Dear Tom,
Looking back at the records, how many sunny days a year does Chicago enjoy?
Jo'Ann McDonnell
Dear Jo'Ann,
Frank Wachowski, Chicago's sunshine guru tells us that the city typically receives about 54 percent of its possible annual sunshine and enjoys at least some sunshine on about 320 days a year. However there are an average of only 46 spectacular days that record 100 percent of the possible sunshine---logging every minute of sun from sunrise to sunset. While the long daylight of summer provides the city with the most minutes of sun, it is the tranquil autumn period of September and October that normally brings the city its greatest number of totally sunny days. In a 100-year study of Chicago sunshine ending in 1993, Wachowski found that October led all the months with 561 days with 100 percent sunshine, while February trailed the pack with only 279 days.
Looking back at the records, how many sunny days a year does Chicago enjoy?
Jo'Ann McDonnell
Dear Jo'Ann,
Frank Wachowski, Chicago's sunshine guru tells us that the city typically receives about 54 percent of its possible annual sunshine and enjoys at least some sunshine on about 320 days a year. However there are an average of only 46 spectacular days that record 100 percent of the possible sunshine---logging every minute of sun from sunrise to sunset. While the long daylight of summer provides the city with the most minutes of sun, it is the tranquil autumn period of September and October that normally brings the city its greatest number of totally sunny days. In a 100-year study of Chicago sunshine ending in 1993, Wachowski found that October led all the months with 561 days with 100 percent sunshine, while February trailed the pack with only 279 days.
