Chicago weather: Late week warmup and possible weekend storms

CHICAGO - Chicagoland started the week with another blustery day, as westerly winds gusted over 40 mph at times.

Despite the strong winds, temperatures were seasonable, topping out in the upper 40s to low 50s.

What we know:

Winds will calm down overnight, with partly cloudy skies and lows dipping into the lower 30s.

Tuesday will be partly sunny, with highs around 50 degrees and a slight chance for a stray shower, though most areas will remain dry.

Wednesday looks pleasant, with partly cloudy skies and highs in the low 50s. A gradual warmup will continue into Thursday, when temperatures could reach the mid to upper 50s. A few stray showers are possible, but most of the area will stay dry under partly sunny to mostly cloudy skies.

A more unsettled pattern arrives Friday into the weekend, with scattered showers expected both Friday and Saturday. Temperatures will depend on the position of a warm front. If it moves north into southern Wisconsin, highs could soar into the 70s. However, if the front stalls near I-80, much of the region could stay stuck in the 50s.

What's next:

Sunday could bring the next significant weather event.

The Storm Prediction Center has already highlighted portions of Chicagoland in its Day 7 Outlook for severe storms. Details, however, remain uncertain this far out.