CHICAGO — The sun emerged Tuesday afternoon and the clearing increases prospects sky watchers will get a view of the 5 planet line-up in the night sky Tuesday night. Predicted clouds coverage over Chicago should come in around 12% of the sky at 7pm CDT; 12% AT 1am CDT Wed morning then increase to 80% by 7am CDT Wed morning.

Just 2 days to go in March 2023—a month which has been wet and chilly. While the month’s average temp will close within fractions of a degree of normal Friday night, the month is noteworthy in its lack of warm days. By this time last year, March had produced six days at or above 60-deg—-three of them in the 70s. WE’VE HAD NO SUCH WARMTH THIS YEAR.

And checking on Chicago temps since 1871, the city has recorded a temp of 60-deg or higher by this date. 70-deg and higher temps have occurred by now 62% of years since 1942—the year Midway Airport became the city’s official observation site (O’Hare followed in 1980).

And just to put the lack of warm temps in perspective, since average first date of a 60 since 1942 here has been on or about Feb 27; the first 70 or higher has occurred on or about March 26th and the first 80-deg high has come on or about April 21.

March 2023 looks likely to close, having averaged approx 1.5-deg below normal compared to January and February which generated 7.1 ad 5.1-deg surpluses respectively.

WE HAVE SNOW SHOWERS on a cold front to contend with before getting a shot at MUCH WARMER TEMPS on Friday. Those snow showers may traverse portions of the metro area at some point in the 9am to 12 noon time frame Wednesday based on current forecast indications.

THE WEATHER IMPROVES FOR THURSDAY’S CUBS HOME OPENER with dry weather and sunshine which will be giving way over time to incoming clouds ahead of a late week storm. Temps with a SSW wind Thursday will reach into the 50s—but will hold to the 40s at the lakeshore.

IT’S FRIDAY WHICH WARMS—and quite dramatically—amid howling “SSW” winds in an incoming spring storm’s warm section—prime territory for a potential severe weather outbreak. A powerful jet stream slicing through warm, humid and buoyant air raises the potential for rotating super cellular t-storms which are going to have to be monitored.

The same storm will bring a new round of accumulating snow to the Upper Midwest even as Chicagoans bask in what are likely to be the warmest temps of the year—reaching the mid to upper 60s with dew points surging well into the 50s—a set-up which adds that “springlike feel” to the air. But showers and t-storms will impact more than 90% of the area.

HERE’S MY LATEST TUESDAY CHICAGO METRO AREA FORECAST (3/28/2023)

TONIGHT: Mainly clear until clouds begin arriving toward and beyond midnight. Seasonably chilly. Low 33—but mid to upper 20s colder inland locations.

WEDNESDAY: Becoming cloudy and windy. Several morning snow showers possible impacting up to 60% of the area—between 9am and noon in the city proper. Clearing follows. Cold for the season. High 42—10-deg below normal.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Mainly clear. Some scattered clouds toward morning. Cold. Low 24.

THURSDAY (for the Cubs Home opener): Sunshine gives way to increasing cloudiness. Turning breezy and milder. High 51—but 40s along Lake Michigan.

FRIDAY: The year’s warmest temps to date! Mainly cloudy, quite windy and noticeably warmer with showers and thunderstorms—some may become heavy or severe in the afternoon and evening. High 67 with 30 to 40 mph gusts—possibly stronger in some storms.

SATURDAY: Very windy and turning colder. Some rain or possible mixed rain and snow showers ending with clearing by evening. Wind gusts may top 50 mph. High 46.

SUNDAY: Partly cloudy, seasonable temps and much less windy. Hith 57.

MONDAY: Clouding over and breezy. Chance of late day showers. High 63—but turning much cooler along Lake Michigan.

TUESDAY: Rain and possible thunderstorms, windy and mild. High 62.