Warmer temperatures loom ahead for Chicago area this week

The Chicago area is going to see above-average temperatures in coming days, but along with that will come multiple chances for rain.

Before that trend gets underway in earnest however, the Chicago area will see pretty typical conditions for early January on Sunday. Highs are expected to be right around the freezing mark, with occasional peeks of sunshine on an otherwise cloudy day, according to forecast models.

There is a small chance of a light wintry mix during the day Sunday, especially in Chicago’s northern suburbs, but there likely will not be any travel impacts due to that precipitation, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team.

Overnight lows Sunday night and into Monday morning will be on the warmer side, only falling into the upper-20s, and that warming trend will continue into Monday afternoon, with highs in the low-40s under cloudy skies.

Temperatures will be even warmer on Tuesday as highs rise into the mid-40s, but that will be accompanied by the first of several chances of precipitation across the area, especially over parts of eastern Illinois and northern Indiana, according to forecast models. That precipitation will fall in the form of rain, and that will be a continuing trend of rainy conditions.

Wednesday will offer a reprieve both from the rain and from the clouds, as partly-to-mostly sunny skies are expected, but temperatures will remain warm, with highs rising into the upper-40s across the area, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team.

The main event on the weather scene will really arrive in earnest on Thursday, as temperatures will soar to nearly 50 degrees, but will come with the possibility of widespread showers that will persist into the weekend, according to forecast models.

That rain will stick around Friday as temperatures once again hit the 40s, and the system could produce snow on Saturday as those readings start to drop, with highs expected to be in the low-to-mid 30s to start the weekend.

Next Sunday will see the snow finally start to taper off, with highs once again stabilizing around their seasonal averages in the low-to-mid 30s.

Stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team for all the latest weather news and information, and be sure to download the NBC Chicago app for real-time weather alerts sent directly to your phone.