Chicago, Illinois – Illinois heads into the Feb 5–9 period under a split temperature pattern, with near-normal readings expected across western parts of the state near the Iowa and Missouri borders, while the majority of Illinois trends colder than normal. Despite the temperature divide, precipitation chances remain limited statewide, keeping the risk for significant snow or rain relatively low during this stretch.
According to the National Weather Service and NOAA outlooks, colder-than-average air remains entrenched across much of the Great Lakes and eastern U.S. In Illinois, that colder influence will be strongest across central, northern, and eastern parts of the state, including the Chicago metro area. Farther west, including communities near the Mississippi River and into west-central Illinois, temperatures are expected to stay closer to seasonal norms.
In Chicago, Rockford, Peoria, and along the I-55 and I-90 corridors, daytime highs are expected to run below average, with overnight lows frequently dipping into the teens and 20s. Western Illinois, including areas near Quincy and the Iowa and Missouri borders, will still see winter conditions but with less extreme cold compared to the rest of the state. Widespread accumulating snow is not expected, though occasional flurries remain possible. The extended cold pattern follows recent weeks in which nearly 100 temperature-related deaths have been reported across southern states, underscoring the dangers tied to prolonged exposure nationwide.
State officials urge residents to prepare for colder conditions where applicable, protect exposed pipes, and use space heaters safely. The uneven temperature pattern is expected to persist through the period, with additional advisories possible if colder air expands farther west.
