Record Highs Could Be Coming Thursday
CHICAGO (CBS) -- By any objective standard, it's been a miserable winter – particularly since the beginning of February.
On Feb. 2 and 3, the third-largest blizzard in the city's history dumped 21.2 inches of snow on the city, and left hundreds of drivers stranded on Lake Shore Drive as accidents blocked snow plows from getting through.
The following week, the temperature bottomed out between minus 7 and minus 14 across the area. The snow from the blizzard remained stagnant, with a few extra inches from snow that fell in later days. Pedestrians walked through unshoveled crosswalks guided only by the icy footprints of previous passersby.
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What a difference a week makes. CBS 2 Meteorologist Megan Glaros says come Thursday, we could see record highs.
Five Warmest February Days
| Date | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Feb. 27, 1976 | 75 degrees |
| Feb. 25, 2000 | 72 degrees |
| Feb. 11, 1999 | 70 degrees |
| Feb. 15, 1954 | 69 degrees |
| Feb. 22, 1922 | 68 degrees |
As of 6:45 a.m. Wednesday, temperatures read above freezing across the board – 37 degrees at Midway International Airport, 39 at O'Hare. As the day goes on, a southwesterly flow will pump up the temperature to about 50.
The overnight low is expected to be 46 On Thursday, the temperature could top out at 59 degrees, and some inland areas could even see 60 or more. A chance of rain is forecast for the afternoon.
The record of 60 degrees for the day goes back to 1880.
Over the weekend, the temperatures will drop back to average figures. The high for Friday is 45, for Saturday 36, and for Sunday 35. Overnight lows drop to the 20s.
