Lake Forest and Lake Bluff residents face a three-day weather swing starting Thursday, Oct. 15, with soaking rain, wind gusts up to 40 mph and a frost threat by Friday night.
The National Weather Service forecast for the Lake Bluff area, updated Thursday morning, calls for showers mainly after noon with an 80 percent chance of precipitation and a high near 62. Rain is expected to continue into Thursday evening before tapering off around 9 p.m., with a quarter to a half inch of new rainfall possible during the day alone.
The wind arrives Friday, Oct. 16. The NWS forecast calls for showers likely between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., a high of only 52 and west-northwest winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts as high as 35 mph. Conditions worsen Friday night, when gusts could reach 40 mph and the low drops to around 38.
"The main impacts locally from this system will be periods of showers on Thursday, gusty northwest winds on Friday, and cooler temperatures, including a threat for frost, Friday and Saturday," the National Weather Service said, as reported by Patch.
The drop from earlier in the week is dramatic on paper. The NWS had forecast highs near 89 for Monday, Oct. 12, which would have broken the Chicago-area record of 84 for the day. By Friday night, the local forecast puts the low at 38. The NWS said widespread frost is forecast Friday night into Saturday and could return Saturday night.
Boaters and anyone near the Lake Michigan shoreline should take extra caution. The NWS issued a small craft advisory for the waters from Winthrop Harbor to Wilmette Harbor through Friday afternoon, upgrading to a gale warning Friday afternoon through late Friday night. The marine forecast calls for northerly gales to 40 knots, with waves building to 7 to 10 feet and occasionally reaching 13 feet Friday. Friday night, waves could climb to 12 to 14 feet, occasionally 18 feet.
Saturday, Oct. 17, brings relief. The NWS forecast calls for sunny skies and a high near 55, with a low around 43 Saturday night. By Sunday, Oct. 18, sunshine returns with a high near 60, and the NWS said temperatures will warm again into early next week.
