High Winds, Thundersnow Hit Chicago

Unpredictable weather hit the Chicago area Saturday, causing confusion and damage across the city and suburbs.

In an unseasonable surprise, Chicago woke up to snow Saturday morning, with light, wet flurries blanketing the area. The snow was not expected to stick in most areas, though areas like suburban Elgin, Elk Grove Village, and Beach Park all reported .4 to .5 inches of accumulation.

The National Weather Service issued a Wind Advisory for the Chicago area and surrounding suburbs, in effect from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. with gusts reaching up to 50 miles per hour.

The Skydeck at Willis Tower was closed because of "inclement weather" beginning at 7 p.m. Uprooted trees, fallen branches and shingles torn from homes littered streets in several suburbs like Wheaton.

Reports of thundersnow hitting Chicago were also confirmed by the NWS, which said that the city's North Side saw the rarity, particularly in the Lakeview and Wrigleyville area.

Lightning data confirms cloud to ground strike over N side of #Chicago, corroborating #thundersnow reports from Lakeview/Wrigleyville. #ilwx — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) April 2, 2016

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And this all came with an April chill throughout Chicago, as air temperatures were in the 30s with wind chill values making many areas feel as low as the 20s. Saturday morning saw a chilly 20 degrees in north suburban Waukegan, 22 degrees in Romeoville, and 24 degrees at O'Hare.

Temperatures Sunday are expected to be in the mid 50s for a pleasant Shamrock Shuffle, and showers aren't expected to return to the Chicago area until late Tuesday night.