Dear Tom,
The recent big temperature drop prompts me to ask what our all-time largest 24-hour temperature drop might be.
— Tim Bonham, Chicago
Dear Tim,
Huge temperature fluctuations are among the defining characteristics of Chicago’s vigorous climate. From Monday into Tuesday, residents of the Chicago area experienced a 24-hour temperature collapse from the low 80s to the low 40s.
The city’s largest-ever temperature decline dwarfs that 40-degree tumble, however. At 4 p.m. on Nov. 11, 1911, Chicago’s temperature peaked at 74 degrees, a record high for the date. Then, readings plunged as arctic air surged in. By 12:30 p.m. on the 12th — 201/2 hours later — the temperature was 13 degrees. From one afternoon to the next, Chicago’s temperature had crashed 61 degrees, a tumble that still stands as the city’s largest 24-hour temperature change.
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Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Pl., Chicago, IL 60618 or: asktomwhy@wgntv.com
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