Chilly October will finally see a warm spell

High temperatures Sunday again barely surpassed 50 degrees despite 97 percent of possible sunshine, but Monday will be a different story. Warmer air will ride into northern Illinois on strong southwesterly winds, and afternoon readings are expected to rise well into the 60s. After the coldest October start since 1876, southerly winds should persist the next four days with highs averaging 5 degrees above normal. The extended period of southerly winds is due to a slow-developing low pressure system that will move out of the central Plains and cross the Mississippi River on Thursday. A broad band of showers and thunderstorms with 1 to 2 inches of rain will cover Illinois on Thursday. Even as the low moves slowly east away from the area, clouds and scattered showers will persist into Saturday.

Cold Sunday
Record low maximum temperatures were recorded Sunday in every eastern seaboard state from Virginia to Florida. Miami registered a record low maximum of 71 degrees Sunday, after a record high of 92 Saturday.