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The Chicago area is basking in unseasonable late season warmth and it’s likely to turn nearly summerlike this weekend!

The opening seven days of the month continue a 12-consecutive day streak of above normal temps with October 2021 currently running an eye-popping 10.5-degrees above normal. And even more impressive 14.9-degrees warmer than a year ago.

Not a single morning this month has produced a low temp under 64-degrees.

It’s the 7th longest streak of October lows in the month’s opening 7 days in the 150 years since official records began here in 1871 reports my WGN meteorological colleague Mark Carroll who has combed the records for us.

There are not likely to be any daily high records broken through the coming weekend, but it will be close with a predicted high of 80 Saturday versus the record high of 86 and a predicted high of 84 Sunday versus a record high only 2-degree warmer at 86; and a forecast high of 82 Monday versus the record of 87.

Chicago Marathon Forecast

And Sunday’s predicted 84-degree high is a level of warmth more typical in late July and early August than mid October! It’s a reading nearly 20-deg above normal. The mid 60s in place as the Chicago Marathon begins Sunday morning is likely not what the runners coming to town like to see in such a competition!

Low temps may be a different story

We’ll be flirting with record warm lows Saturday, Sunday and Monday mornings–if not establishing new record warm low temps each day Saturday through Monday. The predicted lows are 69 Saturday and Sunday mornings (record warm lows are 68 respectively for each day) and Monday’s predicted low of 65 is likely to be within a degree of the record warm low for October 11th of 66-degrees. Anytime you flirt with or set new records, you’re in rare meteorological territory.

Another measure of the unseasonable warmth

Last Monday through Saturday came in more than 10-degree above normal. This Monday through Saturday will do the same, averaging 10.1-deg above normal if predicted temps verify. And next week may do the same, averaging 10.1-deg above normal for the Monday through Saturday, October 11-16 time period.

Elsewhere in the country

Upper winds will continue from the southwest throughout next week keeping the warm pattern going even as the chilliest air of the season dives into the West setting up what could be a windy snowstorm on the Front Range of the Rockies from Colorado northward into Wyoming and possibly eastern Montana. Included in that snow area may be the adjacent mountains. Should be stormy next week out West!!