A long stretch of hot, dry weather set in across Chicago Friday and is expected to remain through the weekend into the work week before any relief.
In addition to the warm weather, area residents can expect to see dry conditions, with no rain in the forecast until well into the new work week. Add southwesterly winds into the mix, and the area is prime for a long spell of dry and hot weather in coming days.
The National Weather Service is warning residents of an elevated fire risk for Friday, with dry and windy conditions potentially providing fuel for brush fires.
Several northern Chicago suburbs were experiencing unhealthy air conditions as a result of elevated ozone levels Friday, prompting environmental agencies to encourage members of "sensitive groups" to take precautions.
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Communities including Waukegan, Gurnee, Wadsworth, Beach Park and Zion saw an Air Quality Index value of 108 Friday afternoon, above the moderate category, which includes values from 50-100, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's website.
Chicago saw sunny skies throughout the day Friday, with highs reaching 90 degrees in some areas. Saturday and Sunday will likely look similar with day-long sunshine and highs in the low 90s.
A bit more cloud cover is possible on Monday, but temperatures will likely remain in the mid-to-upper 80s before the next chance of rain hits the forecast on Wednesday.
