60-degree temperatures expected next week after unusually cold, snowy February

A rider pedals by a snow melt puddle while biking on the bike path near Montrose beach. | Michael Jarecki/Sun-Times file photo

After a February that gave Chicago its worst cold snap in years, spring-like weather is around the corner, with highs in the 60s predicted next week.

Temperatures could rise to the 50s on Sunday and become “unseasonably warm” in the low 60s during the first three weekdays, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Kluber.

But the warm weather may be short-lived.

“Beyond Wednesday, there’ll be a cold front that will come down from the north and start to set our temperatures back as we head into late next week,” Kluber said.

The welcome warm-up comes after Chicago experienced its coldest and snowiest February since 2015, Kluber said.

That month, a total of 21.6 inches of snow fell at O’Hare and 31.5 inches fell at Midway. Temperatures plummeted and windchills were “arctic,” but it was not at brutal as the January 2019 cold snap that saw temperatures of minus 23 degrees.

Temperatures will fall back to “normal” highs in the mid-40s by the end of next week, Kluber said. A cold front will likely bring some precipitation.

But snow is not out of the question.

“There’s a small chance we may see some snow mixing on the backside of that [the cold front] late Wednesday night,” Kluber said. “Right now it looks like any precipitation should remain all rain.”