The Chicago forecast this week will see a little bit of everything, the NBC 5 Storm Team said, from a brief warm-up, to a wintry mix of snow and rain, to a "blast of Arctic air."
"One day up, one day down," NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman said, of the Chicago weather the next few days.
Tuesday started out cold, with temperatures in the teens. In Northwest Indiana and Western Michigan, some snow showers still lingered after a day of winter storm warnings and hazardous driving conditions, with drier weather expected to move in later Tuesday morning.
"Everyone should see sunshine later today," Roman said, of Tuesday's forecast across the area.
For the first time in nearly a week, temperatures would be back up in the 30s, Roman said. And though Wednesday's temperatures will be even warmer -- with highs in the upper 30s to low 40s -- a snow-rain mix was expected to move in Wednesday evening, Roman added.
As temperatures gradually nudge up into Wednesday, a dynamic system passes over creating blustery conditions, brief snow showers, and cold temperatures with sub-zero wind chills. Quieter and drier conditions are expected for the end of the week. #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/IGAvRB2xVY
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) December 3, 2024
According to the National Weather Service, some minor snow accumulations were possible.
Local
As the front passes through, blustery conditions were expected, Roman said, with temperatures dropping into the teens by Thursday morning, along with gusty winds up to 45 miles per hour.
Those winds will make temperatures feel even colder, Roman said, with highs in the 20s and wind chills below zero.
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"A cold start to the day Thursday," Roman said. "A blast of Arctic air is back in the forecast."
Temperatures will rise slightly Friday, with highs in the low 30s and calmer conditions. By the weekend, the Chicago area was expected to hit the 40-degree range, Roman said.
When does winter officially start?
Meteorological winter started Sunday, Dec. 1, Roman said, with a 7 a.m. sunrise and a 4:19 p.m. sunset. By Dec. 31, sunrise will be 7:18 a.m., Roman said, and sunset will be 4:29 p.m. According to Roman, Meteorological winter runs through February, with spring beginning on March 1.
Unlike the astronomical calendar, which uses the Earth’s position in its orbit around the sun, the meteorological calendar uses the first date of a month to help determine the seasonal change, aiding in record-keeping and other facets of weather prediction.
Astronomical winter doesn't begin until Dec. 21. That day comes on what is known as the winter solstice, which will take place at 3:21 a.m. CST.
What is the winter solstice?
According to the Farmer's Almanac, the winter solstice is when the earth is "tilted as far away from the Sun as possible, which means that the Sun’s path across the sky is as low in the sky as it can be."
"We often think of the winter solstice as an event that spans an entire calendar day, but the solstice actually lasts only a moment. Specifically, it’s the exact moment when a hemisphere is tilted as far away from the Sun as possible," the Almanac reported.
In fact, if you stand outside at noon on the solstice day, you shadow will be "the longest shadow that you'll cast all year."
What is the shortest day of the year?
The solstice typically falls on either Dec. 21 or Dec. 22 in the Northern Hemisphere and marks the "shortest day" of the year, or the day with the least amount of sunlight.
This does not, however, mark the earliest sunset.
According to Time and Date, that will actually fall earlier in December, when the sun sets at 4:19 p.m. CST on Dec. 13.
So why is Dec. 21 shorter? Because sunrise times will also continue getting later throughout the month of December, making for fewer hours of daylight in between.
What will winter look like for Chicago this year?
According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's latest winter weather outlook for 2024-25, which says a "La Niña" winter is expected, which would ultimately result in a "wetter than normal" winter in the Great Lakes, especially in parts of Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.
According to Kevin Jeanes, the predictions are a far cry from the Chicago winter of 2023-24 -- an El Niño winter -- which wound up to be the fourth warmest winter on record.
The winter precipitation outlook for the Chicago area is expected to be above average, Jeanes said.
For 2024-25, the big question will be whether or not temperatures will cause that precipitation to fall in the form of rain or snow.
According to Jeanes, NOAA predicts "equal chances" of temperatures being above or below average. Across the Northwest however, a much colder winter is expected, Jeanes noted.
