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While this week has seen temperatures in the 80s and a good deal of sunshine, things are about to change in a big way as Halloween arrives in the Chicago area.
The first change will arrive overnight Wednesday and into Thursday morning, as an approaching front pushes showers and thunderstorms into the region. A few of those storms could be severe, with the Storm Prediction Center putting most of Illinois at a “marginal” risk of severe weather.
The main threats with any storms that develop will be gusty winds, though a tornado cannot be ruled out in the far western suburbs. Heavy rain is also expected to persist in the mid-to-late morning.
Once that rain clears out, another significant change will be felt, as temperatures are expected to drop quickly. In fact, highs on Thursday will likely occur just after midnight, with temperatures plummeting into the upper-40s in areas north of Interstate 80 by the time trick-or-treaters don their costumes in the late afternoon and early evening hours.
Couple that with a wind advisory north of Interstate 80, with gusts over 40 miles per hour possible, and wind chills could drop into the 30s by the time costumed ghouls and goblins are out picking up their candy.
Areas south of Interstate 80 will still see strong winds, with temperatures in the low-to-mid 50s during trick-or-treat hours.
Conditions are expected to warm up a bit again heading into the weekend, with highs in the 60s, but by the middle of next week fall-like temperatures will be back in the forecast, with highs in the 50s expected.
Stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team for all the latest weather news and information.