The Chicago-area was treated to record highs on Thursday, but the warm weather is going to depart, at least for one day, as temperatures are set to plunge up to 30 degrees in some locations.
On Thursday, Chicago recorded a new record high of 61 degrees, a day after the warmest Christmas Day temperatures in nearly 40 years. In fact, Chicago was warmer than a slew of locations, including San Diego, Death Valley, and Phoenix.
Some Chicagoans even went Jet-Skiing on Lake Michigan, while others stuck to the shoreline while wearing light jackets or t-shirts.
Unfortunately for those who were enjoying the warm weather, a dramatic cooldown is coming for Friday. By the time commuters hit the road Friday morning, temperatures will be in the mid-30s, and the highs are only expected to reach the low-40s on Friday.
Saturday and Sunday will see a slight warm-up, with highs in the low-to-mid 50s in some locations, but next week will see a return to more seasonal weather, as highs aren’t expected to crack 40 degrees in the final days of 2019.
