40-50 mph gusts with falling temperatures later today
It may not have felt like it the past few days, but 2024 is on pace to be the warmest year on record for Chicago, the NBC 5 Storm Team said. That's following its third warmest year in 2023.
"Even if we have the coldest December on record, this year would average out to be the fifth warmest since records began 152 years ago," NBC 5 Meteorologist Kevin Jeanes said.
According to Jeanes, Chicago's average temperature through November was 57 degrees. Here's how that ranks among the average temperatures for the top five warmest years, January through December:
- 2012: 54.5 degrees
- 1921: 54.4 degrees
- 2023: 54.0 degrees
- 1931: 53.9 degrees
- 1998: 53.5 degrees
So far, seven months in 2024 were in the top 12-warmest for Chicago, including the warmest February on record, Jeanes said. According to Jeanes, the annual, average high temperature for Chicago is 59.3 degrees, and the annual, average low temperature is 43 degrees.
For 2024, the average high for Chicago has been 65.8, with the average low at 48.3, Jeanes said.
"The average December temperature is 29.6 degrees," Jeanes said. "If the December average temperature stays above 26.5 degrees, 2024 will become the warmest on record."
Local
According to Jeanes, Chicago hasn’t had a December that cold since 2016.
Starting Wednesday afternoon, however, things will start to get cold in Northeast Illinois, beginning with a wind advisory for the entire Chicago area along with "gusty snow showers and squalls" through the evening commute, the National Weather Service said.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
According to the NWS, quickly moving snow showers, along with winds as high as 50 miles-per-hour starting around 2 p.m. could sharply reduce visibility on roads.
Here's a look at the approximate timing for heaviest snow showers/squalls this afternoon/evening across the area. These showers/squalls will produce brief bursts of snow along with up to 50+ mph wind gusts resulting in sharply reduced visibility and slippery travel. #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/T7TK83j2Kq
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) December 4, 2024
While periodic snow showers will start in counties to the north, they will travel south for the afternoon and evening commute, eventually moving out of the area by around 9 p.m., the NBC 5 Storm Team said.
"10-20 minute bursts of snow in any given location," the NWS said, noting snow squalls were possible "area-wide."
"Prepare for extra travel time during the PM commute," the NWS added.
Temperatures will also start to drop, going from the upper 30s to near 40 Wednesday during the day to the teens, with wind chills below zero overnight and into Thursday morning.
Early Thursday morning, temperatures in the Chicago area will be in the mid 20s, with sub-zero wind chills, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team. Winds will still be strong, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Temperatures were expected to remain in the 20s Friday, but a weekend warmup was on tap, with highs in the 40s Saturday, and near 50 degrees Sunday.
