Thursday’s 91° high was the year’s 13th daytime reading at or above 90°, and the third time this summer area residents have been treated to three consecutive 90° highs. Peak readings in this most recent hot spell of the season first topped 90° on Tuesday, then reached 92° Wednesday and 91° Thursday. This marks only the 6th time in the past four decades at Midway Airport that an August has opened with back to back 90s.
Meteorological summer has averaged 72.8° in Chicago—virtually identical to the same period a year ago and 1.6° above the 137-year long term average. That’s qualifies the 2007 season as Chicago’s 38th warmest since 1871. While humidities pull back Friday into Saturday, heat resurges strongly Sunday afternoon into next week—a development sure to push our summer temp ranking even higher.
--By Tom Skilling, WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist
