Illinois — A soft, dry breeze moves along the lakefront before sunrise, brushing across damp leaves and lifting faint curls of mist above warm pavement.

The city feels unusually mild for mid-November, a quiet but noticeable contrast to the early-season chill settling across states farther north. The air carries a crisp edge, yet it hints at warm hours ahead—perfectly timed for errands, travel, and pre-holiday weekend plans.

Residents should take advantage of this stretch of warmth while it lasts. Temperatures rise sharply today and Saturday, climbing through the 60s and pushing toward the mid-60s again by Sunday. These conditions make leaf work easy and keep early Thanksgiving travel simple across the Chicago metro. To be fair, November rarely holds a warm streak this long, and the pattern is already shifting.

Models hint at an early Winter Tease as a cooler system approaches early next week. No snow is expected in Chicago, but colder air could follow Tuesday’s rain chance. That warm-to-cool transition may bring brief gusty pockets near Lake Michigan and slower evening travel, especially on Route 41 and I-55. Drivers should watch for quick cloud thickening Monday night as moisture builds overhead.

The rest of the week trends cooler but still comfortable, with a mix of clouds and lower 40s settling in by midweek. Another rain chance emerges late Wednesday into Thursday, signaling the start of the broader November cooldown many long-range models highlight before Thanksgiving.

Five-Day Outlook for Chicago IL

Fri: 65/56 – Sunny; breezy at times.
Sat: 65/39 – Clouds early, then brighter; west winds increase.
Sun: 49/34 – Sunny but cooler; dry air back in place.
Mon: 45/37 – Mostly sunny; clouds building late.
Tue: 44/37 – Rain chance; cooler breezes and cloud cover.