The Chicago area will see sunshine and rising temperatures — into the 20s — over the next few days, the NBC 5 Storm Team said, but another blast of Arctic air is on the way, along with two rounds of snow.
“Some weather improvement,” NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alicia Roman said, with temperatures early Tuesday morning in the single digits and wind chills in the negative teens. Monday morning, wind chills were as low as -25 degrees.
By Tuesday afternoon, temperatures will “warm rapidly,” Roman said, climbing into the upper 20s by evening. Wednesday, temperatures will be in the 30s.
“A nice, little warm-up on the way before temperatures drop again,” Roman said.
Rounds of snow
The first round of snow was expected to move in about 8 p.m. Tuesday across Chicago’s northwestern counties, with a winter weather going into effect for McHenry and Lake Counties in Illinois and Kenosha County in Wisconsin.
Snow showers will stick around as midnight hits, Roman said, but come to an end overnight.
“By the time you head out for the morning commute, snow will be gone, but roads could be problematic,” Roman added, especially along the Illinois-Wisconsin line, where between two and five inches of snow could fall.
A clipper system will bring another round of accumulating snow to the area late this evening through early Wednesday, particularly near and north of I-80. This will cause untreated roads to become snow covered and slick and may impact part of the Wednesday AM commute! #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/0Imn09MKX9
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) January 20, 2026
Around 5 p.m. Wednesday, another round of scattered snow will move in, starting in counties to the west.
“Just in time for the afternoon and evening commutes,” Roman said. According to the National Weather Service, winds up to 35 mph could lead to blowing and drifting snow in some parts.
Between the two systems, the Chicago area is expected to see between one and three inches of snow. As much as five inches of snow could fall in northern counties.
Arctic blast
A cold front moving in Wednesday evening will push temperatures back down, with temperatures dropping back into the teens Thursday followed by an “Arctic blast” Friday.
Temperatures Friday morning will be below zero, Roman warned, with “feels-like” temperatures as low as -35 degrees. In counties to the north and west, wind chills between -35 and -40 were possible.
Saturday, temperatures will remain in the single digits, Roman said, with highs moving into the teens by Sunday.
