Rainy Records Broken; Winter Set To Return This Weekend For Chicago Area

After record rainfall and record high temperatures on Thursday and early Friday, winter is set to return on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

On Thursday, a record rainfall of 1.92 inches was recorded in Chicago, beating out the previous record of 1.18 inches which was set in 1935. It was the third-rainiest January day on record, according to the weather service.

A record high of 60 degrees was also recorded during the midnight hour early Friday. This ties the record set for Jan. 9, 1880, the weather service said.

And now, a wintry pattern is set to return over the weekend, bringing the potential for snow on Saturday, the weather service said.

"Temperatures cool into the 40s [Friday], with gusty winds diminishing and drizzle/showers ending [Friday] morning," the weather service said on its Facebook.

Strong westerly winds on Friday morning could also cause difficulty for high-profile vehicles, especially on north-south roads in open areas, according to the weather service.

A storm system will affect the Chicago area on Saturday, bringing up to an inch of snow, especially for far northern Illinois.

"A period of steady precipitation [Saturday morning] in the form of wet snow and some rain may result in localized slushy accumulations on colder/untreated surfaces," the weather service said.

There could also be some flurries Saturday afternoon, and "wind-whipped" snow showers on Saturday night, according to the current forecast. Saturday will have a high of 40 degrees, and temps will be colder on Sunday with a high of 32.

Here is a more detailed look at the weather this weekend, per the weather service:

FRIDAY: Patchy drizzle with isolated sprinkles before 9 a.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 44. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 25 mph becoming north northwest 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph.

FRIDAY NIGHT: A slight chance of rain after 3 a.m., mixing with snow after 5 a.m. Increasing clouds, with a low around 32. North wind around 5 mph becoming south southeast after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

SATURDAY: Rain and snow likely before noon, then a chance of rain and snow showers between noon and 1 p.m., then a chance of snow showers after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west 15 to 20 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

SATURDAY NIGHT: A 40 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. Blustery, with a west northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny, with a high near 32. Breezy, with a west northwest wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy, with a low around 23.