Mildness to continue, but snow threat looms

A mild January will continue unabated this week as Chicago’s string of above-normal days continues to mount. Today’s high of 45º was already the ninth day this month that the city’s temperatures have topped the 40º mark at a time of year when readings should only reach the upper 20s. However, Chicago’s highs were chilly when compared to the unseasonable warmth registered just to our west. High temperature records toppled Sunday across portions of six states from Texas to Nebraska and Iowa as readings surged to 70º as far north as Norfolk and Grand Island, both in Nebraska, while Des Moines topped out at a record-breaking 58º.
Despite a lack of cold weather, there is a glint of hope for winter enthusiasts in the latest computer forecasts. A storm system developing in the southern Plains may have just enough cold air to produce a significant snowfall for the Chicago area or areas just to the north by next Saturday.