Chicago weather: Storms Friday, weekend cooldown, 80s Monday

Showers and storms return Friday, big cooldown coming

Emily Wahls has your Chicago weather update!

CHICAGO - A spring warm-up arrived in Chicagoland today, but a lake-enhanced cold front made sure it didn’t feel that way everywhere.

What we know:

Temperatures climbed into the 70s and 80s across much of the area Thursday, but folks along the lakefront saw a sharp drop into the 50s and 60s during the afternoon as cooler air off the lake moved in.

Clouds will build overnight, with skies turning mostly cloudy by early Friday morning. Overnight lows will dip into the upper 40s and low 50s.

Friday brings a shift: expect mostly cloudy skies with scattered showers and thunderstorms throughout the day. While no severe weather is expected, any storms that pop up could come with heavy downpours. Temperatures will vary again—cooler near the lake in the 50s, but reaching the 70s farther inland.

What's next:

The weekend looks dry and sunny. Saturday will be cooler with highs in the mid-50s, but Sunday warms up with highs in the mid to upper 60s.

Looking ahead, Monday and Tuesday could feel like summer. Highs are expected to reach near 80 both days, but the warmth will come with a chance for storms. The Storm Prediction Center has already placed parts of Chicagoland under a 15% risk for severe storms during that time.