The city is gearing up for a bout of inclement weather, with forecasters predicting rain and possible thunderstorms as Chicagoans brace for a series of wet days ahead. The outlook for today includes showers mainly before 5 p.m., accompanied by patchy fog lifting before the morning rush. High temperatures are expected to climb near 58 degrees, providing a slight reprieve from the typical autumn chill.
As the day proceeds, rain will likely begin around midday, courtesy of southerly weather patterns. FOX 32 Chicago reports a brief break in precipitation in the afternoon, before a second wave of showers and potential thunderstorms enters from the west near 10 p.m., moving through the area until approximately daybreak on Tuesday. Conditions tonight are set for steady temperatures around 58 degrees, in a surprising twist of mild weather this November.
Tuesday's forecast suggests a 50 percent chance of morning showers, transitioning to cloudy skies which will eventually make way for the sun. Balmy breezes are predicted, with south winds shifting west-southwest in the afternoon and gusts that could reach up to 30 mph. As the week progresses, Chicago will see a slight drop in highs, with Wednesday expected to reach the upper 40s and include a few showers, likely in the afternoon.
The latter part of the week may offer a brief interaction with winter's touch, as there holds a small chance for wet snowflakes Thursday morning before the precipitation turns back to all rain. According to the National Weather Service, the likelihood of showers persists into the weekend, with highs forecasted to hover in the mid 40s. The current weather patterns mark an extension of an above-normal temperature streak that Chicago has been experiencing—now running 16 consecutive days.
While temperatures have remained higher than usual, Chicago still awaits its first freezing temperature at O'Hare this fall, a seasonal milestone yet looming in the city's immediate future. The normal high for the current date historically stands at 47 degrees, while typical lows dip down to 33 degrees. With an ongoing warm spell, Chicago is witnessing a somewhat atypical autumn, tempering the edge of the impending winter. Regardless, residents should gear up for a damp week ahead, as nature readies to strike a balance with rain-cooled streets beneath a greying November sky.
