Chicago to experience coldest Christmas Eve and Christmas day in nearly 40 years

But, much warmer temperatures expected for the next holiday weekend

The temperature remained below zero at both of Chicago’s airports through 6 p.m. Friday with each airport recording a -1 temperature as its maximum to that point in the day. The last time the maximum temperature did get above 0 degrees in Chicago was on January 30, 2019 when the maximum temperature was -10. It was the first time the daily average temperature was below zero since Valentine’s day of 2021. For the Bear’s noon kickoff Saturday, the maximum temperature is forecast to be 8 degrees with a wind chill of minus 14. Temperatures will remain cold with dangerous wind chill through the weekend. A slow upward trend in temperatures escalates by mid-week when the temperature is forecast to reach the upper 40s on Thursday and near 50 on Friday. The long-range outlook calls for early January to have above normal temperatures.

A minor accumulation of snow is possible Sunday night and Monday with the following chance of precipitation being rain Wednesday night through Friday.

Many states continue to have winter weather advisories, watches and warnings following the intrusion of Arctic air. Hard freeze warnings are in effect into Saturday morning for the Gulf Coast states. Wind chill watches and advisories stretch from Montana to the Carolinas. Winter weather advisories are in effect Saturday for Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota.