This last week has been a wild ride for weather in the Chicago area, featuring record-high temperatures, a tornado outbreak, an abrupt wintry cooldown and even a little bit of snow. The roller coaster continues on Saturday as spring-like temperatures return.
After a Friday with temperatures primarily in the upper 40s, Saturday brings warmer, breezier conditions to the Chicago area.
While it's a bright morning for most in the region, some early fog in Kankakee County and areas south could impact visibility in the morning hours.
Temperatures are expected to steadily rise throughout the day, with mid-morning temperatures hovering around 40 degrees before a climb of around 20 degrees by the mid-afternoon.
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The abundant sunshine is expected to stick around as the mercury rises to around 60 degrees by 3 p.m., giving those in the area a picture-perfect Saturday to spend outdoors.
Though Saturday will feel warm, winds will certainly be in the picture as well as southwest gusts of up to 20 miles per hour are possible throughout the day.
Overnight lows in the mid 40s are anticipated before an even warmer day to close out the weekend on Sunday, with temperatures likely hitting the low 70s with mostly sunny skies and dry conditions throughout the day.
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Though the prolonged abnormal warmth at this time of year is enjoyed by many, it will once again be accompanied by a chance of storms and an ensuing cooldown, although this week's event will almost certainly be less intense than last week's 50-degree drop following severe storms and tornadoes.
Highs of up to 73 degrees are possible on Monday, with a chance of PM showers preceding another noticeable temperature drop, which will see highs drop back into the low 50s for the remainder of the week.
With that being said, the earliest date with an average historical temperature of 50 degrees in Chicago is not until March 24, showing that even with the cooldown, above average temperatures will remain steady.
That cooldown could possibly continue into next weekend, where current forecasts suggest next Saturday could be a gloomy day with highs in the low 40s and the possibility of a wintry mix.
