The Chicago area could see its coldest temperatures in nearly six years as a mass of Arctic air pushes into the upper Midwest, sending readings plummeting.
If low temperatures plummet enough, especially Monday and Tuesday, the city of Chicago could see its coldest temperatures since late January 2019, when low temperatures dropped to minus-23 degrees on Jan. 31.
Things won’t get quite that cold, but overnight lows Monday and Tuesday are expected to dip below zero, with a forecasted low of minus-7 degrees on Monday night, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team.
Before that arrives, a rollercoaster of wintry weather is expected in the area, starting with a dusting of snow overnight Wednesday and into Thursday morning, according to forecast models.
Accumulations are expected to be minimal, but untreated roads could see slick spots form due to the cold temperatures.
Temperatures will actually rise slightly overnight and into Thursday, with the warmest temperatures in weeks arriving across the area. Highs will be in the mid-to-upper 30s Thursday and could be even warmer on Friday, with readings in the upper-30s or even the low-40s across the area.
Those readings would be the warmest temperatures of the calendar year so far, with only four days seeing temperatures at or above the freezing mark in the city.
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After that, things are going to go downhill rapidly in terms of temperatures. After highs in the 20s on Saturday, things are going to get a lot colder on Sunday, with readings in the low-teens.
Overnight Sunday and into Monday, temperatures could drop to minus-5 degrees, with wind chills dropping 15-to-25 degrees below zero across the area, according to forecast models.
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Those lows could be the lowest the city has seen since Jan. 16, 2024, when the low temperature was minus-7 degrees. If things get any colder, then it’ll be the coldest the city of Chicago has seen since Dec. 23, 2022, when the low temperature was minus-8.
Beyond that, it would be the coldest the city has seen since Jan. 30 and 31, 2019, when low temperatures were minus-21 degrees and minus-23 degrees, respectively.
Tuesday night will once again see below-zero low temperatures, with highs only in the single digits, but Wednesday things will start to regulate slightly, with highs in the 20s for the remainder of the work week.
Stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team for all the latest weather news and information.
