Thunderstorms and gusty winds were expected to sweep through the Chicago area Friday night, sending temperatures plunging into the weekend.
Though it remained mainly cloudy, temperatures Friday were well above normal, with O’Hare Airport reaching a high of 76 degrees, and Midway Airport hit 78 degrees, the National Weather Service said.
A storm system was expected to move through the area Friday night, bringing heavy downpours, lightning, gusty winds and a possibility of hail, weather officials said. Temperatures are expected to plunge and continue to stay cold over Easter weekend.
“We’re going to get a really big feed of warm air coming up from the South that’s going to bring highs into the low 80s today,” meteorologist Kevin Doom said Friday. “Most of the day is going to be dry, and then it looks like this afternoon into this evening is sort of when storms are going to start brewing.”
Wind gusts are expected to reach up to 40 mph, and scattered rain will likely move across the area from 6 p.m. to midnight, weather officials said.
Temperatures were expected to hover in the 70s as late as 10 p.m. and drop into the low 50s by daybreak Saturday, the weather service said.
Over the weekend, temperatures are expected to be in the low to mid-50s, with rain expected during the day Sunday and into the evening.
“Sunday is looking a little gloomy for Easter,” Doom said.
