Thursday forecast: Partly cloudy with mild temperatures, leading into potentially wet weekend for Chicagoland

We’re in for a mild mid-October Thursday in Chicagoland.

The forecast calls for partly sunny skies and a small chance for an isolated shower or two later Thursday afternoon. High temperatures should climb into the upper 60s in most areas and into the 70s well inland.

Thursday night brings an outside chance for a stray shower as lows reach the mid-50s, then Friday is forecast to be mostly cloudy, breezy and warmer, with highs in the mid-70s as Chicagoland heads into a potentially rainy weekend (see more below).

Thursday surface map  

High pressure shifts over Michigan, allowing for southeasterly winds and milder readings.

Thursday day planner

A mild start to the day, relative to normal, then temperatures warm well into the 60s by lunchtime for most areas.   

Thursday high temperatures/wind gust forecast

West, southwest and south suburbs are likely to see highs warm into the low 70s, with slightly cooler readings near Lake Michigan due to a southeasterly wind slicing in off the lake, where water temperatures are currently in the mid-60s.  

Thursday U.S. highs

Summerlike warmth continues for portions of the central U.S., with 80s covering St. Louis, Kansas City and even northward to Des Moines, Iowa. Overall, the Lower 48 average temperature will be around 68 degrees.

Thursday high temperature anomaly

Unseasonable warmth across the nation’s heartland, with highs averaging 15 to 20 degrees above normal, while early-season sub-normal chill dominates the western U.S. and the Northeast.  

Thursday sunburn forecast

Chicago’s precipitation chances

Dry weather by and large through Friday afternoon, with a small chance for some sprinkles early Friday morning, before an autumn storm brings chances for showers and thunderstorms late Friday night through the coming weekend in distinct clusters.  

Saturday morning surface map/humidity forecast

Dueling low pressure systems, one in southern Canada and another across the southern Plains, will bring warmer southerly winds and pump more humid tropical moisture into Chicago. This will help fuel showers and thunderstorms.

Tracking weather systems and precipitation type across the country

Wet weather returns for the Chicago area and the Midwest this weekend, as a potent autumn storm moves through the region.   

Saturday severe weather outlook

Severe thunderstorms, including the potential for damaging winds, hail and isolated tornadoes, will be possible for southern Illinois, portions of the Ozarks, western Kentucky, western Tennessee, and western Mississippi.

Total rainfall through Monday, Oct. 20

Soaking rainfall expected for much of the region, which will certainly help mitigate current drought conditions.    

Chicago forecast highs and departure from normal

Each of the next five days to feature high temperatures that will post daytime surpluses. The two warmest days of at least the next seven occur on Friday and Saturday.

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