With warm late season weather locked in place into the coming weekend a growing
string of warm inland temperatures through Saturday could tie a half-century -old
record for the greatest number of consecutive late-season 80s here. The current record
was set from Oct. 15-22, 1953 -- a period of eight consecutive days over which a
series of four new daytime record highs were established. Lake breezes and the extent
of any cloud cover in coming days will make all the difference in whether daytime highs
make it to 80 degrees or fall a few degrees shy. Clouds this time of year easily disturb
warming.
The National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center reports the area of the U.S. in
drought has tumbled. While 30 percent of the country had drought conditions in June,
just over 20 percent was in drought in the most recent report.
FIRST TROPICAL TROUBLES BREWING SINCE HURRICANE IKE
Hurricane forecasters are watching a developing area of low pressure near Hispanola
and fear it may become a depression. Winds of more than 39 m.p.h. would qualify the
system as Tropical Storm Kyle. Early computer forecasts suggest the system could
affect the Mid-Atlantic Coast over the coming five days.
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune
