The Chicago area won’t have a white Christmas in 2024, but it could end up being a soggy one for at least some communities around the region.
The main theme of the week will be persistent cloud cover, which is expected to last into the weekend, according to forecast models. Couple that with multiple chances of rain, including on the evening of Christmas, and the region could have a very soggy holiday.
Tuesday marks Christmas Eve, and forecast models are calling for patchy drizzle and fog across the region. Highs will be slightly above their seasonal averages, rising into the upper-30s or perhaps climbing over 40 degrees in some locations, but a warm-up is on the day.
Christmas Day will see slightly warmer temperatures and plenty of clouds across the area. As temperatures warm to around 40 degrees, or perhaps into the low-40s, some rain could develop in areas south of the city, with parts of the Chicago area south of Interstate 80 seeing the highest chances of holiday rain.
Thursday will see more scattered showers and warmer temperatures, with highs in the mid-40s across the region. In fact, temperatures will continue warming into the 50s by Friday and Saturday, but chances for rain will persist into Sunday morning before clouds finally start to clear out of the region.
Those clearing clouds will also come with cooling temperatures, with highs dropping back into the 40s by Sunday and then into the 30s for the final days of 2024. According to extended forecast models, another chance of precipitation could arrive New Year’s Eve and Day, with a chance of rain or snow across the region depending on when the system arrives.
For all the latest news on your holiday forecast, be sure to download the NBC Chicago app and follow along with the NBC 5 Storm Team’s forecast model data.
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