Following weeks of frigid wind chills, spring-like warmth has moved into the Chicago area, the NBC 5 Storm Team said, with above-average temperatures likely to remain in the forecast through early March.
According to NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman, Tuesday morning in the Chicago area had already reached into the 40s, with highs in the low-to-mid 50s expected by afternoon. Near the lake, temperatures were expected to be cooler, Roman said.
Tuesday will also be sunny and pleasant, Roman said, with winds calmer than what Monday saw.
Tuesday night, clouds will move in, Roman said, as showers will move in overnight, beginning in counties to the west.
Rain, moderate at times, was expected to continue through early Wednesday morning and linger into the rush hour commute, Roman said.
While the rain was expected to move out by mid-to-late morning, light showers could move back in Wednesday evening, particularly in areas to the south and east.
Thursday morning could also see scattered showers, Roman said, with temperatures hovering in the 40s and 50s through the end of the work week.
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Saturday, temperatures were expected to drop into the high 30s, Roman said, bumping back up into the 40s by Sunday.
As the calendar changes over to March, the entire Chicago area will have a strong likelihood of above-average temperatures, Roman said.
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"There is a 50% probability that between March 4 and 10, temperatures will be above the average of 42 and 45 degrees," Roman said.
When does winter end and spring start?
The answer to this question depends on who you ask, because meteorologists and astronomers have different answers.
Meteorological spring always begins on March 1, with the date chosen to help make for easier recordkeeping when it comes to weather records.
Astronomical spring begins on the vernal equinox, the date where the sun crosses over the Equator and is higher in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere than it is in the Southern Hemisphere. That event will occur at approximately 4:01 a.m. Central Daylight Time on Thursday, March 20, according to the National Weather Service.
