October 2014 has saved its nicest weather for its final weekend. And the timing couldn't more perfect.
The area's in the midst of it's most spectacular array of fall colors in years, and good weather will allow Chicagoans a chance to take them in over the final weekend this season on daylight saving time.
There hasn't been a 70-degree high on a Saturday or Sunday since late September. Saturday is predicted to produce temperatures that may well break that drought.
Consider what we've been through meteorologically this month. Warm weather's been in short supply. Fifteen of the past 23 days across the Chicago area -- 65 percent -- have been at or below normal. What's more, the month has also been cloudier and wetter than normal.
The month has been averaging over 2 degrees below normal and has managed a grand total of two 70 or higher daytime temperatures over its opening three weeks - and that's it!
That changes Saturday. Driving the predicted warming is the arrival of mild air from the Pacific, riding into town on northwest winds.
The northwest wind flow is predicted to ease and become variable by Saturday night, then become southeasterly Sunday. This will pull back temperatures, with lakeshore areas holding to near 60 and inland areas seeing mid to upper 60s on Sunday.
But powerful south to southwest winds are to sweep into the area ahead of a vigorous autumn storm in the Plains, sending temperatures soaring into the mid 70s Monday -- the warmest it's been all month.
The area's in the midst of it's most spectacular array of fall colors in years, and good weather will allow Chicagoans a chance to take them in over the final weekend this season on daylight saving time.
There hasn't been a 70-degree high on a Saturday or Sunday since late September. Saturday is predicted to produce temperatures that may well break that drought.
Consider what we've been through meteorologically this month. Warm weather's been in short supply. Fifteen of the past 23 days across the Chicago area -- 65 percent -- have been at or below normal. What's more, the month has also been cloudier and wetter than normal.
The month has been averaging over 2 degrees below normal and has managed a grand total of two 70 or higher daytime temperatures over its opening three weeks - and that's it!
That changes Saturday. Driving the predicted warming is the arrival of mild air from the Pacific, riding into town on northwest winds.
The northwest wind flow is predicted to ease and become variable by Saturday night, then become southeasterly Sunday. This will pull back temperatures, with lakeshore areas holding to near 60 and inland areas seeing mid to upper 60s on Sunday.
But powerful south to southwest winds are to sweep into the area ahead of a vigorous autumn storm in the Plains, sending temperatures soaring into the mid 70s Monday -- the warmest it's been all month.