Downright cold Thursday ahead across northern Illinois

Winds were the big weather headline Wednesday, but it's what those winds left behind that's going to become the big focus for today. 

Temperatures across the region have plummeted from the low 40s Wednesday to the lower teens. Wind chills are well below zero for most locales. Crank up the heat and make sure to pack on those layers before heading out the door this morning.

Winds will be strongest during the morning hours, gusting up to 25-35 mph out of the northwest. While the day does feature quite a bit of sunshine, its this cold wind that will leave afternoon highs in the low 20s, 10°-15° below average. 

Overnight, temperatures fall back towards the 10° mark under a partly cloudy sky. Winds take a turn to the southwest for Friday, though it won’t increase temperatures all that much as we will still end up near the 30° mark under mixed sunshine. 

Improvements in the temperature department will really be felt over the weekend as a ridge of high pressure takes hold of the upper levels. This will leave flow at the surface out of the southwest, boosting afternoon highs in the low 40s Friday, then upper 40s, close to 50° Sunday. Overnight lows will climb quite a bit as well, dropping in to the low 30s Saturday night and low 40s Sunday night!