A fast-moving broad area of low pressure is forecast to move southeast out of the Dakotas today, passing through Wisconsin and northern Illinois into lower Michigan and Ohio by early Tuesday. This weak “clipper” storm could leave minor accumulations of wet snow on cold and grassy surfaces, while most streets and roads will just be wet. In its wake, a chilling high pressure air mass (by recent mild standards) out of Canada will force Chicago’s Tuesday temperatures into a more seasonable range—if only for a day. A quick turnaround in the jet stream flow to the southwest will bring strong southerly surface winds back into the area Wednesday.
A slow-moving band of low pressure will give a threat of rain Thursday through Saturday. A shift to colder air next weekend may set up a more normal mid-January temperature regime for the Bears playoff game Sunday.
Severe thunderstorms and a few unconfirmed tornadoes struck along the Gulf Coast on Sunday.
--By Paul Dailey, WGN Weather Center Meteorologist
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
