Temperatures surged to 85° here Wednesday marking the 26th time this year that the mercury reached or exceeded 85°. It was Chicago’s warmest temperature in a week. Each of the preceding five days had finished cooler than normal.
At a time of year known for 90° days, the absence of heat has been noteworthy. The metro area hasn’t recorded a 90° temperature since July 9—more than two weeks (17 days) ago! If July 2007 closes at midnight next Tuesday without another 90° day, this becomes only the sixth year since 1928 at Midway Airport in which the final three weeks of the month failed to produce a single 90°.
The heat wave which has gripped the Plains with triple-digit temperatures for days is breaking. Readings were in free-fall late Wednesday from Montana north to Canada’s Prairie Provinces, where 106° to 115° highs Tuesday were off more than 40-degrees in spots.
--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.
