The first teens of autumn 2006 greeted many Chicagoans as Friday dawned, making this the coldest morning since Feb. 26—more than eight months ago—when the mercury bottomed out at 16° at O’Hare.
Friday promises the new month’s sunniest weather to date, a development which lays the foundation for a significant warming trend in the coming week. But, the day’s predicted 44° high is still 10 degrees below normal and 26 degrees behind last year’s 70° high on this date. The predicted temperature turnaround comes not a moment too soon for many after Thursday’s 34° high—a reading 20 degrees below normal. Only six years on record since 1871 have had a daytime high that cold or colder so early in autumn. Thursday’s 30 m.p.h. wind gusts limited wind chills to just 18-24°.
Frigid air plunged into the Deep South overnight, prompting frost and freeze warnings across nine states including Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.
--By Tom Skilling, WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
