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Chicago Weather Records Tracking


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16 minutes ago, beavis1729 said:

I would throw out (or at least asterisk) the warm DJFs from the 1800s, as the official measurements were influenced heavily by the downtown and/or lakeside location. Similar to Logan Airport for Boston. 
 

That’s why 5 of the top 6 warmest DJFs occurred in the late 1800s. It’s not as if all of those winters were warmer than some of our recent clunkers, apples to apples. 
 

Regardless, this list highlights how bad the winter climo is for downtown Chicago. It’s already bad enough inland…

 

I know 1877-78 was a very toasty winter across the region. The numbers I recal seeing for Lansing ( been a long time since I saw them ) was crazy. 

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19 hours ago, beavis1729 said:

I would throw out (or at least asterisk) the warm DJFs from the 1800s, as the official measurements were influenced heavily by the downtown and/or lakeside location. Similar to Logan Airport for Boston. 
 

That’s why 5 of the top 6 warmest DJFs occurred in the late 1800s. It’s not as if all of those winters were warmer than some of our recent clunkers, apples to apples. 
 

Regardless, this list highlights how bad the winter climo is for downtown Chicago. It’s already bad enough inland…

Those winters were absolute furnaces in this area of the Midwest and there is plenty of documentation of that regardless of what station you use. Lol so now we are supposed to just get rid of older warm winters. Winter 1881-82 is detroits warmest winter on record BY FAR. Nothing has come close to touching it. Winter 1877-78 is well documented as Minnesotas year without a winter. 1931-32 has lots of newspaper stories of things blooming and growing throughout the winter (til March got cold). 

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48 minutes ago, michsnowfreak said:

Those winters were absolute furnaces in this area of the Midwest and there is plenty of documentation of that regardless of what station you use. Lol so now we are supposed to just get rid of older warm winters. Winter 1881-82 is detroits warmest winter on record BY FAR. Nothing has come close to touching it. Winter 1877-78 is well documented as Minnesotas year without a winter. 1931-32 has lots of newspaper stories of things blooming and growing throughout the winter (til March got cold). 

I’m not saying we throw them out…or that those 1800s winters weren’t mild.. but it’s well known that average temps in downtown Chicago are materially warmer than ORD, especially earlier in the winter due to marine influence (even with the increase in UHI at ORD over time).
 

If the DJF temps in the 1800s were measured at present-day ORD, they would have been colder (especially at night)…especially since there was no UHI at this location back then. 
 

Regardless of these details, I’m most upset about the fact that there were mild winters in the 1800s. I keep hoping these recent obnoxiously mild winters are a fluke…but unfortunately they don’t seem to be. 

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16 minutes ago, Chicago Storm said:

beavis taking L's everywhere.

Do people really think that DJF temps right on the immediate lakeshore aren’t warmer than ORD, especially in the 1800s when there was no UHI at the present-day location of ORD? Or, that 4 of the 6 warmest winters in history all occurred in a 7-year span?? That points to the observation site being a factor. 
 

You know, how Alek celebrates going past Thanksgiving without a freeze, seemingly year after year?
 

Of course it’s different in MAM, due to the lake breeze.

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19 minutes ago, beavis1729 said:

Do people really think that DJF temps right on the immediate lakeshore aren’t warmer than ORD, especially in the 1800s when there was no UHI at the present-day location of ORD? Or, that 4 of the 6 warmest winters in history all occurred in a 7-year span?? That points to the observation site being a factor. 
 

You know, how Alek celebrates going past Thanksgiving without a freeze, seemingly year after year?
 

Of course it’s different in MAM, due to the lake breeze.

It probably was a bit warmer downtown/near the lake, but there's a big difference between current day UHI and 1870-1900 UHI.

And, as Harry and Josh pointed out, many of those winters were mild region-wide.

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31 minutes ago, beavis1729 said:

I’m not saying we throw them out…or that those 1800s winters weren’t mild.. but it’s well known that average temps in downtown Chicago are materially warmer than ORD, especially earlier in the winter due to marine influence (even with the increase in UHI at ORD over time).
 

If the DJF temps in the 1800s were measured at present-day ORD, they would have been colder (especially at night)…especially since there was no UHI at this location back then. 
 

Regardless of these details, I’m most upset about the fact that there were mild winters in the 1800s. I keep hoping these recent obnoxiously mild winters are a fluke…but unfortunately they don’t seem to be. 

Wow mild winters in what was a much colder time than present day. It's almost like mild winters are part of our climo or something. Crazy.

