Feb. 17--Another seasonably cold day as high pressure follows the weak cold front that passed through the Chicago area Tuesday. A band of snow preceded and accompanied the cold front Tuesday afternoon/early evening, laying down a thin layer of snow, less than an inch. It was just enough to replenish the snow lost by settling/melting of our Valentine's Day snowfall, as well as making for slick roads and a slow evening commute.
Winds shift to the south later Wednesday afternoon and pick up overnight, as the high pressure shifts east -- marking the early stages of a significant warmup. South winds gusting over 30 mph will boost temperatures well into the 40s Thursday, and readings may even increase overnight as the southerly winds continue to strengthen ahead of an approaching cold front. Winds will gust over 40 mph Friday, shifting to the northwest in the afternoon, and temperatures are expected to top out in the 55- to 60-degree range. This looks to be our first day in the 50s this year -- nearly three weeks ahead of last year, when we didn't record our first 50-degrees until March 9.
