Conditions are clear, and cool by the lake, but dry this Thursday. (Credit: CBS)
Don't Miss This
CHICAGO (CBS) — Skies are sunny and clear, and temperatures are comfortably cool along the lake, but the Chicago area remains in a state of drought with no immediate rain in sight.
CBS 2 Meteorologist Ed Curran says as of 11:20 a.m., it was 79 degrees at O’Hare International Airport and 77 degrees at Midway, but only 69 degrees at Waukegan.
For the rest of the day, winds will be coming from the southeast right over Lake Michigan, and thus, the temperature will only hit the low 70s along the lake, while outlying areas will see 84 degrees.
But comfortable though conditions are, the drought is a mounting concern. As was the case on Wednesday – given that no rain has fallen since then – the rainfall total so far for the month is 0.01 inches.
The average rainfall for June to this point in Chicago is 1.57 inches. The only drier early June was in 1988, a year noted for alarming drought and extreme heat across the country, when there was no rainfall at all in the first half of June.
The Chicago area is only in a moderate drought, but central Illinois – the heart of Midwest farm country – is in an extreme drought, while southern Illinois is in even worse shape, in a severe drought.
There is no rain in the forecast through the weekend, but you may have a sense of déjà vu as the heat ratchets up again. As a warm front slides up from the Deep South, the high climbs to 91 for Friday following an overnight low of 62.
The high for Saturday is 91, and Sunday 93 with a chance for showers and thunderstorms overnight into Monday. The high for Monday is 90, Tuesday 89, and Wednesday 87.
And while it may seem like the summer started in March this year, the actual official start of summer comes at 6:09 p.m. on Wednesday of next week.
