It was the chilliest May 1 open (with a high of only 44 degrees) since 1940—in 83 years!

Monday’s high equaled the normal highs we see in Chicago March 8 & 9—so the temps today made it feel like it typically does here nearly two months earlier.

We closed out April with a 2.1 degrees surplus and head into May which sees normal temps surge from 65/46 extremes to 76/56 by month’s end. And DAYS ARE STILL LENGTHING. We’ll see an additional 57 minutes of daylight by May’s close.

It’s also interesting to note that since 2000, the average date of the first 90 degrees temp here has been on or about May 28th and the 10 of the past 22 Mays have seen a 90 degrees temp in May. We don’t have such a reading predicted yet—but history tells us we’re getting into the period of the year in which that sort of warmth is an increasing possibility.

What is to happen on the temp front here is GOOD NEWS INDEED. While the coming week is to average 4 degrees below normal OVERALL—we see daily average temps (particularly away from Lake Michigan) surge ABOVE NORMAL from Friday forward through next week and into the week which follows—with 60s returning away from Lake Michigan from Thursday forward—and early indications 70s will reach much of the area by next Sunday. and through next week.

A WORD OF CAUTION—We smack dab in the middle of COOLER NEAR THE LAKE SEASON—and lake winds will indeed cool shoreline temps later this week into the coming weekend.

BUT THE COMING WEEKEND is likely to come in 12 degrees warmer than the weekend we’ve just been through—and next week’s average FULL WEEK temps is to surge 12 degrees warmer than this week’s and finish nearly 9 degrees ABOVE NORMAL!

That’s good news, having just been through 10 consecutive BELOW NORMAL TODAY.

HERE’S MY LATEST MONDAY CHICAGO METRO FORECAST (5/1/2023)

TONIGHT: Cloudy and chilly. Early showers taper to sporadic, less frequent sprinkles as the night progresses. Low 40.

TUESDAY: More cloudy than not, still cool—but with highs 7-deg higher than today’s. Some sprinkles or a brief shower or two possible. High 51—nearly 15-deg below normal.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Partial clearing, chilly—patchy frost possible inland. Low 35.

WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny, modestly milder. High 58—but low 50s lakeshore.

THURSDAY: Partly sunny, milder. High 67—but mid to upper 50s lakeside.

FRIDAY: A good deal of cloudiness—peeks of sun can be entirely ruled out. A shower possible. High 67—but 50s along Lake Michigan.

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy and warmer. Scattered showers, possibly a t-storm Saturday—more numerous showers and possible t-storms Sunday. High Saturday 66. Sunday’s high 72—but cooler both days (mid 50s to low 60s) on area beaches.

MONDAY: Partly cloudy and warmer. Several isolated showers or t-storms possible—but with many rain-free hours. High 72.