Blazing heat, which has staged a full but stormy retreat from the nation’s midsection the past two days, now grips the West and threatens new temperature records as far north as Portland, Ore. There, 90s predicted Saturday and triple-digit readings forecast Sunday afternoon are levels more than 25 degrees above normal.
Temperatures within the same air mass in California Friday hit 111° at Redding, 112° at Red Bluff and 105° at Sacramento—each a new record for June 23. Weekend highs are predicted to hit 112° both Saturday and Sunday at Las Vegas.
Chicago’s weather couldn’t be more different. Atmospheric moisture has dropped to 29 percent of the level observed only two days ago, as evidenced by the eminently comfortable humidities to which Chicagoans rise Saturday. But, the heat’s retreat set off waves of t-storms across 42 states late this past week, including nearly 4 dozen twisters and 1,600-plus reports of severe weather.
--By Tom Skilling, WGN-TV Meteorologist
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
