Chicagoans lulled into thinking summer had finally arrived are in for a rude reminder of the volatility of spring.
Temperatures reached 82 degrees Saturday at O’Hare Airport — 20 degrees above the average high for this time of year, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Ratzer.
But a cold snap starting Sunday will drop temperatures back into the 40s again.
5 Day Forecast: Storms linger into SUN AM with temps dropping through the day. Snow mixes in SUN PM into MON. Sub-freezing temps are possible Sunday night and more likely Monday night, especially across interior northern IL. Take steps to protect sensitive vegetation. #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/78u9vIDF1a
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) April 15, 2023
Wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour and a cold front are projected to contribute to a drop in temperatures Sunday with a mixture or rain and snow possible early Monday, Ratzer said.
“A few tenths of an inch to a half an inch of snow” could fall in the city, Ratzer added.
The weather service predicts conditions will remain chilly throughout next week with showers and thunderstorms also expected.
Last week, the city set a new record for the hottest April 13 in history.
On Thursday, the temperature reached 83 degrees at O’Hare, surpassing the previous record high of 82 degrees for April 13 set in 1941, according to meteorologist Ricky Castro. Before then, the city had last hit 82 degrees in 1887.