The unseasonably warm days of winter may soon be over.
Two separate winter systems could give Chicago a taste of winter weather in the coming days, with the first set arriving Friday night. At around 10 or 11 p.m., snow showers are expected to move into southern Chicago area counties, pick up and continue into Sunday morning.
Most areas will only see a layer of snow, about 1-2 inches thick, according to meteorologists with the NBC 5 Storm Team. However, higher accumulations are possible in counties to the south and east as well as parts of northwest Indiana.
If you will be out and about, allow extra time as there may be slick roads.
Temperatures through Sunday are expected to reach the mid-30s, with a drop into the 20s overnight.
There is still a great deal of uncertainty about the second “continuously evolving” system.
Earlier this week, the European model showed estimates of between 6 and 8 inches of accumulation. However, the global model has seen significant fluctuations, with the latest estimates showing only 3 inches. The National Weather Service reported that the chance of rain and snow is increasing, but it is still too early to forecast.
In a tweet Friday afternoon, the National Weather Service said a “dynamic” system would likely bring one round of rain Monday night into Tuesday morning and another Tuesday afternoon.
Heavy, wet snow with a rainy mix is possible. However, the storm's track is uncertain, so it is unclear where accumulations could be greatest.
After that, the wintry feeling will likely stick around — at least for a while.
Temperatures will remain in the 30s throughout the beginning of next week, but high temperatures are expected to drop to the mid-20s by the end of the week.
According to NBC 5 Storm Team Iisha Scott, signs point to cooler conditions and lower than normal temperatures as we head toward the end of January. Scott said it will definitely start to feel colder as the winter-like weather pattern develops.
A cold air mass is moving across the polar region and heading toward the United States, where it is expected to reach the Midwest sometime next week, according to the National Weather Service in St. Louis. Where the cold air will go — or when — remains uncertain, but the chances of cold temperatures later in January are rising “significantly,” meteorologists said.
The widespread outbreak is likely to bring well-below-average temperatures and wind chills to the western two-thirds of the country, including Indiana and Illinois, according to the U.S. Climate Prediction Center.
