Chicago’s brief flirtation with spring will come to an abrupt end on Friday, as temperatures are expected to plummet and winds are expected to roar.
A wind advisory has been issued for the entire Chicago area for Friday, with wind gusts in excess of 45 miles per hour at times during the morning and afternoon hours.
Those ferocious winds will be accompanied by some wintry weather, as snow showers are possible on Friday, along with significantly colder temperatures.
As a weather system pushes rain showers through the area late Thursday and into Friday morning, temperatures are expected to begin dropping after midnight, with the high temperature hitting right at 12 a.m.
The wind advisory will go into effect at 1 a.m. on Friday, with sustained winds of 20-to-30 miles per hour posing dangers to high-profile vehicles on north-south roadways, according to the National Weather Service.
Those gusty winds are expected to persist into the afternoon, but before they diminish the Chicago area will experience something else: a chance for snow showers, with a dusting of snow to around a half-inch of accumulation possible in some locations, according to forecast models.
That won’t be the only time the area could see snow this weekend, either. Winds are expected to shift off of Lake Michigan, which will lead to potential lake-effect snow late on Saturday and then into Sunday and early Monday.
Heavy accumulations aren’t expected, but some visibility issues and slick conditions could be possible, as highs will only be in the upper-30s on Saturday and then right around the freezing mark on Sunday and Monday.
Highs will slowly start to rebound into next week, rising into the low-to-mid 40s by Tuesday.
Stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team for all the latest weather news and information, and be sure to download the NBC Chicago app for real-time weather alerts sent directly to your phone.
