Dear Tom,
Has we ever had a string of three winters more severe than those that occurred in 1976-77, 1977-78 and 1978-79?
Richard Dreger Batavia, IL
Dear Richard,
Without question, those three successive winters were Chicago’s worst. Together they produced 226.1 (inches) of snow, and 67 days of 0 (degrees) or below. Individually, the 1976-77 winter will be best remembered for wind and cold, including 43 consecutive days with temperatures below freezing, a 90+ percent ice-covered Lake Michigan and Chicago’s coldest January on record. The following winter, 1977-78, though not quite as cold, produced 82.3 (inches) of snow.
Nature saved the worst for last and the winter of 1978-79 was absolutely incredible. Not only was it the city’s second coldest, but its record snowfall totaled 89.7 (inches), with snow covering the ground for 100 straight days reaching a record depth of 29 (inches) .
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His weather forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN News at noon and 9 p.m.
Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Place, Chicago, IL 60618 or asktomwhy@wgntv.com (Mail volume precludes personal response.)
