Chicagoans can expect a brief warm spell as temperatures reach a high near 67 degrees today, with a moderate south-southwest wind blowing at speeds of 10 to 15 mph, and gusts potentially reaching 25 mph, according to the National Weather Service. As the evening approaches, it'll remain mostly cloudy with lows around 54, the breeze persisting through the night. However, as the week progresses, what begins as a chance of showers on Wednesday will likely escalate into storms and possibly a thunderstorm after 1 pm with a 70% chance of precipitation and new rainfalls anticipated to be between a tenth and a quarter of an inch except in thunderstorm-prone areas where higher amounts are possible.
Scattered thunderstorms can be expected Wednesday afternoon, some of which could be strong to severe with the potential to produce hail and damaging winds. Stay up to date on the forecast for the latest information. #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/mhKKHxSlzZ
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) March 18, 2025
Shifting to the severe weather expected later on Wednesday, CBS News Chicago reports the potentially strong storms may start emerging in the evening and Chicago has been placed at a slight risk for severe thunderstorms, the primary concerns being gusty winds and isolated tornadoes that are not to be completely discounted, all of this will happen during a time frame extending from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Commuters should brace themselves for a challenging Thursday morning as rain transitions into snow with possible accumulations in a range from a dusting to 2 inches.
Looking ahead to Thursday, the first day of Spring, expect the snow to possibly mix with rain until the early morning, then tapering into a slight chance of snow up until 1 pm, with high temperatures projected to hover around 44 degrees, so conditions will remain blustery due to northwest winds of 15 to 25 mph, gusting as high as 40 mph, as detailed by the National Weather Service. Chicagoans should anticipate brighter skies and milder weather conditions thereafter as Friday and the weekend sees a return of mostly sunny skies and a rebounding of temperatures into the more comfortable 40s.
