Chicago is waking up to clear skies and temperatures around 50 degrees Friday morning, with a sunny afternoon heading toward 68. Light southeast winds near 5 mph and no rain expected should make this an easy late-October day across the city.
Fog Stays Mostly North Of Chicago
The main weather wrinkle is dense fog in parts of Lake County, with pockets possibly reaching McHenry and northern Cook counties early Friday. Fog is possible early Friday.
Warm, Dry Weekend Ahead
Friday night will turn partly cloudy with a low around 51 and southeast winds near 5 mph, with occasional gusts up to 10 mph. Saturday should bring partly sunny skies and a high near 68, while Sunday looks mostly sunny and warmer, topping out near 72. There is no significant precipitation threat through Sunday.
How This Warm Spell Compares
The forecast highs of about 68°F Saturday and 72°F Sunday provide one point of comparison with past Octobers, but they are not a measure of long-term climate trends. The National Weather Service Chicago reported that Chicago’s average high in October 2024 was 70.1°F, 7.4°F above normal, while precipitation was 2.25 inches below normal. Those figures describe the full month in 2024, not this weekend’s forecast.
What the Long-Term Record Shows
A Climate Central analysis cited by Phys.org found that Chicago had 13 more fall days with higher-than-normal temperatures than in 1970, and that average autumn temperatures rose 2.6°F over that period. This broader trend does not establish the cause of any particular weekend’s forecast.
The National Weather Service Chicago also reported that October 2024 tied for Chicago’s ninth-warmest October since 1872. As a separate late-October benchmark, the agency recorded a high of 82°F on October 29, 2024; that was a past daily record, not a forecast for this weekend.
Clouds Increase Next Week
Monday is expected to be partly sunny with a high near 65, followed by a mostly cloudy Tuesday near 63. Wednesday rebounds to around 67 with partial sunshine, while Thursday could bring afternoon showers. Thursday night is expected to be mainly clear.
