The chill’s been so relentless, many Chicagoans could be forgiven for thinking
warmth might never arrive. But it finally appears to be on the way. It will last initially
only two days—east winds and a wet storm threaten a temperature downturn late in
the week. But providing sun-filtering high and mid-level clouds don’t become too
overwhelming Wednesday, a predicted 73-degree high will mark the first time in 178
days the mercury has struggled above the benchmark 70-degree level here. Only
three times before—in 1943-44 (185 days), 1992-93 (182 days) and 1957-58 (181
days)—has more time passed between 70-degree temperatures here. This year’s tally
is more than a month past the 80-year average of 143 days between 70s recorded at
Midway Airport.
SUMMERLIKE PLAINS HEAT SIGNALS CHICAGO WARMING
Winds that howled Monday down the slopes of the Rockies and Black Hills into the
Plains were warmed as they encountered higher air pressures at lower elevations—the
so-called Chinook effect. This pushed temperatures to 82 degrees at Willison, N.D.,
Rapid City, S.D., and Billings, Mont.
-Tom Skilling
