Dear Tom,
It seems like the second week of March occasionally produces some warm days. What are my chances of playing golf then?
Bill, Aurora
Dear Bill,
Checking Chicago’s climate records for the past 30 years, the odds of having at least one day with temperatures in the 50s or higher during that period are good. Since 1975, there have been nine years where the temperature between March 8 and March 14 did not reach at least 50(degrees).
Recently, the city has enjoyed some spectacular mild spells during this period. In 1995, after a high of 62(degrees) on March 11, temperatures climbed into the 70s for five consecutive days. In 1990, a summer-like record high of 81(degrees) on March 12 was sandwiched between highs in the 70s on both March 11 and 13. There have, of course, been some cold years, like in 1993 when the mercury failed to top the freezing mark from March 11-14.
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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.)
WGN-TV meteorologists Steve Kahn, Richard Koeneman and Paul Dailey plus weather producer Bill Snyder contribute to this page.
