 km² (56.7 mi²). 145.1 km² (56.0 mi²) of it is land and 1.8 km² (0.7 mi²) of it is water. Neighboring communities that border Rockford, and are considered an integral part of the Rockford metro area, are Loves Park, Machesney Park, Belvidere, and the villages of Winnebago, and Cherry Valley. The Rock River is the traditional center of the Rockford area and is its most recognizable natural feature.
Climate
Due to its location in the midwest, Rockford's climate contains four clearly defined seasons. Summers are usually very warm with the high temperature in July, the hottest month, being 83°F (28°C). The winter months can bring bitterly cold air masses from Canada. The average high temperature in January, the coldest month, is 27°F (-3°C). June is Rockford's wettest month while February is the driest. During a typical year, Rockford receives 36.3in (922mm) of precipitation.
Rockford and surrounding areas are prone to violent thunderstorms during the months of March, April, May, and June. On April 21 1967, the neighboring town of Belvidere was struck by a violent F4 tornado, in which twenty-four people were killed and hundreds more injured at Belvidere's High School. Other severe weather events, such as hail and strong winds are common in these storms. On July 5 2003 at 04:03, microbursts caused major damage on both the east and west sides of Rockford. Approximately 70,000...
