Chicago’s early season cold snap became one for the record books Sunday when the official high at O’Hare Airport peaked at only 15º, eclipsing the day’s previous lowest maximum of 16° established 64 years ago in 1942. The cold weather arrived with a vengeance last Thursday after more than a week of highs in the 50s and 60s. In the midst of a major snowstorm, readings here dropped below freezing at 5 a.m. Friday morning and have not been above 32° since.
Chicago’s first shot at a thaw will not come until Tuesday afternoon, but if that does not materialize, readings above freezing may not occur until next weekend.
The cold weather has penetrated all the way to the Gulf Coast, where freeze watches and warnings are posted from southern Louisiana to northern Florida.
The cold spell is expected to ease here by the end of the week as a jet-stream realignment re-establishes the mild westerly Pacific flow that was so prevalent here during late November.
--By Steve Kahn, WGN Weather Center Meteorologist
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
