Warmer weather will deliver a taste of spring this weekend with projected temperatures in the 50s and 60s.
Saturday is forecasted to be a breezy, 51 degrees during the day and a low of about 37 degrees by nightfall, according to the National Weather Service. The temperature should rise again Sunday to a high of about 62 degrees, and a low of 48 degrees in the evening with a 20% chance of rain, according to the NWS.
Although the warmer conditions are expected to continue into Monday, residents shouldn’t pack away their winter coats just yet, NWS meteorologist Charles Mott said.
“Don’t think that we’re done with winter because we’re not,” Mott said.
Should bitter temperatures return before spring arrives, the sun will serve as a reminder that warmer weather is on its way. Daylight Saving will begin at 2 a.m. Sunday, springing clocks ahead one hour.
Counties including Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Ogle, DeKalb, DuPage, Cook, LaSalle and Kendall could expect thunderstorms and high winds beginning Friday and lasting through Wednesday, according to a hazardous weather alert from the NWS.
Wind gusts as high as 55 mph winds paired with high waves and lake levels could lead to shoreline flooding in Northern Indiana and Chicago, according to the NWS. The waves should subside by Friday night, with dry and windy conditions taking over Saturday and Sunday.
Both the dryness and the blustery conditions expected over the weekend mean that controlled fires could spread more quickly than usual, Mott said.
“It’s going to be windy, so I would not recommend starting any fires to clear brush,” he said.
A NWS outlook also showed temperatures to be 70% likely warmer than usual for the next two weeks. Snow accumulation overall this winter has been light compared to previous years. Snowfall for the both the Chicago and Rockford areas in particular has been more than 9 inches below average, according to the NWS.
Although the days might feel warmer, the Chicago area isn’t in the clear yet when it comes to cold nights and possible snowfall, Mott said.
“I definitely don’t want to go on record saying we are done with snow and we are done with cold winters,” Mott said.
The last snow on record for 2019 happened on April 27, when Chicago received about 2 1/2 inches, he added.
“Even though the daytime temperatures are so-called ‘warm’ for this time of year, there’s a chance for some overnight precipitation,” Mott said.
Source: The Daily Chronicle
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