The Crummy Weather Will Carry On Through The Weekend

By Sophie Lucido Johnson in News on Apr 8, 2016 4:13PM

Let the weird weather continue: After last weekend's manic snow-sun-rain-sleet parade, Chicago is in for another weekend of brutally yucky on-again-off-again precipitation. The Chicago Weather Center says a low-pressure disturbance combined with a cold front and winds gusting up to 30 miles per hour are responsible for this epically gross Friday.

If you decide to brave the elements to catch the White Sox opening game, bundle up and bring a waterproof layer: Snow isn't expected to stop—it will continue into the night, possibly accumulating up to an inch, according to the Tribune. And while the snow is expected to move east Saturday, don't plan a picnic: The cold is hanging around for at least another day. Things should start to thaw (with accompanying rain) by Sunday.

While it's objectively unpleasant, this is not particularly strange for this time of year. April is a notoriously unpredictable weather month in the city; historical highs for this time of year stretch into the upper 70s, while lows have occasionally scraped the teens. It's a perfect day to repeat that old "April showers bring May flowers" adage, and to tell your friends that you have to stay in tonight because—you just do.

By the way, if you're wondering what to call this abysmal rain-snow-sleet hybrid that's seriously harshing your vibe today, you can call it graupel, according to the National Weather Service. Graupel is a soft hail that almost feels like snow. Go ahead and tuck that word away for times when you want to call your enemy a mean name no one will understand.