In a continuation of a cold week of weather in the Chicago area, brutally frigid wind chills are on the way to the region as temperatures plummet alongside gusty winds.
The continued temperature descent began early Wednesday evening, as strong wind gusts impacted the area with parts of the region seeing snow squalls.
A snow squall warning was in effect for parts of Cook County and DuPage County, with the National Weather Service warning of "life-threatening travel."
A snow squall warning is in effect until 10:15 PM CST for I-290, I-294, I-355, I-55 near Chicago, IL--IN. pic.twitter.com/skQyyI27DG
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) December 5, 2024
Though winds are expected to slowly ease, west-northwest winds at 20 to 30 miles per hour are still expected, with gusts over 40 miles per hour possible.
Temperatures will drop into the teens, creating wind chill values that could reach as low as -15 degrees. With the wind present in the region, frostbite is possible within 20-to-30 minutes to exposed skin.
Early Thursday morning, temperatures in the Chicago area will be in the mid 20s, with sub-zero wind chills, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team. Winds will still be strong, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
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Despite the pronounced temperature drop, 2024 is on pace to be the warmest year on record for Chicago, the NBC 5 Storm Team said. That's following its third warmest year in 2023.
"Even if we have the coldest December on record, this year would average out to be the fifth warmest since records began 152 years ago," NBC 5 Meteorologist Kevin Jeanes said.
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According to Jeanes, Chicago's average temperature through November was 57 degrees. Here's how that ranks among the average temperatures for the top five warmest years, January through December:
- 2012: 54.5 degrees
- 1921: 54.4 degrees
- 2023: 54.0 degrees
- 1931: 53.9 degrees
- 1998: 53.5 degrees
So far, seven months in 2024 were in the top 12-warmest for Chicago, including the warmest February on record, Jeanes said. According to Jeanes, the annual, average high temperature for Chicago is 59.3 degrees, and the annual, average low temperature is 43 degrees.
For 2024, the average high for Chicago has been 65.8, with the average low at 48.3, Jeanes said.
"The average December temperature is 29.6 degrees," Jeanes said. "If the December average temperature stays above 26.5 degrees, 2024 will become the warmest on record."
According to Jeanes, Chicago hasn’t had a December that cold since 2016.
While high temperatures are forecasted to remain below freezing through Friday, the mercury will rise this weekend, with highs in the low 50s possible for Sunday and Monday before temperatures likely fall again.
