Fabulous 7-day forecast

After a cloudy start to the weekend, expect a chance of scattered showers across the region today.  Highs will average near 67 degrees (cooler north, warmer south).  Then, starting on Mother's Day Sunday, we will begin a stretch of fabulous weather.  Sunday's high will be near 70 degrees as skies become mostly sunny.  Monday through Friday weather promises sunny to mostly sunny conditions every day with highs in the mid to upper 70s all week, topping with an 80 degree high day on Friday.  If you haven't become a fan of our facebook abc7 weather page yet, come on by and click "like".  You'll be able to see our 7-day forecasts and other weather links as well as post comments.  Have a great weekend!  MARK BISHOP

Cold today...warm week on the way

Temperatures have been averaging near 40 this February, but highs today will be a bit below average with highs only near 32 degrees.  It'll also be a breezy day with W/NW winds gusting to 20 mph at times.  Winds will gusty tomorrow as well, but it will be a warming wind from the S/SW.  Sunday's highs will top near 47 degrees under mostly sunny skies.  The rest of the week highs will remain in the 40s with chances of rain and perhaps a thundershower as well.  For all the latest on the forecast, be sure to tune to ABC 7.  If you're on facebook, be sure to come by the abc 7 chicago weather page and become a fan.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Mark Bishop

Lake effect snow hits Indiana

What only amounted to light snow on the Illinois side of the lake, some areas of Indiana got hit with a foot of snow thanks to the lake effect snow machine.  Cold air rolling of the "warmer" lake waters was all it took to cause the event.  Now, as the snow continues to move eastward today, arctic cold air is what remains.  Look for highs to barely top 20 degrees today with wind chills below zero at times.  The cold blast is short lived as temps rebound to 34 degrees by Monday, then temps surge even more by Wednesday with a high of 40.  40s will roll into Thursday as well with a brief cool down into Friday.  Precipitation chances come on Monday with a chance of light snow and again on Thursday with a chance of rain and/or snow.  Stay warm everyone! 

Mark Bishop

Mild January...so far

January picked up where December left off--mild.  The first week of January is already averaging nearly 41 degrees and yesterday's high of 55 degrees made it feel like late fall or early spring.  The mild weather continues this weekend, but not as mild as the 50s.  Expect sunshine with a high of 42 for your Saturday and highs near the same on Sunday.  Monday through Friday highs will be in the mid to upper 40s, then the bottom drops out on Thursday with morning lows in the teens and highs in the mid to upper 20s.  No major snowstorms in the near future which has some upset but others excited.  Have you found us on facebook yet?  Swing on by and like our page and get weather updates all day!  Have a good weekend.

MARK BISHOP

Mild New Year's Eve

We're finalizing 2011 with a mild day.  Temps will top nearly 50 degrees for your Saturday as winds pick up from the south.  By New Year's Day it will be downright windy with gusts approaching 45 mph.  Look for a chance of flurries or light snow tonight after midnight into Sunday morning.  Highs will top in the mid 30's for the first day of 2012.  Then the bottom drops out with the coldest air of the season on Monday and Tuesday with lows in the teens and highs only in the low 20s.  Believe it or not, we warm back up into the mid 40s by Friday with plenty of sunshine in the 7-day forecast.  Happy New Year everyone!  Be safe.

Mark Bishop

No White Christmas this year

Merry Christmas Eve!  Don't hold out hope for a white Christmas...not going to happen!  I have a feeling there will be a major discount on sleds at the after Christmas sales.  Perhaps a football should be on the list as you'll be able to comfortably toss it around in the front yard on Christmas day thanks to the mild temperatures.  Expect sunshine and highs near 40 for your Saturday.  Then on Sunday highs will be back in the low 40s with mostly sunny skies, however, it will be breezy with gusts at 25 mph at times from the SW.  The new week promises mild weather as well with highs above or near 40 all week.  Next chance of a rain/snow mix will come Monday night into Tuesday, but at this point it doesn't look like a major deal.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!  Be sure to stay tuned to ABC 7 for the latest forecast.  If you haven't yet, stop on by our facebook page and click 'like' to become a fan.  Simply seach 'ABC 7 Chicago Weather'.  Talk to you soon!

