Saturday could be Chicago’s hottest day of the year so far, with temps in the high 80sMary Chappellon May 22, 2021 at 4:28 pm

Temps hit 86 degrees Thursday and Friday at O’Hare but the official forecast says it could creep to 87 degrees Saturday, experts say.

Chicagoans are being advised to lather on sunscreen and stay hydrated Saturday as the city could see its hottest day of the year yet.

Temps hit 86 degrees Thursday and Friday at O’Hare, but the official forecast says it could creep to 87 degrees Saturday, according to Brian Leatherwood, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. That would make it the hottest day this month and could make it the hottest day of the year so far.

It’s well above the average of about 73 degrees for this part of May, but it’s not threatening the city’s scorching 94-degree record set in 1925, Leatherwood said.

Chicago could cool down briefly late Sunday with cold air moving down Lake Michigan from the northeast — called a “back door front” because air fronts typically come in from the northwest.

Leatherwood said Chicago and the northern counties may be the only ones feel that relief Sunday, as these fronts “come down the lake” and shove “a lot of cold air into the city, but it doesn’t go very far.”

Either way, it won’t last long. The city is set to bounce back Monday with highs into the mid-80s, according to Leatherwood. The next drop might be mid-week, with longer-lasting temps in the 60s and 70s.

The National Weather Service advises people to drink plenty of fluids, wear sunscreen and stay in the shade or get indoors where it’s cooler. Leatherwood also advised Chicagoans to be careful about jumping into Lake Michigan this time of year.

“The lake itself is still cool, in the lower 50s or 40s,” Leatherwood said, advising people to stay out of the water. “It might be a shock to their system. It’s not quite summertime yet, especially for the lake.”

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