Dear Tom,
On February 18, 1933, our house in Midlothian burned to the ground. I’ve been told it was –22 (degrees) with deep snow drifts. Was that the temperature or windchill?
Mercita DeMuynck
Oak Park, Ill.
Dear Mercita,
That –22 (degrees) was the air temperature, since windchill values did not come into use in weather forecasts until the late 1960s and early 70s. However, after checking the record book, we wonder if the fire might have occurred in 1936 — not 1933. The low temperatures Feb. 18, 1933 were in the 20s and there were only 2 inches of snow on the ground. On the other hand, three years later on Feb. 18, 1936 Midway Airport reported a low of –14 (degrees) with a six inch snow cover — closer to what you’ve described at the time of the fire. With conditions like that in the warmer urban environment of Chicago, it is quite possible that readings were as low as –20 (degrees) in rural Midlothian.
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN-TV News at noon and 9 p.m.
Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Pl., Chicago, IL 60618 or asktomwhy@wgntv.com (Mail volume precludes personal response.)
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