Chicago weather delivers a blanket of dense fog and a downpour of rain starting Christmas Day, per forecasts published by the National Weather Service. Residents of Chicago and its surrounding areas are facing a gray and damp end to the year, with the dense fog advisory in effect mainly before 9:00 a.m. today, likely to lift later in the morning.
"Widespread dense fog, mainly before 9:00 am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 54 degrees," reads the Sunday forecast for Chicago, while tonight is expected to hold mostly cloudy skies with temperatures hovering around 48 degrees. Visibility in certain areas was pegged to drop to one-quarter mile or less, especially near and north of the Illinois and Kankakee Rivers, with improvements anticipated by mid to late morning.
The National Weather Service has laid out a wet outlook for Christmas Day, with rain forecasted to commence after 9:00 a.m., carrying a 100% chance of precipitation and potentially bringing in a quarter to half an inch of precipitation. A breezy day is on the cards with southeast winds blowing at speeds of 10 to 20 mph, gusting as high as 30 mph. Following the rainy spell, Monday night will see rain before midnight and then a chance of showers stretching into the early hours.
Looking ahead, Chicagoans can expect to carry on with umbrellas in hand well into the week. A 40 percent chance of showers is forecasted for Tuesday, with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 47 degrees. However, as for the showers expected before midnight Tuesday, they come with only a 20 percent chance. Later in the week, chances of showers linger, potentially mixing with snow by Thursday, as the cold weather tightens its grip and temperatures inch lower. Residents engaged with the lakefront, be warned, as signs point towards likely hazardous conditions for small craft on Monday and then again on Thursday and Friday.
The dreary weather, however, does not bring any additional dire warnings for the days after Christmas, as mentioned in the Hazardous Weather Outlook. The National Weather Service indicated a mostly sunny day on Saturday, albeit with chilly temperatures expected to peak at 34 degrees.
