The National Weather Service is fresh out with some stats which support what we already know... this July (and this whole summer) has been unusually cool. In fact, the average temp through July 18th at O'Hare is only 68.5, placing it third coolest in Chicago since official records were moved away from cooler lakefront locations in 1942. Our hottest day this month, July 6th, only hit 86. No July since 1942 has failed to rpoduce at least one day with a high of 89 or more. Between June1 and July 20, the average number of 80-degree days is 40. We've seen but 26 in '09, ranking as the second fewest, tied with 1947 and behind the record pace of just 24 in 1967 through today. Temperatures are expected to be a little milder this week, but will probably remain a few degrees below normal into the weekend. Looking way ahead into the first week of August, I see no signs of a heatwave, although temps appear close to seasonal normals.
Mike
