Kids play in a sprinkler at Washington Park on Memorial Day, when temperatures reached as high as 95 degrees in the Chicago area. (Credit: CBS)
UPDATED 05/29/12 11:54 p.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) — This spring isn’t over yet, but it has already been one for the weather record-books.
As WBBM Newsradio’s Bernie Tafoya reports, the National Weather Service says the heat hit a record both Sunday and Monday. The temperature hit 97 on Sunday and 95 on Monday.
LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio’s Bernie Tafoya reports
CBS 2 Meteorologist Mary Kay Kleist reports Monday was also the hottest Memorial Day in Chicago history, topping a previous record of 93 degrees set back in 1953.
Meanwhile, Sunday was the earliest day Chicago has ever seen 97 degrees.
The National Weather Service says this could be the warmest spring in recorded Chicago history, with temperature averages already running more than 0.5 degrees warmer than the warmest spring on record in 1977.
Even the temperature in Lake Michigan is about 10 degrees above normal.
But if you’re growing tired of the sweltering heat, Kleist says you’re in luck – at least for this week.
Rain and thunderstorms missed the Chicago area Monday evening, but a cold front did come through and will cut the temperature down to a high of 83 degrees Tuesday.
As of 11:20 a.m., it was 77 degrees at O’Hare International Airport.
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning until 8 p.m., since relative humidity levels down to about 20 percent, with high winds out of west at 35 mph at times. Those conditions could cause fires to break out easily, the service warns.
For the Cubs’ first pitch against the San Diego Padres at 1:20 p.m., the temperature will be 81 degrees, with a strong west wind of 15 to 20 mph and gusts to 30 mph.
The cool air mass will sag down from Canada for several days afterward. After an overnight low of 54, the high on Wednesday is only 66.
The high on Thursday and Friday is a mere 60, and on Friday, Kleist says the temperature will struggle to get to 60 at all.
The high climbs back to 68 Saturday, 75 Sunday and 82 Monday.
