WARMING TREND TO ARRIVE AS POLAR AIR SHIFTS EAST

Forecast low-level temps and sea level pressure (mb) valid Friday night

The center of a large, sprawling area of polar-source high pressure is forecast to be positioned over the Great Lakes Friday night. Barometric pressure readings in Chicago are likely to hover near 30.8” if forecasts verify. As this feature moves toward New England on Saturday, increasing southerly winds will usher milder air into the Midwest. Area temps may rise above freezing by Sunday afternoon.

MONDAY AFTERNOON DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURES

How much below normal?

Arctic chill grips much of the nation’s heartland bringing coldest temperatures since late December

6-10 DAY TEMPERATURE FORECAST

Sunday, February 5 through Thursday, February 9

Following a chilly week, temperatures return above normal by late this weekend and continue into next week

ARRIVAL OF FRIGID AIR BRINGS CLEARING SKIES AS CITY’S CLOUDIEST JANUARY DRAWS TO A CLOSE

Satellite imagery late Monday showed clearing skies across northern Illinois and part of NW Indiana revealing a snow-covered landscape

High pressure associated with a push of sub-zero temps prompted the emergent sunshine. Monday registered 18% of possible sunshine bringing the month’s tally to 16% heading into Tuesday, the 31st. The city’s gloomiest January occurred in 1998 when the month yielded 20% possible sunshine. Chicago weather historian and climatologist Frank Wachowski advised that even if Tuesday is sunny from sunrise to sunset, the January 2023 tally will only reach 18%, thus a new record is ensured.

TUESDAY TO OPEN ON A FRIGID NOTE

Coldest temps/wind chills of 2023 to date

Early Tuesday forecast temperatures

Early Tuesday forecast wind chills