Mark Bishop

Sunny & Cold

Expect another sunny and cold day for your Saturday, December 10, 2011.  It should be a rather quiet day without any chances of precipitation, but hopefully you have plans inside as temps will only top in the mid to upper 20s.  However if you're hoping for warmer weather for the weekend, then wait no longer!  Sunday promises to be 10-12 degrees warmer with more sunshine.  The rest of the week includes a gradual warming trend that peaks on Thursday with highs in the upper 40s.  A midweek midwest storm will likely bring us rain (not snow) as we remain in the warm sector of the storm on Wednesday and Thursday.  However, as the weather system moves eastward, we're expecting colder air to settle in by Friday with highs in the mid 30s.  Bears are in Denver on Sunday with a kickoff temp of 43 under mostly sunny skies at 3:05 pm.  Have a wonderful weekend everyone! 

Mark Bishop

Cold blast coming

Enjoy the mild day for your December 3rd Saturday, because changes are on the way!  Expect highs near 50 today with rain showers.  Sunday temps start off mild in the 40s but will continue to drop into the late afternoon back into the 30s.  It's looking like a windy day as well with gusts near 30 mph.  The cold blast officially unpacks its suitcase during the work week as highs will only top in the low to mid 30s and loss in the 20s.  Check us out on facebook and become a fan!  There we post pictures and weather maps to help you plan your day.  Come on by and "like" us.  Have a great weekend. 

Mark Bishop

Last November 2011 weekend

Believe it or not, we're wrapping up another November.  While the month has been nearly five degrees above average, we end the last weekend of November cooler.  After highs in the mid to upper 50s on Saturday, Sunday promises to be blustery and cool.  Highs of the day have already come at midnight for Sunday and temperatures will continue to fall off to around 40 the rest of the day.  N/NW winds will pick up and gust to 25 mph at times.  Expect sunshine to reappear on Monday but clouds roll back in on Tuesday with a chance of a rain/snow combo.  The entire week looks cool with highs everyday in the upper 30s to lower 40s.  Be sure to tune in to ABC-7 for the latest.  If you haven't yet, surf over to the abc 7 weather page on facebook and become a fan!  Bears are in Oakland today and will enjoy kickoff temps in the low to mid 60s.  Have a great week everyone!

Mark Bishop

Soggy Saturday

A slow moving cold front is slicing its way through the midwest today leaving a trail of sogginess.  Ahead of the cold front temperatures are in the upper 50s to low 60s.  Behind the cold front are temps in the upper 30s to low 40s.  Because of the slow movement of the front, areas of western Illinois have already picked up about a half an inch of rain while sections of Cook and Dupage counties have measured a quarter of an inch already.  Expect sharply colder conditions on Sunday with highs only near 40.  While the winds are blowing from the S/SW today, tomorrow's winds will come from the N/NW and will have us talking about wind chills!  It's been a mild November so far and I suppose the change was bound to occur!  If you haven't dug into the hallway closet for your warmer jackets, now's a good time to as highs next week will hover only in the upper 30s to low 40s.  Don't be surprised if you even see some snowflakes mixed in overnight into Sunday morning.  For the latest forecast, be sure to tune into abc 7 news at 6 and 10 tonight.  Are you on facebook?  Surf over to our new facebook page and become a fan!  Be sure to say hi to Jerry, Mike, Tracy, Phil and myself on our wall.  Simply search abc 7 chicago weather on facebook.  Have a wonderful evening!  Stay dry!  Oh, by the way...Bears play in Oakland, CA Sunday against the Raiders.  Kickoff temp is expected to be a comfortable 64 degrees under mostly sunny skies.  Go Bears!

Mark Bishop