PHOTOS: As Relief Arrives, See How Chicagoans Beat The Triple Digit Heat This Week

CHICAGO — Relief from the great heat wave of summer 2023 is here.

After stifling triple digit temperatures on Thursday, Friday will see a daytime high near 76 degrees, with cloudy skies and a slight chance of showers in the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

The cooldown will continue this weekend, with expected highs Saturday and Sunday in the low to mid 70s.

Monday’s forecast is mostly sunny with a high near 81 degrees. The city will continue to cool off later in the week with temperatures in the 70s, according to the weather service.

The relief comes after Chicago clocked a “real feel” heat index of 118 degrees around 3 p.m. Thursday — tying the record set on July 13, 1995, when a historic heat wave killed over 700 people.

Temperatures peaked around the same time at 100 degrees, said meteorologist Rafal Ogorek of the National Weather Service’s local outpost, tying the record for the city’s highest-ever temperature set in 1947.

The heat wave, which started Wednesday, was caused by a bottleneck from a pressure system over the Midwest, high humidity and low cloud coverage, meteorologists said.

City officials mobilized an emergency action plan, canceling outdoor sports for Chicago Public School students and bringing CTA cooling buses outside migrant shelters.

“I haven’t been to hell, but I say this has got to be close,” Demetrius Gee told Block Club Chicago as she walked in an umbrella hat on the Near West Side to take care of her mom on the hottest day of the year.

As Chicagoans took to the lakefront and the neighborhood fire hydrant to cool off, Block Club Chicago followed along.

See photos from this week’s heat wave:

Edgar splashes in Lake Michigan with his family at Montrose Beach in Uptown as Chicago hit the daily record high at 100 degrees on Aug. 24, 2023.

Jose DeLeon and Natalia play in the water from a fire hydrant in Albany Park as Chicago reached record-breaking high temperatures on Aug. 23, 2023.

A person drinks water while Chicago reached a record-breaking high temperatures on Aug. 23, 2023, as seen near Buckingham Fountain.

Brenda, Jubal and Elijah of Aurora pose for a photo in Lake Michigan at Montrose Beach in Uptown as Chicago hit the daily record high at 100 degrees on Aug. 24, 2023.

Friends splash in Lake Michigan at Montrose Beach in Uptown as Chicago hit the daily record high at 100 degrees on Aug. 24, 2023.

Asylum seekers escape the heat on a CTA cooling bus outside of the Gage Park emergency shelter as Chicago maintained record-breaking high “real feel” heat indexes on Aug. 24, 2023.

People walk through Lake Michigan at Montrose Beach in Uptown as Chicago hit the daily record high at 100 degrees on Aug. 24, 2023.

Neighbors and kids play in the water from a fire hydrant in Albany Park as Chicago reached record-breaking high temperatures on Aug. 23, 2023.

Demetrius Gee dons a rainbow umbrella hat to block the sun on the Near West Side as Chicago maintained record-breaking high “real feel” heat indexes on Aug. 24, 2023.

People go for a stroll while Chicago reached a record-breaking high temperatures on Aug. 23, 2023, as seen near Buckingham Fountain.

Miguel Rivera enjoys the water from a fire hydrant in Albany Park as Chicago reached record-breaking high temperatures on Aug. 23, 2023.

People apply sunscreen at Montrose Beach in Uptown as Chicago hit the daily record high at 100 degrees on Aug. 24, 2023.

Carter plays in the water from a fire hydrant in Albany Park as Chicago reached record-breaking high temperatures on Aug. 23, 2023.

Wind whips up sand while people and seagulls flock to Montrose Beach in Uptown as Chicago hit the daily record high at 100 degrees on Aug. 24, 2023.

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PHOTOS: As Relief Arrives, See How Chicagoans Beat The Triple Digit Heat This Week

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