A high of 64 degrees is forecast for Wednesday in Chicago, and if that mark is reached, it would tie a record-high temperature for Dec. 15, set in 1971.

       Temperatures have been on the rise this week, but after flirting with the record Wednesday, a cold front is expected to arrive Wednesday night to start cooling things down again.

       “The weather pattern that we’re going in is certainly going toward warm conditions, so if we don’t break the record, we’ll definitely be close,” said Kevin Birk, meteorologist for the National Weather Service Chicago.

       The high in the Chicago area Monday was expected to be about 51, and the low was expected to be around 32. The forecast has Tuesday’s high at 52 with a low of 46.

       Wednesday’s forecasted high of 64 will be followed by lows around 45 and windy conditions Wednesday night with gusts up to 45 and 50 mph while the cold front passes through the Chicago area.

       Higher than normal temperatures bring out ice skaters to Maggie Daley Park Ice Skating Ribbon, Dec. 13, 2021. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

       Birk said it’s likely that just after midnight between Wednesday and Thursday the temperature will be around 60, which would technically be Thursday’s overall high. But Thursday’s daytime high is forecast to be 46 with a low of 29.

       Precipitation isn’t expected until Wednesday night when the area could see some showers and thunderstorms as the cold front comes in, Birk said.

       The record high in the Chicago area for Dec. 13 is 67 degrees set in 1975 and the record low is minus-13 set in 1903. For Dec. 14, the record high is 66, also set in 1975, and the low is minus-9 set in 1901. Dec. 15′s record low is minus-12, also set in 1901.

       As week warms up, we could reach 64 on Wednesday. That would tie a 50-year-old record in Chicago.

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