The unofficial kickoff to summer, Memorial Day, is often a time for swimming, barbecues, boating and really just enjoying time outdoors.
And if you're planning to do any of the above this holiday weekend, you will have multiple opportunities. But if you want to stay outdoors the entire day, Saturday will be your best bet.
High temperatures in the mid to upper 70s and plenty of sunshine will make for pleasant conditions, according to NBC 5 Storm Team meteorologists.
We won't be in the clear for long - as the potential for severe thunderstorms returns Sunday.
Lightning, downpours and gusty winds are all possible during the initial round of storms in the morning and early afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Damaging winds, damaging hail and even tornadoes could occur later on in the evening, with the greatest threats in portions of Will, Grundy, LaSalle and Kankakee counties.
A bit of relief will come on Memorial Day, though we won't be entirely out of the woods.
Scattered showers and breezy conditions are expected at various points, while most of the day will remain dry.
Weather
Rain is likely in the evening and expected to linger into the early hours on Tuesday, which will see another chance of showers. After that, we'll experience a slight drop in temperatures - from the mid 70s to low 70s come Wednesday - before a warmup into the 80s during the weekend.
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