The Chicago area is expected to get its first taste of winter this weekend — complete with much colder air, snowflakes and slushy roads possible.
But before that, partly sunny skies, breezy conditions and above average temperatures with highs in the 50s and 60s, are expected Friday, NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alicia Roman said.
Late Friday night, temperatures will dip down into the 50s and 40s, Roman said. Daytime hours Saturday are expected to remain mostly dry with temperatures staying in the 40s.
By about 6 p.m., showers will move in from the south and west, Roman said. As the evening goes on, temperatures will begin to drop into the 30s, with some rain transitioning to wet snow between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Slushy accumulation could develop overnight as the chilly, rain/snow mix continues, Roman said.
By 6 a.m. Sunday, there may be some lake effect snow in far northeast Illinois, and then into northwest Indiana. And while some may not see much snow or flurries, things will certainly feel wintery.
“Lake effect snow does not impact everybody. What will impact everyone is the colder temperatures,” Roman said, pointing to Sunday’s high temperature of 35 degrees.
Sunday night, another of snow from the eastern side of Lake Michigan is set to head back to the west, bringing more lake-effect snow for some overnight and into early Monday morning, Roman said.
“Some areas could pick up some very localized accumulations of snow,” Roman said.
Monday’s temperatures are expected to remain cold, with a high of 37 degrees. The “cold blast” is expected to ease by the middle of next week, the National Weather Service said, with temperatures back up in the 40s and 50s.
When does Chicago typically see its first snow?
The chance for snowflakes to arrive in part of the area falls slightly later than average.
According to the National Weather Service, Chicago normally sees its first trace of snowfall around Oct. 31, with its first measurable snow occurring a few weeks later, around Nov. 18.
It typically takes until December for Chicago to get its first snowfall of an inch or more, with that date typically falling on Dec. 7, according to the NWS.
Last year, the city’s first trace of snow fell on Nov. 20, and the first measurable snow occurred the next day on Nov. 21, with 2.9 inches of snow falling.
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