The Chicago area is about to get a dose of spring-like weather in coming days, with high temperatures potentially threatening records and even a possibility of thunderstorms.
Those balmy temperatures will last until the weekend, when more seasonal weather will return.
Here is a timeline of what you can expect in coming days, and when.
Wednesday Night:
Temperatures will remain on the warm side, with lows in the low-40s. Skies will remain mostly cloudy, but residents will note slow increases in winds, with gusts bumping up to 15-to-20 miles per hour overnight.
Thursday Morning:
Cloudy skies will dominate the early stages of the day Thursday, but a round of rain could potentially arrive by the late morning hours, according to forecast models.
An isolated thunderstorm is also possible with the rain with temperatures rising into the upper-40s before the noon hour.
Local
Thursday Afternoon/Evening:
Later in the day, there will be periods of off-and-on rain, with isolated thunderstorms still possible during that time. Winds will also continue to pick up, with some gusts exceeding 30 miles per hour, according to forecast models. High temperatures are expected to climb into the mid-50s, a bit short of the record of 62 degrees set in 1925. More widespread rain is expected in the evening, with embedded thunderstorms also possible.
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Friday Morning:
Showers are expected to end before daybreak, with high temperatures climbing into the mid-to-upper 50s across the area. NBC Chicago currently has the forecast at 56 degrees. That is exactly the city of Chicago’s all-time record for Feb. 9, set back in 1886.
Friday will likely see more rain, but the big story will be more widespread thunderstorms, especially in areas closer to the city, according to forecast models.
Saturday/Sunday:
Temperatures will begin to drop heading into the weekend, but those readings will remain above average, with highs right around 40 degrees, according to forecast models.
