A wind advisory goes into effect Thursday afternoon, yielding gusts as high as 50 mph in some areas.
The advisory begins at 2 p.m. and lasts until 5 a.m. Friday morning behind a cold front expected to send lows into the mid-40s. Light southwest winds increase Thursday to 15 to 25 mph then shift northwest and pick up speed, according to the National Weather Service.
Strong winds can make driving difficult and cause damage to small trees and tree limbs, the NWS warns.
Before the wind and chilly spell, Chicago temps on Thursday climb into the low 70s thanks to partly sunny skies and a reprieve from days of rain, said NBC Chicago meteorologist Andy Avalos.
As the cold front approaches, a few showers will be possible in far northwest suburbs. Isolated thunderstorms also could develop in the late afternoon and early evening as the cold front sweeps through the area and winds increase. Thursday highs slowly fall late in the day.
Come Friday gusty winds remain as the advisory expires. Much cooler temperatures span the weekend along with periods of scattered showers.
