Warm Temps for Now; Winter Storms Could Hit Next Week

It's been a mild start to the winter season here in the Chicago area. 

Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 44 degrees today and 50 degrees Wednesday.

The unseasonably high temperatures and calm winter might not last for long. Long-range forecasts from Accuweather.com predict winter storms could enter the Midwest next week — the week before Christmas — possibly wreaking havoc on holiday travel.

But as for this week, rain is expected tonight and throughout the day Wednesday, with some thunderstorms predicted after noon on Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. With temperatures not expected to dip below freezing, roadways should not be icy.

There is no snow in the forecast for Barrington through Monday, according to the National Weather Service. High temperatures during daytime hours will range from a low of 32 to a high of 44 degrees, Thursday through Monday.

The mild weather could change in the days before Christmas. Accuweather.com is predicting the possibility of snow and ice for the upper Midwest at some point next week. 

According to Accuweather.com, there is a potential for one major storm that week with one scenario predicting up to three storms of varying intensity.

The snow has been nearly non-existent for the area so far. The Chicago area recorded its first measurable snowfall last Friday, Dec. 9.  

That snowfall made it into the record books — tied for fifth as one of the latest snowfalls for the season.

According to an Accuweather.com meteorologist, Chicago’s first snowfall typically occurs around Nov. 21. In 88 percent of the years since 1885, measurable snowfall hit the area by Dec. 2. 

Accuweather.com provides an analysis on what the late first snowfall could mean for the rest of the winter season. And what about the chances of a white Christmas? Accuweather.com has information on the probability of a white Christmas for Barrington and other areas of the country.