“Mild” has appeared in Chicago forecasts in recent days with almost monotonous regularity, the continuation of a sustained period of above-normal temperatures that began here on Dec. 10. Judging from comments received at the WGN-TV weather center, those mild conditions are just fine with most of you because, among other things, they mean lower heating bills and snow- and ice-free commutes. On the other hand, we are hearing increasingly impatient laments from area snowbirds who are bemoaning the lack of snow. A weak “El-Nino event” (sea-surface temperatures running slightly above normal in the tropical Pacific Ocean) is currently in progress, and that usually alters atmospheric flow patterns in such a way that Chicago experiences relatively mild and snow-free winters. However, some computer models suggest a return to lower temperatures toward the middle of the month.
--By Richard Koeneman, 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.
