Many locals are concerned about how long the dangerously low temperatures will persist after a recent winter storm brought snow and high winds. Christmas Eve and Christmas will be freezing, but the weather in the Chicago area is expected to improve significantly over the coming week.
Strong winds and persistent cold will keep things nasty both Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures lingering below zero on Friday, sending wind chills to near -40 degrees. Temperatures in the air will be below freezing on both days, making this Christmas in the Chicago area one of the coldest on record.
As stronger winds remain, much cooler temperatures and the possibility of blowing snow will likely linger. But that’ll all change after Monday. The difference between the actual and felt temperatures could be as much as 90 degrees if the temperature climbs to nearly 50 degrees.
Temperatures are expected to rise into the 50s and 60s by the middle of next week
The National Weather Service warns that a clipper system may pass through the area late Sunday night or early Monday, bringing with it the possibility of more snowfall and potentially dangerous driving conditions for Christmas and the days immediately following.
On Christmas Day, December 25, 1983, the high temperature at O’Hare International Airport was a record-breaking minus five degrees In 1985, only two years later, the high temperature only reached 2 degrees, making that year the second coldest on record.
This Christmas will be very different from the previous ones. The 2019 Christmas Day high in Chicago was 57 degrees, making it the second warmest Christmas in the city’s history. At 55 degrees, December 25 was the seventh warmest Christmas Day on record.
source: nbcchicago.com
