Tuesday forecast: Highs in the mid 70s expected before storms roll in

National Weather Service officials are expecting record breaking temperatures Tuesday, but strong storms were on the horizon that could bring tornadoes, high winds and large hail.

Current conditions at O’Hare International Airport was a few clouds at 62 degrees. Farther south at Midway Airport morning conditions are overcast at 64 degrees.

Weather officials are expecting thunderstorms with up to 2 inch hail and winds up to 60 mph Tuesday with a slight chance of tornadoes in the evening hours in portions of north central and northeast Illinois, and northwest Indiana.

Scattered thunderstorms are likely Tuesday evening, and officials warn some of the storms could be severe. Strong northwest winds are expected to roll in Tuesday evening into the night hours behind a cold front with gusts of 30 to 40 mph expected with brief gusts up to 50 mph, officials said.

In 1976, high temperatures were recorded at 56 degrees, with a low of 10 degrees in 1888, according to the National Weather Service.

It’s possible that the former location of the official Chicago climate station contributed to the late 1800s holding February’s top warm spots, according to Ricky Castro, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Romeoville. The weather service used to make observations at a location near Lake Michigan in downtown, rather than at O’Hare International Airport, Castro said. While there wasn’t as much development as today, Castro said warming from urbanization likely was centered at the lakefront, possibly skewing the readings.

Temperatures were expected to return to February status when snow showers are expected after midnight. Officials said some areas could see small accumulations of an inch or so making hazardous conditions on roadways.

Overnight, windchills could hover between 5 below zero to 10 degrees above zero, the National Weather Service predicts. A high of 23 degrees was expected overnight.