FIRST, THE WEDNESDAY WEATHER HEADLINES
–WHAT A CHANGE—A 30-degree temperature drop—from 58 Tuesday to the upper 20s amid howling winds and wind chills in the teens today.
–With the wind chill, it FELT 45 degrees colder today.
–The temperature drop was like compressing the normal seasonal temperature pullback which occurs over the 2.5 months from late October into January into a single 24-hour period.
–Winds were powerful Wednesday—gusting to 48 mph at Midway and to 50 mph at Starved Rock State Park. Other gusts included 47mph at Homer Glen, 45 mph at Gurnee, and 43 mph at Crown Point, Indiana.
—A cold night’s ahead and a frigid Thursday with winds reduced but the daytime temperature averaging 7 degrees BELOW NORMAL.
—A brief, very windy temperature surge is expected Friday with readings returning to the 50s.
–We repeat the temperature plunge amid high wind scenario Saturday with wind gusts that could reach 50 mph and temps which drop from the mid-30s at daybreak to the upper 20s by nightfall.
–Every one of the coming 15 days—-except for Friday— is predicted to come in below normal—a COLD START for the new month of December and the start of METEOROLOGICAL WINTER which gets underway at midnight tonight.
–Next week will feature colder overall temperatures than this week. This week is to come in at 34 degrees—-next week is predicted to average 26 degrees—an 8-degree drop.
–NO big snowstorms yet indicated on our models. Doesn’t mean one won’t show up—it’s just not there yet. The periods we’ll watch due to hints of some snow will be Monday into Monday night—and late next week going into the following weekend. Indications for any snow are subtle—but it’s the time of year these types of systems begin to show up. We’ll keep you posted.
HERE’S MY LATEST WEDNESDAY CHICAGO METRO FORECAST (11/30/2022)
TONIGHT: Windy and cold under mainly clear skies. Low 19—low to mid-teens inland.
THURSDAY: Becoming partly sunny, cold and though LESS windy than today—STILL BREEZY. High 36.
THURSDAY NIGHT: Clouding over late, not quite as cold. Low 31.
FRIDAY: More cloudy than not, becoming quite windy and noticeably milder. High 55. Chance of a rain shower at night.
SATURDAY: VERY WINDY and turning colder. Partly sunny with slowly falling temps and potential 50 mph wind gusts. High 37 falling into the upper 20s.
SUNDAY: Partly cloudy, cold. High 37.
MONDAY: Clouding over. A modest chance of some snow—possibly a wintry mix at the start— in the afternoon and/or at night. Cold. High 39.
TUESDAY: Clearing—generous sunshine emerges—but cold. High 35.
WEDNESDAY: Partly cloudy, breezy and colder. Chance of flurries. High 29.