Dear Tom,
I heard that the first leg of Interstate Highway 355 was finished early during the summer of 1988 because of good weather. How did that summer compare with other summers?
–Tom Muelleman
Dear Tom,
The summer of 1988 provided a mixed bag for road crews. On the plus side it was a drought summer with very few rainy days to halt construction. During a typical Chicago summer, measurable rain falls on about 30 days, an average of 10 each month, but the summer of 1988 had measurable rain on only 17 days–4 in both June and July, and 9 in August–so there was little down time because of rain. On the negative side was the summer’s intense heat that created brutal conditions for outdoor work. Officially at O’Hare International Airport there were 47 days with highs of 90 degrees or higher including 7 days with triple-digit heat.
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Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Pl., Chicago, IL 60618 or: asktomwhy@wgntv.com
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