The mild, comparatively sanguine weather pattern which has dominated since September, producing a string of large monthly temp surpluses, is coming to an end. Huge atmospheric changes in coming days over North America will drive a series of bitterly cold arctic air masses into the U.S. in the week ahead, each colder and more expansive than than its predecessor. The first hits Sunday, arriving on powerful north winds expected to limit daytime temps to the teens while generating sub-zero windchills. It hasn’t been that cold in December since 2001. A chill of that intensity would make the Bears game the coldest at Soldier Field in 11 years—since Dec. 26, 1993 with its 13° high.
The chill isn’t occurring everywhere. Powerful, downsloping Santa Ana winds roared across sections southern California’s Ventura County Thursday at speeds of 120 m.p.h. Temps there soared into the upper 70s. And in Alaska, record highs were set at Yakutat (47°) and Juneau (46°).
-Tom Skilling
