After experiencing a deep freeze through much of January, the Chicago area is going to see near-record warmth in coming days.
In fact, the area could see a record fall this week that has stood for more than 100 years, with residents getting to enjoy a prolonged taste of spring for several days.
Things will start out on the foggy side across much of the area Sunday, with a dense fog advisory issued by the National Weather Service.
As the day moves along that fog is expected to burn off, and with mostly clear skies temperatures are expected to climb quickly, rising into the mid-to-upper 50s in the afternoon, with some parts of the area perhaps even cracking 60 degrees, according to forecast models.
While that won’t be good enough to break the temperature record of 69 degrees for the date, which was set in 1954, Monday will in all likelihood see a new milestone set.
That’s because temperatures are expected to rise into the low-to-mid 60s across the Chicago area, and the record for February 16 currently sits at 58 degrees, a mark that was set all the way back in 1921.
Tuesday will see a small dip as temperatures fall back into the 50s, but Wednesday could be the warmest day of the week, with readings rising into the mid-60s across the area. That likely won’t be enough to break the record of 70 degrees, which was set during a heat wave in 2017, but area residents likely won’t complain about the unseasonable warmth.
For those residents who would prefer to see winter stick around for a bit longer, colder temperatures are expected over the weekend. A weather system will bring off-and-on chances for rain or wet snow on Thursday night and into Friday, and temperatures will fall from the 50s on Thursday into the 30s on Saturday and Sunday.
Still, winter-lovers probably shouldn’t get too comfortable, as long-range model guidance from the Climate Prediction Center indicates that above-average temperatures could come roaring back to wrap up the month of February.
Stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team for all the latest weather news, and be sure to download the NBC Chicago app for real-time weather alerts sent directly to your phone.
