It's been the coldest January in 24 years, and the resurgence of arctic air Friday
slashes high temperatures 14 degrees from Thursday's high and delivers subzero wind- chills.
Of the month's first 29 days, 21 have been below normal -- 72 percent of them. The month's
frigid average temperature of just 15.8 degrees -- well below last year's 24.2 degrees
-- is 8.5 degrees below average and secures January a "10th coldest ranking" among the 138
Januarys on record here.
Milder air makes its move on Chicago this weekend but its encounter with the area's
snowpack will limit temperature increases. Though temperatures are to flirt with or slightly
exceed 32 degrees, it appears a virtual certainty this month will close as the first
January not to have produced an official high of 38 degrees since 1985.
An inch or more of snow has been on the ground at Midway Airport for 25 concecutive
days. The snow's impact on weekend temperatures will be profound. Projected temperature
profiles late Satur- day suggest readings will be in the low 40s in a layer 4,000 to 7,000
feet above ground -- yet only 31 degrees at the surface.
In Florida, only a week after windchill advisories, high temperatures Thursday included
Miami's 84 and Orlando's 85.
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
