A cold shimmer hangs in the early-morning air across northern Illinois, the kind that hints at change. Streets are damp, leaves cling to slick windshields, and the city hums under low gray skies — a clear signal that winter’s first touch is closing in.
After a breezy, rain-soaked start, Chicago’s weather will take a sharp turn by Saturday. The National Weather Service warns of a rain-to-snow transition late Saturday into Sunday, a typical early-November pattern shift fueled by falling temperatures and a gusty northwest flow.
Friday stays unsettled, with scattered light rain and highs near 61°F. But a fast-moving cold front will sweep through the region by late evening, driving temperatures into the mid-30s by Saturday morning. Saturday itself will be brisk, cloudy, and wet — highs near 43°F with wind chills in the 30s. By nightfall, as the air cools further, rain could mix with or change to snow, especially north and west of the city along I-90 and Route 59.
Sunday stays cold and breezy, with lingering flurries possible as highs struggle to reach the upper 30s. Wind gusts near 25 mph could make conditions feel closer to freezing — a shock after this week’s mild stretch.
Looking ahead, Monday brings some sun but no real warmth, as highs remain in the 30s. By Veterans Day, another reinforcing chill moves in. After all, this weekend may mark Chicago’s first true winter tease, signaling that the November pattern shift has begun in earnest.
