CHICAGO, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The temperature in Chicago, the third largest city in the United States, could hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.78 degrees Celsius) on Tuesday, for the first time in a decade.

       The National Weather Service forecast that the temperature in the metro area will hit the mark at 4 p.m. local time. The last time Chicago saw such high temperatures was toward the end of a heat wave on July 6, 2012, when temperatures climbed to 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius), Chicago Tribune quoted meteorologist Ricky Castro as saying on Tuesday.

       High temperatures are more likely when the area is dry. But that same dryness means it won't feel so "oppressive" outside, Castro said.

       Heat indexes are expected to peak at 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 degrees Celsius) on the Tuesday summer solstice. The record temperature for June 21 is 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 degrees Celsius), set in 1988.

       A cold front is expected to come in Tuesday night, which could cause storms with gusty winds, downpours and lightning. But the storm's coverage area is expected to be isolated and scattered, and the city is unlikely to be relieved from its current dryness, media reports said.