Chicago residents will want to bundle up tightly as an "Arctic blast" is set to bring plummeting temperatures and snow squalls, potentially making travel hazardous. According to NBC 5, Meteorologist Alicia Roman stated, "The next 36 hours will be pretty rough for us," highlighting the severity of the upcoming weather conditions.
Wednesday morning started with light snow across western Illinois, expected to sweep across LaSalle County and possibly touching Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Kankakee, and Will Counties. The afternoon commute might just get significantly more challenging as gusty winds are anticipated to reach up to 35 miles per hour, leading to reduced visibility due to possible snow squalls. "Keep that in mind for the afternoon and evening commute," Roman warned, cautioning commuters of the forecasted weather patterns.
Further complicating the conditions, the National Weather Service's forecast illustrates how temperatures will dramatically drop throughout the day, with chances of snow showers and even isolated snow showers late into the evening. Wind speeds could escalate, gusting as much as 40 mph, amplifying the chill with values potentially dropping to -13 degrees, invoking a shivering scene for the cityscape.
Those braving the outdoors on Thursday will face wind chills as low as -20 degrees, according to the chilling details provided by Alicia Roman. But as with all tides, they turn; Roman mentioned that Friday expects to slightly and steadily warm with highs nearing 33 degrees. Moving towards the weekend, the city should anticipate more mild conditions, with temperatures slated to climb up into the 40s. "There's a pretty good probability that between Dec. 16 and Dec. 24, we will have above average temperatures," said Roman, suggesting a temporary respite from the frostbitten handshake of winter.
Commuters are advised to stay informed and prepare for swift weather changes.
