While the bulk of the moisture from a passing cold front could miss the Chicago area, significantly colder temperatures can be expected into the holiday weekend.
According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, low temperatures Monday and into Tuesday morning will drop into the mid-20s as a mass of cloud cover moves out of the region, robbing the region of a key resource in retaining warmth.
With winds blowing out of the northwest, temperatures are expected to cool into the upper-30s and low-40s on Tuesday, with clouds returning to the area ahead of an approaching cold front that will arrive mid-week.
There will be a chance of precipitation in the area on Wednesday and into Thursday, but the bulk of the moisture is currently expected to remain to the south of the Chicago area, with rain and snow possible in central Illinois and Indiana.
Some lake-effect rain and snow showers could occur on Thursday as winds shift out of the north and blow over the warmer waters of Lake Michigan, impacting parts of eastern Illinois and northwest Indiana, but winds will shift out of the west heading into Thursday night and Friday morning, causing snow squalls in Michigan.
As that occurs, a cold front is going to swoop through the region, dropping temperatures into the 30s on Thursday and then to even colder marks on Friday, with highs in the 20s and low temperatures dropping into the teens.
Wind chills could be in the teens during the day on both Saturday and Sunday, with a chance of an isolated snow shower in the area on Saturday, according to forecast models.
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Temperatures aren’t expected to rebound until next week, and even then highs are still expected to be just above the freezing mark in the Chicago area.
Stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team for all the latest weather news and information.
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