After a long winter—and all Midwestern winters are long, even the mild ones—we impatiently anticipate the arrival of mild temperatures when March appears on our calendars. But lost in the lament over this spring’s persistent snow and chill is this crucial climatological fact: March is the beginning of Illinois’ tornado season, but low temperatures suppress severe thunderstorms.
The nation’s most deadly tornado, the great Tri-state tornado, killed 695 people (606 in Illinois)—and it was a March event: March 18, 1925.
So, the cliché that every dark cloud has a silvery lining is valid, and it’s applicable to the current cold spell. Consider this: The kind of upper-air wind pattern responsible for our current cold spring weather, when it occurs in January, brings sub-zero temps. In short, it’s far less painful to experience sub-normal temperatures in March than in January.
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
