Until Thursday, this spring’s temperature surpluses had been building at an impressive rate. The day’s 57° high and 42° low produced the first below normal daily average temp here in 24 days. And the weekend ahead looks even cooler. Daytime highs will hold to the 40s—a level +20° below normal and the first daytime readings to remain that cool this month. Those temps would be more than 30° chillier than Saturday and Sunday a week ago. The change to cool weather ends a 24-day run of temps which finished at or above normal.
This marks a dramatic turnaround in the temperature trend this spring. Since the start of the season on March 1, temps have averaged 2.1° above normal, warm enough to rank 35th warmest of any spring in 135 years. April’s remarkable warmth has contributed mightily. Until now, this month alone has averaged 8° above normal.
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
