A breezy & cooler than normal weekend is ahead

FIRST, THE WEDNESDAY WEATHER HEADLINES

–THE THREAT OF ANY SEVERE WEATHER IS OVER for the Chicago area

–CHICAGO’S recorded its heaviest rainfall in a month Wednesday—0.96″ at Midway and 0.68″ at O’Hare. Oak Forest reported 0.95″ of rain.

–There had only been 0.05″ in the 15 days since Sept 26 leading into this rain event. Scattered coverage shower may occur briefly tonight and add to those totals—but adding to the O’Hare or Midway tallies isn’t a 100% certainty. Coverage on tonight’s showers is likely to only affect 20-30% of the metro area. We had only 3% of our “normal” October rain going up to today.

–Peak wind gusts Wednesday have hit 36 at O’Hare and 34 at Midway–but wind gusts hit 55 mph at Wauconda and 44 mph at West Chicago.

–A windy, cool period is ahead with below normal temps predicted to average below normal each of the coming 9 days (which takes us through next work week).  This weekend, with daytime 50s and nighttime mid to upper 30s predicted, is likely to average nearly 6-deg cooler than last weekend.

–Jet stream-level steering winds are roaring southeastward out of the Yukon and will continue to do so into next week delivering the cool air.

–A second, reinforcing surge of chilly air hits early next week and should confine temps in Chicago to the 40s for the first time since late last April–nearly 6 months ago–if current forecast reasoning verifies.

–The incoming air is so chilly across the Midwest that it won’t be surprising to hear reports of snow flurries in sections of the North Woods of northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

–It’s not out of the realm of possibility, given the projected strength of early next week’s cool air that flurries could be mixed with some lake effect rain as far south of sections of northern Indiana and Michigan in areas away from the lingering warmth of Lake Michigan’s water.  The current southern Lake Michigan average water temps are in the low 60s–so there won’t be snow near or over the lake given the warmth of the water–despite snow-level cloud temps next week.

–QUITE A WARMUP is in store next weekend with temps surging into the 60s –levels 5-8-deg above normal for that time of year.

HERE’S OUR LATEST CHICAGO METRO FORECAST

TONIGHT: Cloudy spells redeveloping, breezy and much cooler. Scattered showers possible in the 8 pm to 1 am time frame in parts of the area with 30% coverage. Partial clearing toward morning.  Low 42.

THURSDAY through FRIDAY: Cool and windy. Mixed sunshine gives way to more clouds each afternoon and evening. A few very spotty light showers may develop then. Afternoon wind gusts to 40 mph possible. Clouds scatter and chilly at night. High Thursday 53. Low Thursday night 36–but closer to 30 coldest inland locations. Friday’s high 56.

SATURDAY: Partly cloudy, cool and breezy. High 54.

SUNDAY: Mixed sun gives way to more clouds, cool. “NW” winds strengthen in the afternoon. High 54.

MONDAY and TUESDAY: The season’s chilliest air yet. Windy with a sun/cloud mix each day. Lake effect rain showers possible in northwest Indiana. High Monday 48. Tuesday’s high 46. Both days’ temps were 14 to 16-deg below normal.

WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny, continued cool. High 51.