While temperatures in the 50s don’t occur with regularity until March, bursts of 50° weather have occurred this month in Chicago 61 of the past 76 years—or 80% of all Februarys. What sets the current mild spell apart is the potential for three 50°days in a row. On only 11 occasions has a spell of three 50° highs occurred in the mid-January to mid-February period.
The area of the country predicted to bask in abnormally mild temperatures Friday is impressive! For all intents and purposes, the air mass extends from coast to coast, and is to produce readings 30 or more degrees above normal in the Plains.
In Chicago, the warmup will bring an end to more than 17 consecutive days with at least 1” of snow on the ground—this winter’s longest spell of snow cover, though short of the 28 day stretch which occurred last winter.
-Tom Skilling
