It’s not been a great season for snow in Chicago. The city’s 20.3” seasonal tally is just 70% normal and a whopping 14.7”—just over half—the 35.0” which had accumulated by this time a year ago.
December’s 10.4” tops the area’s monthly snowfall tallies and dwarfs the 2.5” which has been measured so far this month at O’Hare. Totals through Feb. 22 have been lower in only 5 of the 26 snow seasons since 1980.
Playing a huge role in depressing these numbers has been this winter’s milder than normal temperatures. Average daily readings have been above normal on 69% of meteorological winter days.
While Chicago temperatures continue their rebound Wednesday and Thursday by pushing above 40°, an unusual chill gripped northern California Tuesday morning breaking records. Among the new cold temperature benchmarks there were 27° at Red Bluff and 29° at both Sacramento and Redding.
-Tom Skilling
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
