The mean position of a wavy west-east flowing jet stream pattern will be over Chicago most of the week ahead, holding arctic and northern Canadian air masses north of the U.S.-Canada border. Chicago temperatures during this period are forecast to average 11° above normal, and by the end of the week, the string of consecutive days with above normal temperatures should reach 44°.
Rainfall Saturday afternoon was generally less than a quarter inch, but with rain continuing overnight and this morning, storm total rainfall could easily exceed an inch over much of the metro area. January’s total will probably be well over an inch above normal, marking the first month with above normal precipitation in Chicago since last February.
The extreme winter chill over Alaska is slowly expanding over northern Canada. The southern edge of this chill may invade NE Illinois next weekend.
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
