Today’s high in the mid 80s ends an unprecedented five-day (June 28-July 2) string of afternoon readings in the 70s. It’s never been that cool for that many days in the late-June/early-July period since records began at Midway Airport in 1928.
And the warmth this afternoon strengthens to genuine heat by the weekend. Massive rains that have swamped the Southern Plains in recent weeks call to mind the world’s one-month precipitation record that is held by Cherrapunji, India. Located at an elevation of 4,309 feet in Assam, India, Cherrapunji is subject to warm, moist monsoon winds that sweep inland from the Indian Ocean, depositing buckets of rain as the air ascends toward the Himalayan Mountains. An incredible 366.14 inches of rain came down at Cherrapunji in July, 1861. That world record still stands, even after 146 years.
-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.
