A mild late-autumn pattern is poised to take over from the chill of recent days. The
cold readings of late have slashed October's average temperature to 52.6 degreesa --
6.8 degrees cooler than the same period a year ago and 1.7 degrees below the 137-year
average. That places this month among the coolest third of Octobers on the books here
since 1871.
The U.S. was a country meteorologically divided on Wednesday between the record-
breaking morning chill that gripped Florida -- nearly all of the state's weather
observing stations recorded new lows -- and surging readings in the Plains. Down-
sloping winds compressed and warmed in the Dakotas sending afternoon highs to 78
degrees at Dickinson -- a record. The mild air is surging eastward and is behind the
warm-up predicted for Chicago. Highs in the 60s on Thursday and Friday mark the first
time in 11 days readings have broken above 60 degrees.
If Friday's high temperature matches the 69-degree prediction, it would make
Halloween 2008 the warmest since the 68 degree Halloween high in 2001.
ELECTION DAY (TUESDAY) COULD BE THE MILDEST HERE IN 44 YEARS
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune
