Chicago-area reeling from bizarre weather

Chicago weather records fell like dominoes Saturday as one of the most bizarre three-day
periods of weather in the city's history came to an end. Since Christmas morning, the
city has weathered severe cold, an ice storm, dense fog, heavy rain, rapid snowmelt, urban
and river flooding, high winds, severe thunderstorms and record warmth. Saturday's high
of 61 degrees at O'Hare tied a 1982 record and the 1.73 inches of rain broke the 1.57-inch
benchmark set in 1942. The heavy rainfall, coupled with the 2 inches of water released
from the rapid snowmelt, not only sent area rivers and streams into flood but caused
flooding of roads and basements throughout the area. The heavy weekend rainfall pushed
Chicago's annual precipitation total above the 50 inch mark for the first time in history.
The city's current (1971-2000) normal annual precipitation total is 36.27 inches.
CALMER WEATHER AHEAD
Temperatures were plunging by late Saturday evening as colder air returned, courtesy of
strong west winds. The year's final days promise to be uneventful with temperatures near
or above normal. The city's next encounter with significant snow should hold off until
New year's night when a "clipper" system could bring some accumulating snow.
--By Steve Kahn, WGN Weather Center Meteorologist