Temperatures reached 90° at Midway Airport Tuesday for the sixth time this year. That’s hardly a record—but it is ahead of the typical pace of four 90s which have occurred by now since 1928. The 2005 tally pales in comparison to the 15 which had been logged through June 22 during the infamously hot year of 1988—a year which was to wind up with 48 readings 90° or higher at Midway and the 47 at O’Hare, the area’s all-time record. Only one 90°+ had occurred here by this time a year ago.
A windshift to the northeast which accompanied Tuesday’s late day cold frontal passage has set the stage for Wednesday’s more comfortable weather.
Stifling heat, the hottest at a number of locations in nearly two years, baked the Southwest Tuesday. Readings hit 117° at Needles, Calif., 116° at Gila Bend and 114° at Phoenix—both in Arizona.
-Tom Skilling
One of summer’s attractions is its long days. A six month lengthening cycle culminates in more than 15 hours of daylight Tuesday as Summer, 2005 officially gets underway. The new season began at 1:46 a.m.
Sunlight Tuesday is visible more than six additional hours and is nearly five times stronger than it was just six months ago when winter began.
Monday was the first day to host 100% of this area’s possible daytime sunshine since May 4.
Some “debris” clouds, remnants of once powerful thunderstorms, decorate Chicago area skies Tuesday as a cold front approaches. The front passes early this afternoon, producing a windshift to the NE. That sends shoreline temperatures lower later today. A thunderstorm may develop in spots.
Violent storms pounded Minnesota, NW Wisconsin and Iowa Monday. Gusts of 72 m.p.h. swept Mankato while 1.80” rains flooded Amboy, Minnesota.
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