Tuesday's gusty southwest winds deliver the 40th day of 70-degree-plus temperatures since Sept. 1 in what has been one of this area's mildest autumns here. With the three-month meteorological fall season (September-November) nearing the two-thirds mark, Chicago's 63.9-degree average temperature to date ranks 8th warmest of 137 comparable periods on the books since weather records began in 1871. Daily temperatures have averaged above normal 78 percent of the time the past 59 days.
Florida and much of the Southeast Coast is being pounded by a nor'easter. Huge barometric pressure variations between a sprawling high pressure off New England and late-season Tropical Storm Noel, which moved from Haiti into the South Atlantic Monday, are whipping up the 40-50 m.p.h. coastal gusts and towering 1-2 story waves predicted to continue over Florida’s east coast Tuesday. Northwest-bound Noel could pass within 130 miles of Miami on Wednesday.
--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.
