The mammoth storm which has churned across the Rockies since Wednesday ranks among the strongest of the past six years. Rainfall near Los Angeles reached 14.63” late Wednesday at Opids Camp and 7.28” at Three Peaks outside San Francisco. The 9.18” at Mt. Charleston west of Las Vegas fell on soil so dry, predicted flash flooding never materialized. Meantime, snowfalls of 3 feet near Lake Tahoe threatened to reach as much as 4-7 feet in the Wasatch Mountains east of Salt Lake City.
It was a third straight day under the clouds in Chicago Wednesday. In contrast to September’s record of 90%, October has hosted only 54% of possible sun. Only three other Octobers since 1990 have logged as little or even less sunshine.
Wednesday’s 53° high was the 7th straight day below 56°. Only twice before, in 1875 and 1909, have so many daytime high tempers in the mid-50s or lower occurred in mid October.
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
