Chicago’s remarkable run of mild weather eradicated the area’s snowpack nearly a month ago. There’s not been an inch of snow on the ground since Christmas Eve (Dec. 24). It’s little wonder why.
Friday marks the 29th straight day of above normal temperatures and January 2006’s warmth, buoyed by Thursday’s near record 55° high, a reading 26° above normal, is now Chicago’s 2nd warmest since 1871.
It’s rare for there to be a complete lack of snow on the ground this time of year. In only 34 years since 1885 has Jan. 20 boasted bare ground here—that’s just 28% of the time. Even rarer are Januarys which have reached the third week without a single day of 1” or more of snow on the ground. This January is one of only 7 in the past 70 years to achieve that meteorological benchmark. Friday night’s storm could change this. But daytime highs this weekend should produce melting in short order.
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
