Following a streak of hostile winter weather in Chicago which saw frost quakes, problems for electric vehicles and some parts of Illinois register colder temperatures than Alaska, the last few days have blessed the Chicago area with wonderfully unwinterlike weather.
The sun is now setting after 5 pm each day, we’re once again experiencing more than 10 hours of daylight and now there’s more good news for those seeing out the Chicago winter.
The typically mercurial Midwestern weather is set to continue this week with Chicago now set for unseasonably high temperatures in the coming days.
According to the National Weather Service, though the week will start with “areas of fog and freezing fog” as well as “patchy slick spots and sudden drops in visibility”, near-record warmth is possible towards the end of the week.
The start of the week will see temperatures in the 40s which will then climb into the 50s by Wednesday and could then rise to the high 50s on both Thursday and Friday.
Early February typically sees highs in the low 30s which means this week will be 25 degrees hotter than normal. The record high for February 8th (Thursday) is 62 degrees, set almost 100 years ago back in 1925 while the record for February 9th (Friday) is 56 degrees set back in 1886.
With temperatures expected to be around 56-58 degrees at the end of the week, Friday’s record could well be broken in the days coming.
Despite the warm weather coming to the area on Thursday and Friday, motorists are encouraged to drive with caution throughout the week. Fog will cause visibility issues and low overnight temperatures could cause slick spots on roadways.
Warm temperatures may also bring precipitation and possibly isolated thunderstorms as the weather system moves through Chicago.
As ever, you can head to the National Weather Service website for all the latest weather forecasts and warnings while www.gettingaroundillinois.com has all the latest road conditions around Illinois.
[Featured image from Shutterstock]