Warmer days ahead... no... really!!!

OK... after a weekend in which temperatures barely rose into the 70s, I suppose any thermal movement is bound to be upwards. Tomorrow, look for more sunshine through broken clouds, and highs to warm into the upper 70s. Then we crack the 80-degree mark away from the lakeshore on Tuesday, and should spend the rest of the week in that mercurial territory.  As for rainfall, which is still in need in many areas, it will appear on many extended forecasts here and elsewhere that this will be a wet week.  A few showers and storms are possile starting Wednesday, but I think they will be few and far between through the next week. 

Dog Days????

This is commonly the hottest time of the year here in Chicago.  The average high is 84 and that's a target we won't hit until the end of next week at the earliest.  In fact, we will be close to record lows for the next few nights.  Highs today under increasingly cloudy skies will barely crack 70.  Look for a few light showers today and again tomorrow courtesy of the cyclonic flow of a low pressure system to our east.  Record lows are in the lower 50s for the next few nights, and since I hate to forecast records I'll keep my forecast temps just above those numbers. Either way, it's going to feel more lik mid September than mid July until early next week.

Mike

Another cool weekend

Temps made it into the mid 80s on Wednesday, and today's highs should crack the 80-degree mark again, but a big downturn in the mercury is heading our way for the next few days.  One "cold" front has moved through area, lowering dew points into the 50s and shaving a few degrees off temps for today.  But a second push of truly cool air for the season will surge south out of Wisconsin tonight, possibly accompnaied by a few light showers and almost certainly attended by at least a thickening cloud deck.  Highs tomorrow and Saturday behind this secondary cold front will struggle to reach the low 70s. In fact, it is possible highs will be limited to the upper 60s, adding to the total number of days since June in the 60s which currently stands at 12. 

Mike

No hot weather through the weekend

Talking to several people it seems like folks are divided into 2 camps: those who are loving the mild weather and those that want some summertime heat. Personally, I am enjoying the weather this summer but wouldn't mind a day or two around 90. Temperatures have been at or below normal every day this month but two. The two days we saw temperatures above normal in July it was by a mere one degree. Watching my son's ballgame last night I actually needed a sweatshirt and by this morning the temperature has dropped to a nippy 55°.

 Though we should make it into the upper 80s on Wednesday, significantly cooler air will return Thursday and stay with us through the weekend. The average high is now up to 84° which is as high as it gets around here. If you want hot weather you can either head towards Oklahoma or Texas where highs the past several days have been well over 100° or go to Fairbanks, Alaska which will see temperatures in the mid 80s today.

                                                 Phil

Mid-summer drought????

Since June 20th, big chunks of Chicagoland have suffered a pronounced dry spell. A few storms peppered the area Friday into Saturday, but the 1"+ rain per week needed to keep plants going has been lacking of late.  A new round of storms threatens tomorrow night into Wednesday morning, but new computer guidance hints at the ol' Chicago split... with a blob of raining splitting way north, and another shooting into central IL.  What's more, long range guidance from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center suggests drier than normal weather is likely for the next two weeks at least. As wet as the year began in Chicago, it will be interesting to see whether the pattern flip holds.  Much of central Wisconsin is now in a bona-fide drought, and the area has been expanding.  Stay tuned!

Pleasant start to the week

Monday kicks off the week with mostly to partly sunny skies.  A ripple in the upper air flow is producing a mid deck of clouds and might even sprinkle on a few areas southwest of Chicago, but most areas stay dry all day.  Tomorrow is another story.  A stronger storm system moves in from the northwest and threatens storms mainly overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning.  Those storms could be strong, so stay tuned for possible watches tomorrow night.  Until then, enjoy the pleasant temps and low humidity!

Mike

Great video of 2008 McHenry County Twister

Youtube has great video of the January 7th, 2008 tornado which ripped through Boone and McHenry Counties. Watch the derailment, then the hazardous containers come flying into the engine afterwards.  Amazing stuff!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azV5bC2br-Q

Space Station fly overs

The International Space Station, or ISS, is making a series of prominent fly overs for midwestern skywatchers for the next week and beyond.  I watched it last night through a stinging cloud of female mosquitos and it was spectacular, arcing from the southwest toward the east.  It shone nearly as brghtly as the planet Venus, and was one of several visible passes last night.  Not all are as bright or in that direction, but you can find out exactly when the ISS will be visible in your town by signing up at http://www.heavens-above.com/ and plugging in your zip code.  Following a minute or so behind the ISS is another dimmer satellite, the Russian Progress-M 02.  I'll talk a little more about these passes on the 4pm news this afternoon, but the linked website is the way to go!  Happy sky gazing!

Mike

Building warmth later this week

Look for plenty of sun today, and temps warming into the low 80s away from the lake.  However, like yesterday, a few isolated t'showers may briefly affect the area this afternoon as a cold front drops in from Wisconsin.  Temperatures behind the front will be a few degrees cooler tomorrow, which will feature another chance of scattered thunderstorms.  All signs point to rebounding temps after that, with highs near 90 possible Thursday and Friday.  Rainfall from weekend showers was greatest in areas south and west of the city as expected, but the duration of rainfall was certainly longer than we thought for Saturday. O'Hare ended up with about 1/4" total,  Joliet had about 3 times that amount, while Waukegan had barely a trace.

Mike

More like summer but no intense heat

For the first time this month we actually reached 80° on Sunday. This is still 3 degrees below our normal high which is now 83°. For seven consecutive days we have seen below normal temperatures and even though we will warm up a bit for Monday cooler weather will return for Tuesday and Wednesday.

 Interesting weather set-up for Tuesday night and Wednesday. A warm front will stall just to our south and should help to produce some pretty significant rainfall late Tuesday night into early Wednesday. This has the potential to produce the heaviest rainfall since June 19th. There will also be a large range in temperatures on Wednesday from the lower 70s along the North Shore to the upper 80s in Lasalle and Kankakee counties.

By the end of the week we should all warm into the 80s and at least for now much of next weekend looks dry.

Phil