And so Chicago returned to winter.
After several days of temperatures in the 70s — and severe weather that brought intense lightning, golf-ball-sized hailstones and reports of multiple tornadoes — weather conditions will return in the Chicago area again, with chilly winds and a chance of snow in some parts.
According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, the high temperature on Wednesday reached 49 degrees around midnight. From there, temperatures gradually began to drop. As of 6 a.m., the temperature in the Chicago area reached 27 degrees, with a wind chill of about 13 degrees.
Temperatures are only expected to remain in the 20s and 30s, with readings continuing to drop, NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman said.
Winds were also strong Wednesday, reaching 40 mph in some parts, Roman said. Although the winds calmed as the day went on, Wednesday was expected to remain windy, Roman added.
According to Roman, the cold and windy weather was accompanied by rain in some parts.
“We were able to see a short burst of light snow during the morning commute,” Roman said, adding that storms occurred in Kendall and Grundy counties early Wednesday.
According to Roman, any light snow is expected to move out of the area, including northwest Indiana, around 8 a.m. or 9 a.m.
For the second half of the day, weather conditions look drier and brighter, but the cold remains, Roman said.
“Temperatures continue to drop and winds continue into the morning, picking up a little bit,” Roman said, with highs in the upper 20s.
Mild temperatures return to the forecast on Thursday, with the 'warm trend' continuing through the weekend.
“High temperatures this weekend are expected to reach the 60s, with the possibility of reaching the 70s by Sunday,” the National Weather Service said in a tweet.
