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Polar Vortex Poised to Send Arctic Air Into Chicago Around Thanksgiving

Forecasters link the expected chill to a jet-stream shift triggered by an unusually early stratospheric warming event.

Overview

  • National Weather Service guidance points to a mild stretch into early next week, with Time and Date projecting about 45°F on Thanksgiving before a sharper cooldown.
  • FOX 32 expects an arctic air push to settle in after the holiday, with highs in the 30s and lows in the 20s across the Chicago area.
  • Meteorologists cite a jet-stream dip associated with a sudden stratospheric warming event as the driver of the southward push of colder air.
  • Because the disruption is occurring early in the season, forecasters do not anticipate the subzero readings often seen during midwinter polar-vortex events.
  • Local advice emphasizes practical precautions for the holiday period, including layering up and favoring indoor plans.