Chicago experiences record-breaking heat ahead of cold front

Chicagoans were greeted by unseasonably warm temperatures Monday, but a cold front is expected to the hit the area on Tuesday.

The National Weather Service recorded a temperature of 80 degrees at O’Hare Airport, surpassing the previous record of 79 degrees set in 1986 and met in 1998, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Ratzer.

But he warned not to get used to the heat.

A cold front heading to the area Tuesday afternoon is expected to cause temperatures to plummet to a low of 37 degrees by Tuesday night. Areas near the lake will likely be cooler than inland areas.

Showers and thunderstorms are also possible in the area early Tuesday and throughout much of the rest of the week. Temperatures rivaling Monday’s record likely won’t return to the area within the next week, according to the weather service.