The Climate Prediction Center of the National Weather Service has released its 8-14 day outlook, which includes Christmas Day, and the chances for a white Christmas in Illinois are looking pretty slim according to the early predictions. For more than half of the area in question, temperatures are expected to be above average, including in the Chicago region.
As per the released forecast, the Chicago area is given a “leaning above” probability of above normal temperatures, meaning that it’s more likely to experience an unusually warm Christmas. As for precipitation, the outlook puts the Chicago area in the “below normal” probability of precipitation, which means that the chances of receiving rain or snow are lower than average.
However, it’s worth noting that Chicago does have a relatively decent chance of seeing snow on Christmas Day. According to the weather service, Chicago has a White Christmas, which is defined as having at least one inch of snow on the ground, about 41 percent of the time. In fact, the snowiest Christmas on record in Chicago was way back in 1950, when it snowed an impressive 5.1 inches on Christmas Day.
But what does the rest of the forecast look like? According to the weather service’s current forecast, temperatures are expected to rise through the weekend and into next week. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of what the National Weather Service (NWS) is predicting:
* For Saturday, high temperatures are expected to reach around 42°F, with mostly sunny skies.
* On Sunday, high temperatures are expected to climb to around 48°F, with increasing clouds.
* For Monday, Christmas Eve, high temperatures should be around 50°F, with a mix of sun and clouds.
* And on Christmas Day, December 25th, high temperatures are expected to reach around 52°F, with partly cloudy skies.
