Record warmth Monday, but storms, cold and possibly snow all on the way: 'We'll be back to reality on Wednesday'

The Chicago area set a new warm weather record on Monday, the National Weather Service said.

The city reached a high of 71 degrees, breaking the date’s previous record high of 64 set Feb. 26, 2000.

The warm weather is expected to continue Tuesday and could reach a high of 74, meteorologist Kevin Birk said.

Temperatures will begin to cool as a strong cold front moves in Tuesday evening. Strong to severe storms are expected to begin at 5 p.m. and last until about 9 p.m., Birk said.

However, much lower temperatures are expected Wednesday — with the high dropping to 32 degrees.

“We’ll be back to reality on Wednesday,” Birk said.

There is also a possibility of snow late Tuesday night and into early Wednesday, Birk said.

The recent unseasonably mild weather is amounting to what might become Chicago’s warmest February in recorded history.

Chicago’s warmest monthly average temperature for February was 39 degrees, set in 1882. Based on the weather so far and the latest predictions through the end of the month, this February is on track to barely top that record and reach a 39.2-degree average, according to the National Weather Service.