Chicago weather: Chillier air moves into the area

Chicago weather: Wednesday afternoon forecast

FOX 32's Mike Caplan breaks down today's weather outlook.

CHICAGO - Cooler air is pushing into the Chicago area Wednesday, bringing falling temperatures, lake breezes, and the potential for patchy frost in the suburbs by early Friday.

Chicago weather forecast

What we know:

Temperatures varied widely across the region Wednesday afternoon, with lakefront areas in the low 60s while inland spots like Joliet reached the upper 70s. 

A northeast wind is helping accelerate a cold front down Lake Michigan, ushering in cooler conditions that will spread across the area through the evening.

What's next:

Thursday is expected to be clear to partly cloudy with highs in the upper 50s to around 60 degrees, though lakefront neighborhoods will feel cooler. 

Skies will clear further by early Friday, and calm winds combined with the proximity of high pressure could drop temperatures into the 30s in outlying suburbs—raising the possibility of patchy frost.

Looking ahead, temperatures will rebound over the weekend. Saturday is forecast to be sunny with a high of 75, and Mother's Day could reach 80 degrees away from the lake. Warm, sunny weather continues into early next week, with highs near 80 through Tuesday and just a slight chance of showers late that day.