Dear Tom,
Which years have had the most pre-June 80s and did those years end up having hot summers?
Chris Haack
Dear Chris,
With the help of Chicago climatologist Frank Wachowski we checked the top five years with the most 80s before June and found that all five of the following summers posted substantially more days of 90 (degrees) or higher than the current 30 year averages of 17 at O’Hare and 21 at Midway. The year 1977 led the way with 28 pre-June days in the 80s and went on to log a seasonal total of 33 days of 90 (degrees) or higher. The other four years were 1962 (20-80s and 26-90s), 1964 (19-80s and 35-90s), 1987 (18-80s and 33-90s) and 1991 (17-80s and 30-90s). Only one of the five summers produced any 100 (degrees) days and that was 1991 with two. So far this spring Chicago has posted only three days where the high temperature has reached the 80 (degrees) mark.
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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.
WGN-TV meteorologists Steve Kahn, Richard Koeneman and Paul Dailey plus weather producer Bill Snyder contribute to this page.
