What an October! Cool weather is well into its third week and still has two days to run. Gusty northeast to north winds and a steep 30-degree temperature drop in the first mile of the atmosphere set the stage for lake-effect rain showers Friday into Saturday evening before sunshine returns Sunday for the first time in more than week. The warming which follows arrives on gusty southerly winds Monday and Tuesday sending temperatures into recovery mode and boosting readings here to their mildest levels in three weeks.
Thursday's temperatures were anything but mild--and would have been at home in late November. The day's 44-degree official high equaled readings observed here for the date in 1876, 1909 and 1943--each tying as Oct. 15's coldest on record. The tenacious cold spell--which is to last into Sunday morning before breaking--produces a 19th day of below normal temperatures Friday and limits highs to the 40s for a 7th consecutive day--the most ever so early in the season. Chicago's average temperature over the month's first 15 days slipped Thursday to 47.3-degrees---the city's chilliest October open in the 133 years since 1876. Not only has it been cool---it's been cloudy and wet. Rain has fallen 10 of the past 15 days and has totaled 2.13 inches---nearly an inch (0.85) above normal. The damp weather has allowed only 38 percent of October's possible sunshine to date---58 percent is typical.
Not all of the country is shivering. South Texas broiled in unseasonable heat. Readings hit 100-degrees at McAllen and 99 at Del Rio.
Gusty downslope winds sweep Colorado during Thursday balloon episode
The 20-foot-diameter, helium-filled balloon first feared to be carrying a 6-year old as it took to the skies above Colorado Thursday afternoon, was whipped by gusty winds sweeping out of the mountains into the state's eastern Plains. These katabatic or Chinook winds gusted at times as high as 28 to 50 mph. The compressional warming they set in motion sent eastern Colorado temperatures soaring to near 70-degrees.
Thursday's temperatures were anything but mild--and would have been at home in late November. The day's 44-degree official high equaled readings observed here for the date in 1876, 1909 and 1943--each tying as Oct. 15's coldest on record. The tenacious cold spell--which is to last into Sunday morning before breaking--produces a 19th day of below normal temperatures Friday and limits highs to the 40s for a 7th consecutive day--the most ever so early in the season. Chicago's average temperature over the month's first 15 days slipped Thursday to 47.3-degrees---the city's chilliest October open in the 133 years since 1876. Not only has it been cool---it's been cloudy and wet. Rain has fallen 10 of the past 15 days and has totaled 2.13 inches---nearly an inch (0.85) above normal. The damp weather has allowed only 38 percent of October's possible sunshine to date---58 percent is typical.
Not all of the country is shivering. South Texas broiled in unseasonable heat. Readings hit 100-degrees at McAllen and 99 at Del Rio.
Gusty downslope winds sweep Colorado during Thursday balloon episode
The 20-foot-diameter, helium-filled balloon first feared to be carrying a 6-year old as it took to the skies above Colorado Thursday afternoon, was whipped by gusty winds sweeping out of the mountains into the state's eastern Plains. These katabatic or Chinook winds gusted at times as high as 28 to 50 mph. The compressional warming they set in motion sent eastern Colorado temperatures soaring to near 70-degrees.
