Drivers were encouraged to use caution on Friday evening as winter weather made its return, bringing a dose of snow to the Chicago area.
In a post on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, the National Weather Service explained that slippery conditions will likely develop by mid-evening and persist through the overnight hours. Temperatures will likely drop into the 20s, and possibly the mid teens as wind gustswith speeds up to 35 miles hour arrive.
While it's unclear how quickly roads will become slippery, drivers should prepare for potential travel impacts and be especially cautious on bridges and overpasses, according to the NWS.
While much snowfall isn't expected, communities in the blue-shaded area above could see accumulations around one inch of snow before midnight. An additional round of light lake effect snow will move in after that -- likely between 12 and 6 a.m.
Regardless of impact, the big story Saturday will be the chillier conditions, with highs expected in the 30s across the area.
That change is going to be extremely short-lived, as temperatures are likely going to rebound back into the mid-50s across the area by Sunday afternoon.
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In fact, that will be just the beginning of the warm-up. Temperatures Monday are expected to climb into the 60s, and could even threaten records in the city of Chicago, where the record for Feb. 26 stands at 64 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
Tuesday will be even warmer, with readings in the mid-to-upper 60s, but there is also a chance for rain that could enter the forecast. That rain will stick around through Wednesday, with some mixed precipitation possible as another front moves through the area.
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