It was a weekend of temperature chaos in the Chicago area. After Friday’s burst of
warmth sent readings well into the 80s across the region, the mercury plunged Saturday
afternoon as a “pneumonia front” dropped temperatures into the upper 30s and lower 40s across the city and north suburbs. This bizarre scenario resulted in wind chills along the North Shore and heat indexes in south suburban areas.
Cold front moving in
Warm weather returned to most of the region Sunday afternoon as gusty south winds
boosted readings back into the 70s and lower 80s, but it also set the stage for another round
of showers and thunderstorms expected to arrive Monday ahead of a cold front approaching
from the Plains. This front generated a rash of hail and high winds from the
southern Plains to the mid-Mississippi Valley Sunday afternoon, but at least 10 tornadoes
were reported, one as close as Dickeyville in southwest Wisconsin.
Several clusters of showers and thunderstorms are slated to move through the Chicago
area Monday. With the atmosphere brimming with moisture and frontal systems
enhancing the area’s sharp temperature differentials, heavy rainfall, hail and gusty winds will be possible.
--By Steve Kahn, 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.
