Dear Tom,
What year did Chicago have the most consecutive days with highs of at least 80(degrees), and how long was the streak?
Mark Spence, Lisle
Dear Mark,
It seems that most people feel that summer weather has arrived in Chicago when the temperature regularly climbs to 80(degrees) or higher. At that point, jackets can be discarded, and the weather is warm enough for outdoor activities including swimming. Typically Chicago will register about 85 days annually when the mercury reaches at least 80(degrees)–encompassing nearly one quarter of the year. With the help of climatologist Frank Wachowski, we checked through the city’s weather archives dating back to 1871 and found that the longest string of 80(degrees) or higher days was 42. That period of non-stop 80s took place 51 years ago back in 1955, and extended from June 27 through Aug. 7.
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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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