Dusting of snow expected Wednesday as temps fall lower each day into the weekend

A half inch of snow could fall on Chicago Wednesday as frigid temperatures continue to fall lower and lower into the weekend, possibly breaking a cold-weather record Sunday.

The peak snowfall was forecast between noon and 4 p.m., potentially hampering travelers before the snow ends in the evening, according to the National Weather Service.

The south suburbs could see a larger snowfall, with areas south of Interstate 80 getting up to an inch, meteorologist Brett Borchardt said. More rounds of light snow were forecast Thursday afternoon and again Friday night.

Meanwhile, the bone-chilling arctic air showed no sign of leaving. The wind chill could dip down to minus 15 degrees overnight into Thursday morning, the weather service said in an advisory.

National Weather Service

And temperatures were expected to continue to drop further until their lowest point early next week.

Sunday could potentially break the record for the coldest high temperature ever recorded that day, Borchardt said. The high temperature for Valentine’s Day was forecast as 7 degrees at O’Hare, which could break the record of 8 degrees.

Chicago has seen several rounds of snow in the last month, with O’Hare International Airport totaling 32.5 inches of snow this season, nearly 9 inches of snow above the average, Borchardt said.

Temperatures could warm up midway next week, but Borchardt said it was too early to say that with confidence.

“We’re stuck in this snow and cold pattern for the near future,” he said.