There’s usually a big temperature change in the fall, and after the week began with a record high of 88 degrees at O’Hare International Airport, it appears the cooler weather has arrived.
Conditions were much different Friday evening, with temperatures in the upper 40s and wind chills making it feel roughly four to five degrees cooler. Across much of the area and parts of northwest Indiana, readings were in the mid-50s.
Winds were howling, especially across northwest Indiana and parts of southern Cook County by Lake Michigan, NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Kevin Jeanes said. Wind gusts were trending down as the area settled in for a cold night, with temperatures dropping into the 30s.
While the rain showers were subsiding across most of Illinois, rain was expected to remain fairly persistent across northwest Indiana and maybe parts of the South Side and southern Cook County. Jeanes said even eastern Will and Kankakee counties might see some light rain overnight Friday into early Saturday – maybe even through sunrise.
Areas without cloud cover will see cooler temperatures, with freezing conditions possible near Woodstock and the Rockford area as temperatures drop into the low-to-mid 30s and frost emerges.
Jeanes suggested covering up plants or bringing them inside – if that’s easy to do. In Chicago, much of Cook County, areas closer to Lake Michigan and northwest Indiana, increased cloud cover will keep temperatures a bit milder.
Saturday will get off to a cold start before temperatures top out around 57 degrees. The sun will be back out in the afternoon, but it won’t be as windy as Friday.
Temperatures will drop to around 40 degrees by Sunday morning, making it slightly cooler than Saturday.
Still, anyone heading out early for weekend sports or other activities should prepare for colder conditions than we’ve seen lately. Overall, highs are expected to reach the low-to-mid 60s on Sunday before climbing into the mid-60s by Monday.
