It’s cold on weekends, sometimes it snows

As Chicagoans begin traveling in anticipation of the Thanksgiving holiday, people can expect cooler temperatures and occasional snowfall over the weekend. However, there could be a glimpse of warm weather by Sunday as temperatures begin to rise after the recent cold snap.

Brett Borchardt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Chicago, said the Chicago area should see “a continuation of unusually cold temperatures” along with snow showers Friday and Saturday.

“Winter has settled in the Great Lakes,” he said. “In the last few days, it’s not surprising to look out the window or drive a car.”

There is hope for more pleasant conditions by Thanksgiving. Colder temperatures will taper off by the end of the weekend as a warming trend begins Sunday, Borchardt said. Temperatures will climb above freezing in the Chicago area on Sunday, with lows in the mid-40s closer to Thanksgiving.

“We’ve been dealing with some nasty winter weather the last few days, but that will pay off with a quiet Thanksgiving week,” he said.

But such warming may not last long. Compared to past years, Borchardt said Chicago will have a more typical winter with colder weather this season.

“You may remember some warm periods in November and even December without much snow,” he said. “Winter seems to have waited until January or even February to really get going. We don’t seem to be on that track this year with our cold temperatures.”

As for vacation travelers this weekend, Borchardt isn’t expecting much snow, but advises people to be aware of snow and slippery patches, especially on bridges and overpasses.

“For many of us, this is the first time we’ve seen snow this year, with flakes falling all week,” he said. “Many of us can be rusty when driving in winter conditions, so it’s best to drive slowly when there’s winter precipitation, whether it’s snow, sleet or freezing rain.”

Although the roads may not seem so slippery, he cautions people to remain cautious, saying the roads can be deceiving. According to him, it does not take a lot of snow to make the roads slippery, so drivers should always be careful and keep an increased distance between cars.

“This morning was actually a great example of that,” he said. “We didn’t get a lot of snow overnight, but some communities picked up half an inch to an inch quickly, and there were very different road conditions this morning, so it’s a challenge to build.”