High Swim Risk As Chicago Area Memorial Day Weekend Forecast Details Emerge

Here's a look at the weather as the long weekend brings the unofficial start of summer.

By Andrea Earnest, Patch Staff

May 22, 2026 11:14 am CDT

The unofficial start to summer will feature warming temperatures and should stay mostly dry this Memorial Day weekend, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

"While there are shower chances at times along with the potential for a rumble of thunder on Sunday, the majority of the weekend is expected to be dry," the weather service said on its Facebook.

Friday will have a high of 72 degrees, and there is a high swim risk at Illinois beaches. Dangerous swimming conditions could linger into Saturday morning, the weather service said.

Saturday will have a high of 76 degrees, and it will be even warmer on Sunday with a high of 80. Monday will have a high of 85 degrees, according to the current forecast. Temperatures will stay cooler near the lake all weekend, reaching into the lower 70s.

Here is a more detailed look at this holiday weekend's forecast, per the weather service:

FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. East northeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

FRIDAY NIGHT: A 20 percent chance of showers after 10 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. East wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

SATURDAY: A 20 percent chance of showers before 8am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73. North northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

SATURDAY NIGHT: A 30 percent chance of showers after 1 a.m. Partly cloudy during the early evening, then becoming cloudy, with a low around 55. East-northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.

SUNDAY: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. Calm wind becoming west-northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56.

MONDAY: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.

MONDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.