After weeks of bitter cold, there's finally some warm weather news for the Chicago area.
Wednesday models show afternoon highs in the upper teens and low 20s, a departure from recent temperatures in the single digits and below zero.
And it gets better.
Thursday high temperatures could reach the low to mid-30s, and though temps fall back to the low 20s Friday and Saturday, they rebound Sunday to the low 30s.
The long-term forecast shows low-30s are here to stay for the first part of next week, and some areas could reach 40 degrees.
We're not out of the woods for snow, though. A few flurries or spotty light snow showers are possible later Wednesday, but no accumulation is expected. More flurries are likely Thursday evening and again on Friday.
Between one and three inches of snow is possible Saturday afternoon through the evening.
Despite the snow, above-freezing temperatures are a welcomed feeling for winter-weary residents.
This January ranked as the third-snowiest month ever recorded in the city since officials began keeping track 130 years ago, in 1884.
As of this weekend Chicago's season snow total exceeded 62.1 inches.
