Temperatures are expected to soar into the 60s over much of northeast Illinois this afternoon—the Lake Michigan shoreline may be a few degrees cooler. If Chicago registers a high of 65°, it will be the highest reading thus far in 2006 and the warmest since Nov. 12. The luck of the Irish will be tested today as showers are forecast to bracket the downtown Chicago parade—the forecast calls for showers early this morning and thunderstorms, some possibly severe, in the afternoon. Sunday should be about 10 degrees cooler than Saturday, but still some 10 degrees above seasonal normals. The passage of a strong low pressure system will see winds shift to the northwest Monday, drawing much colder air into northern Illinois. The 24-hour temperature swing will be nearly 30 degrees from the mid 50s shortly after midnight Monday morning to the mid 20s early Tuesday morning. Cold, snowy conditions continue out West with mild, thundery weather in the South and East.
-- Paul Dailey, WGN-TV Meteorologist
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
