Following a week of above-average temperatures and near-record warmth for February, the Chicago area will boomerang from spring-like weather right back to winter Friday, as cold air and snow flurries waltz back in.
"Yesterday at 3 p.m., we hit 61 degrees. Today, it will be 35 degrees, and we'll see light snow developing," NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman said. "We're definitely going from spring to winter in 24 hours."
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According to the NBC 5 Strom Team, Friday morning starts out warmer than average for this time of year, with temperatures in the upper 30s. Skies will be clear and sunny early, Roman said, but clouds will increase and winds will pick up as the day goes on.
By around 1 p.m., Friday's temperature will hit its highs in the upper 40s to low 50s. After that, they'll slide back down, Roman said.
"A cold front positioned across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan will slide southward," Roman said. "As the cold front continues to push southwards, we're going to see temperatures really start to drop."
Around 4 p.m., the Chicago area will see temperatures down in the 30s, with snow and rain showers developing and continuing into the afternoon and evening commute, Roman said. By 7 p.m., those snow showers will become more widespread, with light flurries areawide. Temperatures at that time will be even colder, Roman added, with readings in the 20s and 30s.
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As part of the system, the National Weather System warned that the flurries could make travel hazardous for some.
"A period of snow is expected this evening, especially across the Chicago metropolitan area and Northwest Indiana," an alert from the NWS said. "Locally slippery travel conditions are possible this evening."
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Although the snow isn't expected to accumulate much, the flurries could result in a dusting or a coating, Roman said.
After midnight, the widespread snow showers are expected to come to an end. Early Saturday morning however, lake effect snow will move across parts Lake and Cook Counties, Roman said, with temperatures hovering in the upper teens to low 20s.
Late Saturday morning, the lake effect snow will move out and sunny skies will return, Roman said. Cold temperatures however will remain, with readings in the high 30s.
The weekend ends on a sunny and high note, with temperatures back in the mid 50s, Roman said. Early next week, temperatures will climb back into the 60s -- and then some.
According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, Monday is expected to see a high temperature of 60. Tuesday, things will turn even warmer, with a high of 68 degrees or higher.
"Maybe a 70 degree day for some areas," Roman said
