After beginning the week with an early taste of winter weather, the Chicago area will encounter a rather dramatic drop in temperatures this weekend.
Once the winter storm moved out on Monday, unseasonably warm conditions began to take hold, with temperatures climbing into the mid-50s by the middle of the week. Readings even greater than that arrived on Friday; high temperatures rose to the mid-60s during the afternoon, NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Iisha Scott said.
Those unseasonably mild conditions are slated to continue through at least part of Saturday. As the morning begins, temperatures will likely reach the mid-to-upper 50s.
Early in the day, a cold front will move through fairly quickly, and the cold air will lag behind it, making for very mild conditions, Scott said. Daytime highs are expected to be among the warmest of the week, reaching the low 70s.
To put the current conditions in perspective, the average high temperature for this time of year is 49 degrees.
On Saturday evening, colder air will move in as winds shift from the north and west, Scott said.
Winds are expected to increase overnight into Sunday morning, gusting up to about 25 miles per hour. If you’re going to be out enjoying the mild weather on Saturday, there’s one caveat to keep in mind: it will be breezy, even windy, at times.
Those breezy conditions will set up much chiller weather on Sunday, with temperatures starting off in the low-to-middle 30s.
Readings will climb back into the upper 40s by the afternoon, meteorologists said. Gusts of up to 35 miles per hour will be possible, Scott stated.
Along with mild conditions for part of the weekend, there’s additional good news, weather-wise; dry conditions are on tap for the coming days.
The next chance for rain isn’t too far off, however.
A storm system will likely bring showers to the area starting Monday night through part of Tuesday. Some of the rain could mix with a bit of snow, because temperatures will however around the mid-to-upper 30s, Scott said.
As for next week overall, temperatures will be mostly in the 40s.
By the end of the week, the chances for showers will likely increase. Rain is possible on both Thursday and Friday as temperatures climb back to the 50s, Scott said.