Enjoy Monday while it lasts, Chicago, because a winter weather shift is coming just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.
While highs Monday are set to reach near 50 degrees, temperatures will soon tumble, falling into the mid-20s overnight, paving the way for much colder weather -- and the threat of some wintry precipitation -- this week.
According to NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alicia Roman, highs drop into the 30s starting Tuesday, though conditions do look to dry up for the day.
Forecasters are monitoring a system, however, which could move into the region just ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, bringing the potential for rain and possibly even some snow, but much uncertainty remains in the lead-up to the event.
According to Roman, as of Monday morning, the system looks to start out as mostly rain Wednesday afternoon, but some snow could mix in by the evening hours.
The National Weather Service notes that two storm systems are expected to pass over the central U.S. this week, but there's a chance those systems could merge together.
"If they merge together, the chance for wintry weather will increase. However, they may not merge," the NWS wrote on X, noting that models were leaning toward the second possibility.
Little has changed with the thinking of the storm system that could bring wintry weather to the region Tue night-Thu. While guidance has started to trend towards the second scenario described below, there remains a lot of uncertainty. Keep checking back for updates! #ILwx #INwx https://t.co/CmV5JFlWji
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) November 25, 2024
As of Monday, Roman said the bigger chance for snow looks to stay in areas east of Chicago, including parts of Michigan and northwest Indiana.
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Either way, Thanksgiving looks to stay colder, with temps in the 30s.
The cooling trend is set to continue, with highs dropping into the 20s after that.
