Chicago area shatters 105-year-old high temp record, but expect weekend cool down

The Chicago area surpassed a 105-year-old weather record Monday as temperatures climbed into the 60s.

The daily high topped out at 65 just before 5 p.m., smashing the 58-degree record high for a Feb. 16 in Chicago set in 1921, according to National Weather Service data.

The record was officially broken at 11:51 a.m. when the thermometer at O’Hare International Airport — the region’s official weather station — hit 59 degrees.

The warm up follows weeks where the Chicago area rarely saw temperatures above freezing, and is often sarcastically referred to as the “first fake spring” by cynical Chicago weather watchers.

Forecasters don’t expect the unseasonably warm air to stick around, though. Weather service meteorologists say high temperatures will likely drop back into the 30s by the weekend.

Rain is possible Tuesday with highs that could reach 60 degrees, followed by a windy Wednesday and temperatures that could sneak up to 70 and possibly break another record high for that day. Wednesday’s winds and warmth also bring an elevated fire risk, forecasters warn.

Then there’s a chance for snow late Thursday into Friday.

For perspective, the record low for a Feb. 16 in Chicago is -10 degrees recorded in 1885, according to weather service data.