We didn’t receive a minute of sunshine as we observed the winter solstice on Thursday, according to Chicago’s veteran weather observer Frank Wachowski, and Friday could be similarly cloudy. Winds will be shifting to the north, however, a sign that colder air is on the way.

Saturday highs will occur early in the day, with afternoon readings in the 20s as the colder air settles into the Chicago area. The cold will probably last through next week and into the first week of January.

We could experience brief periods of light snow or flurries in the next few days, but it now looks like the best chance of a significant snow may wait until later next Wednesday into Thursday.