A windy shift to the coolest air of the season looms

Here’s my latest THURSDAY CHICAGO METRO FORECAST (10/6/2022) plus the THURSDAY WEATHER HEADLINES and the latest NWS 6 to 10 and 8 to 14 DAY TEMP TREND FORECASTS 

FIRST, THURSDAY WEATHER HEADLINES 

—-THE COOLEST AIR in the 5 months since last May is sweeping into the area on strengthening northerly winds which have prompted GALE WARNINGS on the open waters of Lake Michigan. 

–Temps drop into the 40s tonight across Chicago–a few upper 30s are predicted in far northwest sections of the metro area–toward McHenry, Boone and Winnebago counties 

–With chilly north winds running the length of Lake Michigan into lakeside areas at the south end of the lake, LAKE EFFECT RAIN CLOUDS AND SOME SCATTERED LAKE-EFFECT RAIN SHOWERS are predicted for lakeshore counties from northeast Illinois into northwest Indiana. The lake effect rains will have shifted out of Chicago by evening–and the weekend is to come on a sun-filled Saturday with lighter winds. 

—FROST AND FREEZING TEMPS are expected Friday night into Saturday morning away from Lake Michigan and the city of Chicago–including inland areas west and south of Chicago in northern Illinois and away from Lake Michigan in northwest Indiana 

–The average first 32-deg temps of each season typically arrive from October 10-11 in cooler west and south locations, like Aurora, Kankakee and Renssaler, IN to October 12 at O’Hare–cut closer to Oct 24 at Midway airport and locations close to Lake Michigan—-a two week spread across the Greater Chicago metro area. 

—High temps Friday will come in 20 degrees cooler than today’s 75-deg high at O’Hare. A high of 54 is predicted Friday and 56 on Saturday—the coolest daytime highs here of autumn and in 5 months since May. These are also the first back-to-back 50s which have occurred here since May, 

—A COOL START to the Chicago Marathon continues to be predicted. We’re expected race time Sunday morning temps to start off in the 42 to 46-deg range on and near Chicago’s lakeshore with SW/W winds of 9 to 16 mph. 

–A BIG RETURN TO LATE SEASON WARMTH will see temps surge into the 70s Tuesday and Wednesday next week before another healthy early season cool surge rides gusty NW winds. 

HERE’S THE CHICAGO METRO FORECAST 

TONIGHT: Windy and much cooler. Cloudy spells with scattered showers–even isolated thunder early. Rains end inland but continue as sporadic lake-effect rain showers in lakeside counties the remainder of the night. Winds gust to 30 mph and higher at times, especially open areas and along Lake Michigan. Low 44–but a few upper 30s far northwest areas (McHenry, Boone and Winnebago counties). 

FRIDAY: Mixed sunshine, windy and much cooler. The coolest daytime readings since last May. Lake effect rain showers continue sporadically in lakeside counties. High 54— 13 degrees below normal. 

FRIDAY NIGHT: Clouds scatter and colder with winds easing. Frost and some freezing temps possible in normally cooler locations away from the city and Lake Michigan. Low 37 at O’Hare–but low 30s far west and south and closer to 40 in the Loop and along the lake. 

SATURDAY: Generous sunshine, turning breezy from the west/southwest in the afternoon. Continued cool. High 56. 

SUNDAY: Cloudy spells develop interspersed with some sun. Milder. High 66. 

MONDAY: Mostly sunny, seasonable temps with cool northeasterly breezes along Lake Michigan. High 65–a little cooler lakeshore and beaches. 

TUESDAY: A good deal of sunshine, turning breezy and warmer,. High 73. 

WEDNESDAY: Showery, windy and mild. High 71. 

THURSDAY: Mixed clouds and sun, windy and cooler. Another Canadian high pressure sweeps in on gusty winds. High 64.