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Hurricane Patricia Could Bring Heavy Rain To Chicago Next Week

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The massive hurricane bearing down on Mexico might have an impact on Chicago in the coming days.

Hurricane Patricia, the strongest storm ever recorded in the Western hemisphere, was expected to make landfall on Mexico's southern coast Friday evening.

Not only has the Category 5 hurricane forced airlines and travel agencies to scramble to change plans for customers, it's likely to have an effect on weather in the Chicago area sometime next week.

"Any rain that's being produced by the more direct systems might be a little heavier, because it would have some of that tropical moisture to ingest," National Weather Service meteorologist Andrew Krein said.

That could mean 2 to 3 inches of rain midweek next week. Just a few weeks ago, Hurricane Joaquin – which hit the East Coast – brought significantly cooler and windier weather to Chicago for a few days.

Forecasters said there are a lot of maybes in what might happen in the Chicago area as a result of Hurricane Patricia, but what is certain is travel plans to Mexico during the next few days likely will be altered.

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