It's been a historic couple of days in northern Illinois with some of the highest heat indexes ever recorded hitting 115 to 120 degrees in some areas of the Stateline.

Even a decrease in temperatures into the 80s will bring some much-needed relief, but the weekend is going to be nearly perfect for Chicagoland and Rockford.

It Will Feel More Than 60 Degrees Cooler

The heat index in Rockford on Thursday (8/24) was 116 degrees and the current Weather Channel forecast will have a low of 56 by this Saturday night.

That is more than a 60-degree difference in about 48 hours but I don't think you'll any hear complaints from our region.

WROK 1440 AM / 96.1 FM logo
Get our free mobile app

Friday (8/25) the high temperature is expected to be 86 in Rockford, and closer to the lake temperatures will be much milder with a high of 75 predicted for Chicago, according to the Weather Channel.

After Extreme Heat Subsides, Weekend Will Feel Like Autumn

The weekend will be a nice preview of what fall in the Midwest will feel like with temperatures expected to be mild through the middle of next week.

On Saturday (8/26) and Sunday (8/27) the high in Rockford is expected to be in the upper 70s with lows in the mid-50s, but if you need it to be cooler, head to Chicago where it will be around 70 through the weekend.

Temps will continue to be comfortable through the end of August with highs in Rockford expected to be in the mid-70s to lower-80s until at least Thursday (8/31).

LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state

Stacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.

Keep reading to find out individual state records in alphabetical order.

LOOK: What major laws were passed the year you were born?

Data for this list was acquired from trusted online sources and news outlets. Read on to discover what major law was passed the year you were born and learn its name, the vote count (where relevant), and its impact and significance.

More From WROK 1440 AM / 96.1 FM