Falling into winter already? Lows in 20s, snow possible Tuesday

A blast of Artic air will make fall feel more like mid-winter this week — and could even bring some light snow to Chicago on Tuesday.

The approaching cold front will send Chicago area temperatures plunging from a high in the mid-40s Tuesday morning down to the low- to mid-30s by 5 p.m., the National Weather Service said.

Precipitation will start out as rain in the morning, but it could turn into light snow as temperatures drop in the afternoon, the weather service said. Lows will be in the 20s Tuesday night.

Highs this time of year in Chicago are usually between 50 and 52 degrees, weather records show.

The unseasonable cold will stick around at least through the end of the week, meteorologists predict. Highs through Sunday won’t budge from the lower to mid-30s, and there’s a chance of snow over the weekend.