Temperatures climbed into the upper 50s in Chicago on Wednesday, Feb. 29. (Credit: CBS)
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CHICAGO (CBS) — Enjoy the warm temperatures while they last, because the wind will pick up and the conditions will get colder in the afternoon.
In the midday hours Wednesday, it felt more like mid-April than the last day of February. CBS 2 Meteorologist Megan Glaros reports as of 11:20 a.m., it was 56 degrees at O’Hare and Midway international airports, and 61 at Gary and Valparaiso.
Overnight, a powerful storm system produced suspected tornadoes and caused widespread damage in the Plains states, Missouri and southern Illinois. Up to 10 people were killed in downstate Harrisburg.
That storm system brought off-and-on rain to the Chicago area in the overnight hours. But skies were clear and there were no active systems on the radar as of the midday hours.
Unfortunately, that will change. Beginning around 2 or 3 p.m., the wind will pick up as a cold front comes in and the temperature drops. While strong winds are not expected in Cook County or areas to the north, a wind advisory is in effect until 6 p.m. for areas south of Chicago, including Will, Kendall, Kankakee , LaSalle and Grundy counties, and all of Northwest Indiana.
Late in the day, light showers will begin to fall, and will likely turn to snow flurries as the overnight low drops to 33. No accumulation is expected.
On Thursday, conditions are expected to be sunny, but cooler, with a high of 48 degrees.
