Snow falls Monday but spring temperatures to return

Snow greeted northern Illinois residents as they woke up Monday morning, but spring temperatures – and storms – are on track to return later this week.

Snow showers were “fairly widespread” during Monday morning’s commute, leading to slick roads in spots combined with wind chills of 15 to 25 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

“Temperatures will be 20 degrees below normal (Monday) as it will feel more like winter than spring,” the agency said Monday morning. “This will be true in large part due to gusty northwest winds, which will gust as high as 40 to 45 mph, enough to blow around unsecured objects and make driving difficult for high profile vehicles.”

Much of northern Illinois was under freeze warning through 8 a.m. Tuesday with frost and freeze conditions that could kill crops and other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing, the National Weather Service said in the warning.

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Temperatures were expected to warm Tuesday to 50 to 59 degrees, with the coolest temperatures by Lake Michigan, according to the agency’s forecast. Overnight temperatures Tuesday into Wednesday were forecasted to fall between 34 and 41 degrees with a slight chance of a storm.

The odds of a storm become more likely Wednesday and then more so Thursday as temperatures continue to warm, the National Weather Service said. A high of 76 degrees is possible both Wednesday and Thursday.

“Several rounds of thunderstorms will be possible Tuesday night through Thursday,” the agency said in the hazardous weather outlook. “It is too early to determine the severe weather potential.”

The chance for storms ends Thursday night, and Friday’s temperatures are forecasted to fall around 57 to 63 degrees.