The sun-filled holiday weather of the past weekend spills over into the work week. Monday’s 88(degrees) high at O’Hare and 89(degrees) at Midway made it the warmest Labor Day here since a 95(degrees) high 24 years ago in 1983. Just a year ago, Chicago’s Labor Day high was only 71(degrees).
The metro area is in the midst of its longest rain-free spell since early June. But, with all the sunshine Tuesday, the first day of school for thousands across the Chicago area promises to be a very warm one as temperatures flirt with 90(degrees). Readings that warm–while not unheard of–become increasingly scarce this late in the season. Only 8% of Chicago’s 90s since weather records began here have occurred Sept. 4 or later.
Nicaragua and Honduras appear headed for a punishing blow early Tuesday from compact but potentially deadly Hurricane Felix. With hurricane-force winds which cover only a third the area of 2005’s Katrina, Felix is one of only nine hurricanes to follow such a southerly track.
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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.
