With a surge in temperatures to push readings into the 40s Thursday and the 50s on Friday, January 2006, currently running a 13° temperature surplus, appears headed for still another mid-winter temperature benchmark. The month, which ends midnight Tuesday, is on track to join only two other Januarys since 1871 in which each day has been above normal. Only January 1880 and 1990 share that distinction.
Record warmth in Montana and the Plains Wednesday is eastbound. Highs of 62° at Cut Bank and Great Falls, along with the 59° peak reading at Billings—all in Montana—are now on the books as Jan. 25th’s warmest. Rapid City, S.D. was even warmer at 66°—also a record.
By contrast, Alaska is in a deep freeze. Chandalar Lake and Fort Yukon bottomed out at -53° Wednesday while residents of Fairbanks, where a -35° high was logged Wednesday, haven’t reached 0° since Jan. 12.
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
