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Polar vortex next week? Not likely, but it's going to be cold

Dire predictions of the return of the dreaded polar vortex to the Chicago area next week might have been a bit exaggerated, but you can expect to feel cooler than normal temperatures.

So don't rush to dig out your gloves when you did when it snowed in May, but you probably will want to grab a coat.

The average high for this time of year is 85. We can expect temperatures to hover in the mid-70s during the day and drop into the 50s at night for much of next week, said Amy Seeley, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service.

The coolest day will be Tuesday, when temperatures will reach about 70 degrees, she said. Some forecasts are calling for lows in the suburbs to fall into the 40s.

The cold is expected to extend all across large portions of the Midwest and upper Great Plains, including Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, and Ohio.

But before we get to next week's chill, forecasters are keeping an eye on a band of severe weather that may hit us this weekend, starting tonight with storms as temperatures bounce between the 80s and 60s.

Scattered thunderstorms are likely as temperatures are expected to reach 81 degrees today, then dip to 66 degrees overnight tonight. It will reach a high of 83 degrees Saturday, and drop to 68 degrees overnight Saturday.

The overnight storms Friday are capable of producing heavy downpours and wind gusts of 40 mph, meteorologists predict.

The chance of thunderstorms overnight Friday and Saturday is 60 percent, the National Weather Service predicts on their website.

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