Winter-weary Chicago-area residents, witnesses to two winter storms in the past week and
to the 13th snowiest open to a cold season since 1884, are headed for another wintry
meteorological blow in the coming 24 hours.
Brutally cold air is on the move and is to pour into the area Sunday and Monday. After
lake-enhanced flurries from extensive clouds Saturday, a period of light snow with
possible 1-2 inch accumulations Saturday night is to be followed by the onset of howling
west/northwest winds expected to gust to 30-40 m.p.h.
Temperatures dive into the single digits before daybreak Sunday and are unlikely to
recover as Canadian high pressure keeps the chill coming. Windchills are to be dangerous --
even before the sun rises Sunday and then well into Sunday night and Monday morning --
dipping into the minus-15-to-minus-25-degree range.
CHICAGO'S HAD ONLY THREE EARLIER SUBZERO LOWS OVER PAST 20 YEARS
The predicted low Monday morning of 7 degrees below zero arrives nearly two weeks early.
What's more, only three of the past 20 years recorded the season's first subzero reading
any earlier.
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
