Forecast: Partly cloudy, mild; very warm Thursday on tap … for some

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy, mild for the season with light southeast winds. Low: 54. 

Dry conditions expected are Thursday under a mix of sun and clouds and a third straight day above 70 degrees.

Another unseasonably mild day is on tap Thursday for much of the area, but if you live close to Lake Michigan, you’ll want to have a jacket handy.

East to northeast winds will freshen a bit during the afternoon, gusting to 15 mph at times and setting the stage for a large area temperature spread.

By mid afternoon, there could be a 25 degree or more range from the warmest temperatures across the far west/southwest suburbs to areas along the north shore. 

The next big chance for showers/storms in the Chicago area is Friday.

Nine-day temperature forecast

The progressive pattern is to continue and will keep introducing cooler, Canadian air behind passing frontal boundaries across the Midwest, Great Lakes, and Northeast, making for comfortable to near seasonal temperatures into early May. 

Overall, the Lower 48 is coast-to-coast warm overall the next two weeks, at least with the ensemble mean including a rather impressive > 10°F temperature anomaly over the mid-Atlantic, including Washington D.C. and New York City. 

Forecast temperature anomaly through April 28:

Forecast temperature anomaly April 29 through May 5: