By this time last year, Chicagoans had enjoyed four times as many September 80s as the three on the books this month. The lack of 80s is unusual; only two Septembers in the past 40 years have logged fewer 80s by this date–1972 (with only one 80(degrees)-plus reading) and 1993 (with two).
The month has just passed its midpoint with an average temperature of 66.4(degrees)–a reading 7.3 degrees below the comparable period one year ago and chilly enough to rank 40th coolest of the 136 Sept. 1-15 periods on the books since 1871.
The predicted highs Saturday and Sunday mark the city’s warmest temps in eight days. But, the unfolding meteorological scenario in the Plains offers a clue on what’s ahead here. Grand Forks, N.D.’s record-breaking 86(degrees) Friday–16 degrees above normal–will be a distant memory there by Monday as highs fail to clear the 40s.
———-
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.
WGN-TV meteorologists Steve Kahn, Richard Koeneman and Paul Dailey plus weather producer Bill Snyder contribute to this page.
