Temps in Chicago hit 80 degrees for the first time this year

CHICAGO - In another sign that winter may finally be behind us, temperatures rose over 80 degrees Tuesday in Chicago for the first time this year, two weeks ahead of schedule.

The temperature at O’Hare Airport was listed at 82 degrees about 3:40 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

Normally, the temperature doesn’t break 80 degrees until about April 20, weather service meteorologist Matt Friedlein said.

And, while we may not see consistent 80-degree days for a while longer, a coming "cold front" later this week is only expected to bring temperatures down to the lower-to-mid 60s, Friedlein said.

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"Today and tomorrow the winds are coming off the land and not the lake, so it brings the warm all the way down to the lakefront, which is nice. We don’t see any signs of any real cold air by April standards," Friedlein said.

Tomorrow’s temperatures are expected to peak at about 76 degrees, with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, the weather service said.

On Thursday, high temperatures will drop to the mid-60s, where they are expected to linger into next week.