Forecast: Nice weather today with 50s, but storminess returns tomorrow; cold late week...

Today's Daily Digit

 

A somewhat subjective rating of the
day's weather, on a scale of 0 to 10.

 

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I loved seeing the snowflakes yesterday, but a sunny, mild day also warms my heart.
 
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Today: Sunny, warmer. 50-55. | Tonight: Clear early, some clouds late. 28-35. | Tomorrow: Clouds and rain (mix NW?). 45-49.| Get Express Forecast by E-mail

Yesterday someone (weathergrrl!) commented about roller coaster weather this week, and I love that description. After yesterday’s snow and a decidedly winter feel, we transition quickly to sunny skies with warmer weather (50s) today. Low pressure approaching tomorrow could allow for some mixed precipitation farther north and west of the city. But it’s mainly a rainy story into tomorrow night. Some clearing is possible with warm weather on Thursday before a modified Arctic air mass arrives Friday and into the weekend. And yes, there are hints of another possible winter weather system towards late Sunday.

Snow Potential Index: 2 (→) - Maybe some flurries Friday and a outside chance of a weather system with snow Sunday night into MLK Monday.

 

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Today (Tuesday): Watch out for patchy fog and a few slick spots early in the morning. As the morning wears on, sunshine returns in full force as light breezes from the west push our temperatures into the low-to-mid 50s. This is the calm in between the storms, so take advantage of the break and enjoy these warmer-than-normal conditions (about ten degrees warmer than normal for highs). Confidence: High

Tonight: Skies are mostly clear from the evening through hours just past midnight. This should allow our temperatures to drop into the upper 20s to low-to-mid 30s, but cloud cover slowly builds in toward dawn (mainly high clouds at first). Our temperatures could level off or warm slightly by or before dawn. Light winds. Confidence: High

Keep reading for the forecast through the weekend...

Tomorrow (Wednesday): The roller coaster continues as low pressure approaches from the south. Some colder weather may get wedged into areas on the east side and the valleys of the Appalachians. Even our farther western to northwestern suburbs could see just enough cold air to for some mixed precipitation late morning or midday. Otherwise, rain is likely (all areas by afternoon), and it could get moderate to heavy toward late afternoon/evening. Highs by afternoon reach from the mid-to-upper 40s. Winds mainly from the east at 5-10 mph. Confidence: Medium

Tomorrow night: Rain, moderate to possibly heavy at times deep into the overnight hours before tapering off toward dawn. We could end this storm with as much as .75” or 1” of rain. Temperatures stay mild with lows holding steady in the low-to-mid 40s. Confidence: Medium

Thursday finds us in between the departing storm system and an approaching Arctic cold front. Variable clouds could allow for more sun at times, and winds from the west to southwest favor a warmer day of highs in the mid-to-upper 50s. We would not be surprised to feel a 60-degree reading or two. Thursday night sees cloudy skies, colder temperatures, and scattered rain and/or snow showers (snow favored N & W) late. Lows drop into the 30s. Confidence: Medium

Friday features variable cloud cover, colder weather, and breezy conditions to make highs in the upper 30s to near 40 feel worse than that with wind chills. Flurries could fly around again, especially in the morning. Winds calm a bit under partly cloudy skies Friday night with lows ranging from the upper teens in the far suburbs to the low-to-mid 20s in the city. Confidence: Medium

The weekend (a three-day weekend for many) is much colder than the last one. Saturday should see partly to mostly sunny skies at least, but temperatures mostly hold in the 30s. Cold Saturday night with maybe a few clouds and lows in the teens to 20s again. Sunday is complicated. Clouds should return, and there is a very low chance (at this point) for precipitation to develop in the afternoon and potentially into Sunday night and even Monday (late night guidance shifted away from the storm idea). That precipitation could be snow, but it is important to note that the guidance is very divided currently with an equal or better chance of just dry/cold conditions. Confidence: Low