Grab your thermals! Frost and freezing temps coming

FIRST, THE FRIDAY WX HEADLINES—

–The CHILLIEST NIGHT OF THE FALL 2022 SEASON TO DATE is ahead tonight

–The first widespread frost and freezing temps are expected west and south of Chicago with night with temps dropping as low as around 30 coldest inland locations–i.e. toward the Fox Valley, DeKalb and Rockford and south to Morris, Kankakee, Rensselaer, IN, etc. 

–Chicago is headed for its chilliest night since late April having come off the coolest nighttime lows since early May with a 43 at O’Hare and 47 at Midwest Friday morning

–All or parts of 17 states, from the eastern Dakotas and Nebraska east to West Virginia and western Virginia, are under advisories, watches or warnings for frost and freezing temps Friday night/Saturday morning

–A second day with most high temps in and around Chicago holding below 60-deg is ahead Saturday–the first time we’ve put back-to-back 50-deg daytime highs together in the 5 months since last May.

–A nice rebound in temps will see 70s return Tuesday and Wednesday

–The transition back to cool air could bring the most significant rains in weeks to the area mid next week

–The new Drought Monitor is out and has 77% of the Lower 48 drier than normal or in a state of drought while 13.7% of the Lower 48 is in a state of extreme or exceptional drought

HERE’S OUR CHICAGO METRO FORECAST

…..Frost advisories in all but Cook county overnight—FREEZE WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT from Lake County, IL and in the Fox Valley and areas west overnight…..

TONIGHT: Clouds scatter, gusty winds ease. Temps at the coolest levels of the fall to date. Lows from 37 in the city–but low 30s with a few isolated upper 20s possible well inland in normally cooler locations west and south of Chicago and Lake Michigan.

SATURDAY: Sunny and cool. Breezy from the west/southwest by and during the afternoon. High 59—a reading 7-degrees below normal.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Scattered clouds, chilly. Low 40 in the city–but low to mid 30s cooler inland locations.

SUNDAY: Partly sunny, a bit breezy and modestly milder. Morning Chicago Marathon temps start in the upper 30s and low 40s with a southwest wind 7 to 16 mph.  Afternoon highs Sunday at 66.

MONDAY: Mostly sunny, seasonable temps. Light winds. High 66–a little cooler lakeshore and beaches.

TUESDAY: Clouding over, breezy and milder. Chance for a few afternoon showers–but higher probabilities Tuesday night. High 74.

WEDNESDAY: Showery, mild and windy. Possible thunderstorms. High 72.

THURSDAY: A showery start–then variably cloudy, windy and turning cooler. High 64.

FRIDAY: Mixed sun–but clouds return, windy and noticeably cooler. Chance of a few spotty afternoon showers. High 56.