The Chicago area has gotten to enjoy temperatures well above their seasonal averages in recent days, but how long will that trend continue?
According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, the answer is at least for a few more days, then after a brief cooldown over the weekend more warmth will be in store to kick off the new work week.
Thursday will see a bit more precipitation in the area and cooler temperatures, with highs only expected to reach the mid-40s across most of the region. Cold air aloft in the atmosphere could lead to the development of isolated graupel, which occurs when supercooled water droplets freeze on falling snowflakes, occasionally reaching the ground.
Graupel generally falls during thunderstorms, and there is a slight chance of storms in the area Thursday afternoon and into the evening, according to forecast models.
Friday will see winds really kick up, and temperatures will warm up along with those winds, with readings in the upper-50s in Chicago and even potentially climbing above 60 in the southern suburbs.
Showers will move in as part of an active weather pattern in the evening, and then temperatures are expected to drop considerably on Saturday, with readings only in the low-to-mid 30s.
That cooldown won’t last for long however, with highs soaring back into the upper-40s and low-50s by Monday, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team.
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Temperatures will rise back into the 50s by Tuesday and again into Wednesday, but chances of mixed precipitation Tuesday and then snow showers Thursday are also in the forecast, with temperatures dropping back to right around their seasonal averages in the upper-30s and low-40s, according to forecast models.
Beyond the current 10-day forecast window, the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center is leaning toward above-average temperatures for the Chicago area well into the month of March, with precipitation expected to be around normal levels.
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For the Chicago area, normal high temperatures in March start out in the low-40s at the beginning of the month, then crack 50 degrees by March 24. By the end of the month, the average daily high temperature is 53 degrees, with low temperatures finally climbing above the freezing mark by month’s end.
Stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team for all the latest weather news and information.