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5 hours ago, beavis1729 said:

I’m not saying we throw them out…or that those 1800s winters weren’t mild.. but it’s well known that average temps in downtown Chicago are materially warmer than ORD, especially earlier in the winter due to marine influence (even with the increase in UHI at ORD over time).
 

If the DJF temps in the 1800s were measured at present-day ORD, they would have been colder (especially at night)…especially since there was no UHI at this location back then. 
 

Regardless of these details, I’m most upset about the fact that there were mild winters in the 1800s. I keep hoping these recent obnoxiously mild winters are a fluke…but unfortunately they don’t seem to be. 

1800's: "Fluke..I am your father!"

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9 hours ago, ChiTownSnow said:

Not sure where to post. But thought it was worth a share

https://www.facebook.com/100044248578383/posts/830163671801911/?flite=scwspnss

Not surprising. And the '80's-'90's decades were extremely poor compared to recent, as depicted. And things can change in a hurry as Milwaukee can attest. They have had a 8",6", and 4" sleet storm in the past 25 days. 

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On 2/23/2023 at 8:23 PM, ChiTownSnow said:

Not sure where to post. But thought it was worth a share

https://www.facebook.com/100044248578383/posts/830163671801911/?flite=scwspnss

Would be interesting to see data from the decades prior to the 70's. Being a colder/snowier decade as the start point doesn't reflect the fullness of the record. At least go back to 30's-40's when airport measurements started to keep things a little more homogeneous.

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February 2023 finished as the 8th wettest February on record.

Top 10 Wettest February’s:
1. 5.56” - 1997
2. 5.10” - 1887
3. 4.74” - 1883
4. 4.64” - 2018
5. 4.28” - 1881
6. 3.90” - 1876
7. 3.84” - 1909
8. 3.83” - 2023
9. 3.72” - 1908
10. 3.53” - 2008

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5 hours ago, Brian D said:

Would be interesting to see data from the decades prior to the 70's. Being a colder/snowier decade as the start point doesn't reflect the fullness of the record. At least go back to 30's-40's when airport measurements started to keep things a little more homogeneous.

 

Most around here would have slit thier throats during the 30s, 40s, and 50s around these parts especially the 30s and 40s which only saw this area break the 40inch mark once I do believe which is incredible considering the last 23 years or so which hasn't seen a winter below 40 once. Only below 50 twice. Have to imagine away from the lake belts were worse off? 

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  • 1 month later...

And we're back with some new ones to watch...

Earliest Last Measurable Snowfall Of A Season:
1. 1994 - 2/28
2. 1985 - 3/3
3. 2012 - 3/4
4. 1945 - 3/6
5. 1953 - 3/8
6. 1946 - 3/9
6. 1919 - 3/9
8. 1999 - 3/10
9. 1963 - 3/12
10. 2023 - 3/13

Least Seasonal Total Snowfall:
1. 9.8" - 1920/21
2. 11.5" - 1921/22
3. 12.0" - 1936/37
4. 14.3" - 1948/49
5. 18.0" - 1898/99
6. 18.2" - 1901/02
7. 18.9" - 1924/25
8. 19.0" - 1914/15
8. 19.0" - 1912/13
10. 19.7" - 2022/23
(11. 19.8" - 2011/12)

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On 4/7/2023 at 3:39 PM, Chicago Storm said:

And we're back with some new ones to watch...

Earliest Last Measurable Snowfall Of A Season:
1. 1994 - 2/28
2. 1985 - 3/3
3. 2012 - 3/4
4. 1945 - 3/6
5. 1953 - 3/8
6. 1946 - 3/9
6. 1919 - 3/9
8. 1999 - 3/10
9. 1963 - 3/12
10. 2023 - 3/13

Least Seasonal Total Snowfall:
1. 9.8" - 1920/21
2. 11.5" - 1921/22
3. 12.0" - 1936/37
4. 14.3" - 1948/49
5. 18.0" - 1898/99
6. 18.2" - 1901/02
7. 18.9" - 1924/25
8. 19.0" - 1914/15
8. 19.0" - 1912/13
10. 19.7" - 2022/23
(11. 19.8" - 2011/12)

cancel that.

jinxed those.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
28 minutes ago, Chicago Storm said:

One to watch here to close out May...

Top 10 Driest Mays:
1. 0.30" - 1992
2. 0.42" - 2023 (Thru 5/25)
3. 0.58" - 1994
4. 0.67" - 1934
5. 0.78" - 1950
6. 0.80" - 1921
7. 0.84" - 1897
8. 0.93" - 1903
9. 1.00" - 1886
10. 1.19" - 1988

Second place should hold. See nothing in far of precipitation for the foreseeable future. Incredible turnaround. The faucet has been turned off here, sprinklers are going and lawns are turning brown in sun exposed areas.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 5/25/2023 at 2:59 PM, Chicago Storm said:

One to watch here to close out May...

