In Chicago, 'Picture Perfect' Weather Days Are Rare
CHICAGO (CBS) -- By most reasonable measures, the weather on Thursday morning could be described as "picture perfect."
The sun was out with few clouds. Temperatures were in the mid 70s and average humidity for this time of year.
So we were wondering: How many "picture perfect" days do Chicagoans enjoy in a year?
Sadly, it's less than 10 percent, according to a blog about climate. Clearly, days like this are meant to be celebrated around here.
The blog's author, Brian Brettschneider, used the following guidelines to define "picture perfect" weather.
- No measurable precipitation.
- High temperature between 60°F and 80°F.
- Average daily cloud coverage of 30 percent or less.
Brian used data from the Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) database to arrive at his conclusions.
Typically, Chicago has about 31 days that meet that criteria. The city ranks 51st among the 76 cities studied.
The cities with the most "picture perfect days" are:
- Los Angeles 115 days
- San Francisco 110
- Oakland 103
- San Diego 90
- Flagstaff, Ariz.: 85
Barrow, Alaska ranked last. Only one day on average met the required guidelines.
Conversely, Chicago ranks No. 20 among the dreariest cities.
