What To Expect As Northern Illinois Weather Warms Up

It's okay to admit that maybe this extended deeply-cold period we've been going through has gotten to you a little bit, even if you're a longtime Northern Illinois resident.

As you’ve been trudging through weeks of bone-chilling air in Northern Illinois, you’re not imagining that it has felt like an endurance challenge. Thanks to a stubborn Arctic blast, our region has been locked in a deep freeze, with highs failing to climb above the freezing mark for what feels like forever. In fact, many communities around Northern Illinois have gone multiple weeks with daytime highs under 32 degrees, putting a serious crimp in outdoor plans and our overall patience.

Most days have felt more like January in Alaska than late winter in the Midwest. Temperatures have routinely struggled to get out of the teens, and some mornings brought lows well below zero that were backed up by dangerously low wind chills that made even quick trips outside feel like a challenge. But here’s the good news almost all of us have been waiting for: the deep freeze is finally starting to loosen its grip.

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Late This Week Things Are Going To Warm Up (Although We're Still Not Going To Be Tropical By Any Stretch Of The Imagination), And Next Week They Really Rise

By Thursday and heading into this weekend, forecasts show temperatures climbing above the freezing point for the first sustained time in weeks. That means highs approaching and surpassing 32°F, which will feel downright balmy after so many cold days.

And the warming doesn’t stop there. Looking out over the next 7–10 days, the forecast suggests much of northern Illinois will see more frequent highs in the 40s, with several days near or above 40 degrees early next week, which is a big psychological and physical break from sub-freezing highs. We won’t quite be trading snow boots for shorts just yet, hitting the mid to upper 40s will feel like a tease of spring after the lengthy deep freeze.

Here are the upcoming days that will be notable for warming up (hat tip to Weather.com):