December will soon be here, but it sure won’t feel like it in the Chicago area.
An early wave of cold weather in November had many believing it was a sign of what’s to come, but a late burst of warmth has brought questions for area residents.
The first 13 days of November saw below-average temperatures, but the last week of the month has been well above average.
How long will the warm weather last?
The warm weather stretch is forecast to continue through the weekend before a big change hits. The jet stream has been parked north, keeping most of the cold air north of the Chicago area. But beginning next week, a trough will develop to the west, slowly making its way east. This will allow cold air to invade much of the Chicago area, even bringing chilly temperatures as far south as the Gulf Coast.
So, while 50 degrees appears to be the norm in the Chicago area for the next few days, by next week, temperature highs will likely dip into the upper-20s and low-30s.
Welcome back, winter.
