Last year around Christmas, the Chicago area saw snow, frigid cold and even blizzard-like conditions.
This year? Temperatures in the Chicago area look to be in the top 10 warmest Christmases on record — but it won’t all be merry and bright, as daily chances for rain moving in Friday are expected to make for a soggy and wet holiday weekend.
“A rainy and gloomy holiday ahead as we enter the weekend and next week,” NBC 5 Alicia Roman said, of the forecast for the next few days.
According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, steady rain will move into the area beginning beginning late Friday morning and early afternoon. By 2 p.m., widespread, wet conditions are expected, with moderate to heavy rain at times.
Late Friday, drizzle and fog are expected to develop as the rain tapers off, the National Weather Service said, leading to reduced visibility in some parts.
MORE: Dreaming of a white Christmas? Some US ski areas normally coated in white are struggling with rain
Temperatures Friday remain mild, with a high of 47 degrees. Saturday and Sunday, those temperatures will even bump up a few degrees, Roman added.
Chicago Christmas Forecast
Saturday will be a cloudy day with a low-end chance of rain, with early morning drizzle or brief afternoon showers possible, Roman said.
Saturday will also see warmer temperatures, with a high of 50 degrees.
Christmas Eve day Sunday looks to be mostly dry, though a wet weather pattern to the west could bring rain to Central Illinois by late Sunday night.
Temperatures on Christmas Eve in the Chicago area and across the Midwest are shaping up to be well above-average, Roman said, with a high of 56 degrees predicted in the city.
Monday, Christmas Day, Roman predicts a high temperature of 53 degrees, which would put 2023 as Chicago’s 7th warmest Christmas on record.
According to Roman, the average high on Christmas tops out at 34 degrees.
Here’s a look at where a high temperature of 53 degrees this Christmas could rank, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team:
Christmas Day will also be wet and Rainy, Roman said, with steady rain moving in Monday morning and continuing through the afternoon and evening.
Wet conditions are expected to continue into at least Tuesday, Roman said, and possibly Wednesday morning, as rain could mix with snow.
“The system will stay with us over the holiday weekend and start of next week,” Roman said.
And while temperatures are expected to remain on the milder side into the start of next week — with highs in the low 40s through Wednesday — they’ll begin to fall as New Year’s Eve approaches.
By New Year’s Eve, temperatures will have fallen approximately 20 degrees, with a high of only 36 degrees predicted during the day. At night, it looks to be much colder, with temperatures in the 20s, Roman said.