Top 10 Driest Mays:
1. 0.30" - 1992
2. 0.42" - 2023 (Thru 5/25)
3. 0.58" - 1994
4. 0.67" - 1934
5. 0.78" - 1950
6. 0.80" - 1921
7. 0.84" - 1897
8. 0.93" - 1903
9. 1.00" - 1886
10. 1.19" - 1988

May 2023 finished as the 4th driest May on record for Chicago.

Top 10 Driest May's:
1. 0.30" - 1992
2. 0.58" - 1994
3. 0.67" - 1934
4. 0.71" - 2023
5. 0.78" - 1950
6. 0.80" - 1921
7. 0.84" - 1897
8. 0.93" - 1903
9. 1.00" - 1886
10. 1.19" - 1988

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 2/21/2023 at 3:21 PM, beavis1729 said:

Do people really think that DJF temps right on the immediate lakeshore aren’t warmer than ORD, especially in the 1800s when there was no UHI at the present-day location of ORD? Or, that 4 of the 6 warmest winters in history all occurred in a 7-year span?? That points to the observation site being a factor. 
 

You know, how Alek celebrates going past Thanksgiving without a freeze, seemingly year after year?
 

Of course it’s different in MAM, due to the lake breeze.

They used to post excellent comparative data in the annual and monthly summaries. It looks like the downtown business district was about 2-2.5F warmer than MDW in the 1940s in general in the wintertime.

Below is 1947, by way of example. It says the city was 32.5F in January 1947, but I calculate the mean to be 31.1F. Using my corrected mean, the courthouse site was 2.4F warmer than MDW and 1.5F warmer than the University of Chicago in January 1947. In February, it was 2.0F warmer than MDW and 1.4F warmer than the University of Chicago. In December, it was 2.2F warmer than MDW and 1.0F warmer than the University of Chicago. For the annual means, the differences were much smaller... 1.1F warmer than MDW and 0.8F warmer than the University of Chicago. Annual mean maximum temperature was actually 1.5F cooler than MDW, but the mean minimum temperature was 3.8F warmer.

image.png.22c1bfdd47d4f2a6237ad5b4a11e4229.png

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On 2/21/2023 at 3:21 PM, beavis1729 said:

Do people really think that DJF temps right on the immediate lakeshore aren’t warmer than ORD, especially in the 1800s when there was no UHI at the present-day location of ORD? Or, that 4 of the 6 warmest winters in history all occurred in a 7-year span?? That points to the observation site being a factor. 
 

You know, how Alek celebrates going past Thanksgiving without a freeze, seemingly year after year?
 

Of course it’s different in MAM, due to the lake breeze.

On the whole, the 1800s were quite a bit colder. The official coldest yearly mean in Chicago history is 45.1F, from 1875. However, the mean temperature was 45F in 1855, 43F in 1856, 44F in 1857, 44.9F in 1860, 45.1 in 1862, 44.3F in 1863, 42.5F in 1864, and 44.3F in 1865, according to records published by the United States Weather Bureau in 1947.

The normals for 1947, which at that time were based on the 50-year period from 1878-1927, adjusted to airport exposure, are given below. The normal temperature for December was 26.9F, for January 22.3F, for February 24.9F, and for March 34.5F. By comparison, the current normals for O'Hare are: December, 30.5F; January, 25.2F; February, 28.8F; and March, 39.0F. These values are 3.6F, 2.9F, 3.9F, and 4.5F warmer than the reported 1947 Midway norms.

image.thumb.png.edc70de7b4d5a30bb4f35c2522345589.png

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On 2/20/2023 at 7:01 PM, Harry said:

 

I know 1877-78 was a very toasty winter across the region. The numbers I recal seeing for Lansing ( been a long time since I saw them ) was crazy. 

Doesn't strike me as particularly warm outside of December and March, certainly nothing crazy.

November 1877

image.thumb.png.79a38b4fb0ca19ac4e8e24e63b0ecf90.png

December 1877

image.thumb.png.8caa65649dc7674a9799090a0d009263.png

January 1878

image.thumb.png.2e07d7cb8f98362eb6969d705b53be9d.png

February 1878

image.thumb.png.f3353f1f09565fdaed6be9776c2c54cb.png

March 1878

image.thumb.png.9eaf1d84ce5ae3665603f2bdc9c7b5da.png

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