Chicago, Illinois — Light showers may disrupt Mother’s Day travel plans across the Chicago metro early Sunday, with wet roads and reduced visibility likely during the morning commute window for brunch and family gatherings.
According to the National Weather Service in Chicago, a 20 to 30 percent chance of showers will develop between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday across Chicago, Aurora, Joliet, Naperville and Gary, with the highest risk south of I-80. While rainfall totals remain light, even brief showers could create slick conditions on I-90, I-94 and I-55 during peak travel hours.
Drivers may encounter water pooling within minutes on low-lying roads and underpasses, especially in flood-prone stretches near downtown Chicago and along rural drainage areas south of Joliet. Reduced visibility during passing showers could slow traffic and increase braking distances.
This is part of a broader system bringing cooler air off Lake Michigan, keeping lakeside areas several degrees colder and extending damp conditions into northwest Indiana. The limited instability supports scattered, short-lived showers rather than widespread storms.
Motorists should allow extra travel time, use headlights in rain and avoid sudden stops on wet pavement. Those attending morning events should plan for brief delays between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m., when showers are most likely to impact roads.
The broader five-day stretch trends unsettled but not stormy:
- Friday: Spotty showers mainly south of I-80 with highs in the low to mid-60s.
- Saturday: Warmest day of the stretch with breezy conditions and highs near 70 degrees. A brief afternoon shower remains possible.
- Sunday (Mother’s Day): Cooler with scattered morning showers and cloudy skies lingering into the afternoon.
- Monday: Drier and calmer with partial sunshine but continued cool temperatures.
- Tuesday: Another round of showers could return with breezy conditions and slick evening commute travel possible.
