Chicago is waking up to cloudy skies and temperatures around 45 degrees Thursday, but this will not be a gentle November day. Rain showers will become more likely through the afternoon, north winds could gust to 40 mph, and the high is expected to reach only about 46 degrees.
Rain showers and gusty winds will make the lakefront and open streets feel colder than the thermometer suggests, so commuters should prepare for wind-driven rain.
Rain Could Turn To Snow For Friday’s Commute
Thursday night stays wet and blustery, with rain showers continuing and temperatures falling to around 35 degrees. According to the National Weather Service Chicago office, rain in the lake-effect band is expected to transition to snow overnight and continue into Friday morning.
Friday morning could bring snow in the lake-effect band, with rain possibly returning in the afternoon. Hoodline’s earlier forecast put the high near 44 degrees. Localized slushy accumulations are possible in parts of far northeastern Illinois and northwest Indiana, and the Friday morning commute could be affected where the band lingers or visibility drops quickly.
This is a sharper turn than Hoodline’s earlier outlook, which emphasized cold, wet and windy conditions while placing the greatest snow concern farther east. The latest forecast brings a more persistent precipitation setup and a clearer risk of slick spots late Thursday into Friday morning.
Sunny Weekend Offers A Quick Reset
Conditions should finally improve Saturday, which is expected to be partly cloudy with a high near 50 after a chilly Friday night around 32. Sunday looks mostly sunny near 48, followed by mostly sunny skies and a high near 51 Monday, then sunny skies and a high near 51 Tuesday.
