CHICAGO — Whether you're trying to get out and enjoy the Christkindlmarket or protest police abuses of power, the weather couldn't be much better the next few days.
Though it might rain, Chicago's warm spell will see its zenith this weekend before more traditional December weather arrives, according to the National Weather Service.
The city's unseasonably warm weather will continue at least through the weekend, where high temperatures could easily set new records for mid-December, said Kevin Birk, meteorologist for the National Weather Service's Chicago branch.
Thursday's forecasted high temperature is about 60 degrees, Birk said. The record high for Dec. 10 in Chicago is 62 degrees, he said.
The record high for Dec. 11 and 12 is 61 degrees, Birk said. Forecasts for the next few days will creep right up around those records, he said.
"We're not forecasting that we'll break the record, but I wouldn't be surprised if we break them," Birk said. "It's been a really interesting warm spell."
But the possibility of breaking high temperatures isn't the most interesting thing about Chicago's warm spell, Birk said.
The average high temperature for this time is in the mid-to-high 40s, Birk said. This week's average highs — and the ones forecasted for the weekend — are closer to the mid-to-high 50s, he said.
"We've been a good 10 degrees above our average temperatures," Birk said.
The reason for such unseasonably warm weather? It's the same meteorological phenomenon that caused last year's Chiberia-like conditions, Birk said.
Whereas in previous years the west-to-east jet stream has brought frigid air masses from northern Canada to our area, this time it's doing the opposite: It's bringing air masses from over the Pacific Ocean, Birk said.
"This year, the jet stream has been keeping the Arctic air bottles up north," he said.
But the Pacific air will bring a bit of unpleasantness to Chicago, as Birk said the area will get some heavy rain starting overnight Friday and lasting into Sunday. Some areas might even get as much as 2 inches, he said.
"Even though it will be mild out there, we're going to see some decent rain amounts," Birk said.
The spell of high 50s and low 60s will end after the weekend, as the National Weather Service is forecasting a high of 44 degrees on Monday, Birk said.
"Even that is still warmer than usual," he said.
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