Chicago enters a sixth day of 90s Wednesday and the third consecutive day of brutal heat and humidity. It’s part of a dome of heat which first entered the national spotlight weeks ago as a wildfire-producer in the West, then grew even more ominous as temperatures within it surged ever-higher and heat related deaths began to mount. By late Tuesday, sections of 29 states were in its grip.
Chicago logged a rare second official 99° high Tuesday—a reading 16° above normal and only a degree shy of the day’s record. Sets of readings at such oppressive levels have occurred here only 13 of the past 135 years.
The last 6 days has produced the most oppressive heat here since the deadly 1995 episode, and constitutes the second warmest late July/early August period on record since 1871.
Area heat indexes Tuesday soared to 120° at Gary and 117° at Northerly Island.
-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.
