Sunshine staged the predicted comeback today—despite the cool temps. Chicagoans were treated to 94% of the day’s possible sun with a high temp of 50 after the morning low of 32 at O’Hare.

A chilly night’s ahead with temps under mainly clear skies dipping into the 20s away from the city and to the low 30s in the city proper.

Lake breezes are common this time of year—and we’ll be dealing with them Friday as well as on area beaches and nearshore areas Saturday and Sunday. Friday could see pronounced cooling at the lake since the day’s “NE” winds will travel across a broader stretch of the 42-deg lake waters than the ESE winds Saturday and the SE winds Easter Sunday.

The Easter/Passover weekend will see warming begin. It will be a slow process but enough to be noticeable.

It’s next week which is to see a storm-deflecting dome of warm air develop over the Midwest. Such warm air pools aloft push the storm-carrying jet stream well to our north.  Thus not only do we have the year’s most pronounced warming on the way, we shutting down the parade of storm until further notice—-certainly through next week.

Temps will average 49 degree this week—but surge to a weekly average of 63-deg next week. That’s a week to week increase of nearly 15-deg. That kind of surge in temps will be quite noticeable. It translates to what could be a week of 70-deg temps—with 80-deg highs within reach Tuesday, Wed and Thursday based on modeling at the moment.

The average date for our first 80-deg temp since World War II in the city has been on or about April 21st, but since 2000, the average date of our first 80 has moved up to April 13. And one or more 80-deg temps next week would put this year’s first such reading in line with the temp trend here since 2000.

HERE’S MY LATEST THURSDAY CHICAGO METRO FORECAST (4/6/2023):

TONIGHT: Clear and cold. Low 33 in the city—but mid 20s coldest inland locations.

FRIDAY: Mostly sunny with chilly breezes off Lake Michigan—but milder temps inland. High 52 there—but only low to mid 40s on area beaches and nearshore areas.

FRIDAY NIGHT: A few scattered clouds, chilly again. Low 36 in the city—but mid to upper 20s inland.

SATURDAY: Partly sunny, milder inland. Breezes of Lake Michigan will cool area beaches and lakeshore locations. High 62—but 55 lakeshore.

EASTER SUNDAY: Partly sunny, slow warming continues, especially inland. High 67—but closer to 60 along Lake Michigan.

MONDAY: Some cloudiness and warmer. High 70.

TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY: WARMEST DAYTIME TEMPS TO DATE IN 2023. Generous sunshine, breezy from the southwest late mornings and afternoons and warmer. Highs 76 Tuesday; 79 Wednesday and 80 Thursday. Local 80-deg highs are likely in some locations each day.