Rain expected later this week as sunshine returns after three-day cloudy hiatus
Rain is possible across parts of the region later this week as a brief sunny break arrives on Wednesday. The forecast combines a short-term clearing with an approaching set of systems that could bring showers, pockets of accumulating snow and notable temperature swings.
Rain chances and timing
Numerous showers are expected later this week. A small chance of a brief rain or snow shower is forecast for Tuesday night, with a better chance of soggy weather across the Southeast on Friday. Forecasters note the formation of a storm system this weekend where Arctic cold to the north meets warm, moist air from the south; that boundary increases the potential for showers and an axis of accumulating precipitation somewhere in the Midwest.
Tuesday night and Wednesday outlook
TUESDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy, breezy and cold. There is a small chance of a brief rain or snow shower this evening, with clearing skies toward morning. Wind chills will be in the teens and winds are expected from the west at 10–15 mph. Low: 25.
It’s been a fairly cloudy stretch, but sunshine is back in earnest on Wednesday as the center of high pressure moves over the area later in the day. Daytime highs are expected to warm into the middle 30s after opening the day in the middle to upper 20s. One forecast note highlights that Tuesday’s pattern may include strong southerly winds bringing slightly warmer temperatures to Chicagoland while wind chill remains a factor.
Wednesday morning will still leave a substantial population at or below freezing: about 126 million residents are projected to start the day at or below freezing, with the area of subfreezing lows slightly reduced from Tuesday and again including portions of northern Florida.
Weekend storm risk and temperature swings
Following a small chance of light snow brushing far southern areas late Wednesday and early Thursday, the next chance for snow arrives this weekend. The next storm system is expected to develop where Arctic air sits to the north and warm, moist air collects to the south; that juxtaposition creates the potential for an area of accumulating snow along the boundary, possibly across the Chicago area or nearby. The precise location of that axis is likely to shift in the coming days and remains not publicly confirmed.
The region will experience a pronounced temperature roller coast over the coming days. A springlike surge for a day on Friday could push highs nearly 20 degrees above normal before readings fall back down this weekend. Warmer-than-normal conditions are forecast across much of the Lower 48, with the largest surpluses across the Southwest and the Rockies where record warmth is possible. A brief surge of Arctic air will push readings below normal across the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast, followed by another impressive return of warmth. Overall temperature departures during this period are expected to be about 10–15 degrees above normal from the Midwest to the Ohio Valley.
- Key takeaways: expect a brief sunny Wednesday, rain and showers later this week, and a weekend storm that could produce accumulating snow in parts of the Midwest.
Forecast shifts are likely over the next few days as the weekend storm axis moves and models refine placement. If the axis shifts south or north, areas that see accumulating snow could change; if the warm sector amplifies, precipitation may favor heavier rain or mixed precipitation in the southern reaches. Monitor updates as details become clearer.
