Chicago Weather

Chicago weather: Temperatures to hit 40 degrees before long-lasting ‘Arctic blast'

Bitter cold temperatures were expected in Chicago Wednesday, along with light snow showers before a brief-warm up moves in

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Alicia Roman has the latest forecast for the Chicago area.

The Chicago area Wednesday morning woke up to bitter cold, with temperatures in the single digits or even below zero.

And while a brief warm-up was on the way, an "Arctic blast" will move in by late this weekend, NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman said, with below-average temperatures expected to continue through the end of the month.

Around 5:15 a.m. Wednesday, several parts to the north and west were seeing sub-zero temperatures, Roman said, including Aurora, Kankakee, DuPage and Waukegan, where temperatures were between -4 and -6.

Cold temperatures will remain in the forecast Wednesday, Roman said, with a high of 21 degrees, though wind chills will make things feel like the single digits.

Wednesday night, light snow flurries were in the forecast, beginning at around 6 p.m. to the north and west. Around 9 p.m. those flurries will be more widespread, Roman said, with snow continuing overnight but ending before the Thursday morning commute.

"Only a dusting," Roman said, of how much will fall. "Not a whole lot of snow," with most areas seeing less than an inch.

40-degree temperatures below 'Arctic blast'

Temperatures will thaw gradually, Roman said, with highs in the mid 30s Thursday, and a high of 40 degrees by Friday. Friday night, a wintry mix is possible into Saturday morning, Roman said.

By Sunday however, temperatures were expected to plummet back down to the teens, Roman said, with even colder values next week -- especially Monday, where a high temperature of 5 degrees is expected.

'Another Arctic blast," Roman said, of the colder temperatures to come.

The bitter cold was expected to last through the end of January, Roman said, in both Chicago and most of the country.

According to the latest extended forecast models, Northeastern Illinois is expected to see below-average temperatures over the next eight to fourteen days.

That means temperatures are expected to be below 31 degrees, Roman said.

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