Following a summer-like day on Tuesday and the mild, rainier days that have followed, the Chicago area is slated to get a rude awakening to the season ahead starting on Friday night.
After temperatures reached as high as 70 degrees early Friday afternoon, a temperature drop already underway is expected to continue throughout the evening, nearly cutting the high in half by the late night hours.
In addition to growing winds and a chance for some showers throughout the evening, temperatures could drop into the high 30s in parts of the area late tonight, with overnight lows for much of the region hanging around the high 30s to low 40s.
Though readings are not likely to drop below freezing in the Chicago area, parts of northwest Illinois and western Wisconsin are under freeze warnings for Saturday morning, with temperatures likely falling to the low 30s.
Temperatures are then only expected to climb into the low 50s at their warmest on Saturday, with high temps continuing to plummet through the weekend and into next week, making for an especially brisk Halloween evening.
According to forecast models, Saturday will start out cold and dry with some sunshine. However, a round of rain is set to move in late Saturday, with scattered, “chilly” showers throughout Sunday afternoon.
“Sunday will be a chilly rain, unfortunately,” NBC 5 Storm Team meteorologist Alicia Roman said, with highs in the 40s.
According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, Monday will remain dry, with temperatures in the low 40s.
Temperatures Tuesday will also remain in low 40s. And, Chicago could see the first flakes and flurries of the season on Halloween, the NBC 5 Storm Team added.
“We could see a quick moving disturbance Tuesday bringing some light snow showers or flurries in the forecast for Halloween,” Roman said.
Snow on Halloween isn’t unusual. According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, the average first trace of snow for the Chicago area — which is defined as less than a tenth of an inch — typically arrives Oct. 31. But the average first measurable snowfall, which is defined as a tenth of an inch or more, is Nov. 18.
For those looking for at least an inch of snow or more, the average date for that snowfall is Dec. 7, the Storm Team said.
As far as when the Chicago area could see a reprieve from the upcoming spell of colder weather, highs are not expected to climb out of the 40s after Saturday until next Friday, when a slight warmup is anticipated after the exceptionally chilly week ahead.
