Warm weather is keeping Chicago residents inside

CHICAGO, IL — While Chicagoans are being asked to stay home to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, the warm weather forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday is sparking concerns about whether residents will be able to maintain social distancing.

According to the National Weather Service, Tuesday is set to be unseasonably warm, with temperatures hitting the low-to-mid 70s for the first time this year, and the potential for a high of 81 degrees.

When the weather is this nice, Chicagoans usually emerge from their homes en masse, where they’ve been hunkered down throughout the winter. But this year, they’re being asked to stay home, despite the nice weather, since the coronavirus has hit the city hard, with 5,043 positive cases and 118 deaths as of Tuesday morning.

Due to the widespread impact of the coronavirus, Illinois’ stay-at-home order has been extended through at least April 30. The mandatory order requires all residents to stay home except for essential business.