As a bitter cold February comes to a close, the warmest weekend of 2021 is set to arrive in the Chicago area.
Temperatures are expected to warm throughout the day Saturday, hitting the mid 40s in some areas by 11 a.m. By the afternoon hours, highs will likely reach the low 50s and upper 40s.
After a cool dip overnight and a chance for showers, Sunday will likely see temperatures in the highs 50s, slightly warmer than Saturday's peak temperature.
The average temperature for this time of year is 40 degrees, making the weekend above average in terms of warmth on both Saturday and Sunday.
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So far in 2021, the Chicago area hasn't seen temperatures reach the low 50s. On Tuesday, the region saw highs in the upper 40s, but not reaching temperatures expected this weekend.
Saturday morning began with areas of fog and light showers across the area with skies expected to clear by mid-morning for sunny skies.
According to NBC 5 meteorologists, mostly sunny skies and "spring-like" conditions are expected across the region Saturday, with clouds moving in during the evening hours.
Local
A breezy, sunny Sunday is expected across the Chicago area, with wind gusts possibly reaching 35 mph, forecast models predict.
To start the week, a cold front is expected to move through the area, causing temperatures to drop to the low 40s Monday then rising to the upper 40s by Tuesday.
Most of next week will likely remain clear with a chance for rain Tuesday night into Wednesday.
