It turned chilly in Chicago Sunday as brisk northeast winds blowing down the entire length of Lake Michigan allowed highs to only reach the lower 50s near the lake and the lower 60s inland—a sharp decline from Saturday’s mild 70s. The chill was prevalent throughout the Great Lakes region with late-season snow falling at Marquette, Mich., Sunday and frost or freeze conditions expected Monday morning across a broad area from Minnesota to Ohio.
However, a change is under way as a northward shift in the jet stream will allow summer-strength heat that has been building for weeks over the South and West to shift north into Chicago later this week. The city should record this month’s first 80º day by Wednesday and possibly the season’s first 90º by the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
Today marks the 151st anniversary of Chicago’s earliest recorded tornado that killed three and injured six in the Norwood Park area on May 22, 1855.
--By Steve Kahn, WGN-TV Weather Center Meteorologist
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
