According to the Chicago Tribune, official snow measurements are taken at O’Hare International Airport at 6:00 a.m. and small amounts of snow that may have fallen later in the day and melted are not recorded.
Actually, the last snow Chicago saw was on December 17, and that snow was several days before the official start of winter, so this means that Chicago has been almost snow-free all this winter season. According to the National Weather Service in Romeoville, Illinois, Christmas morning was the last day O’Hare International Airport reported at least an inch of snow on the ground.
Of course, the 146-year record could go back even further, but National Weather Service records only go back to when data collection was first started. And everyone thought the Cubs winning a World Series was strange?
WGN-TV meteorologist Tom Skilling said he believes climate change is responsible for the snow-less winter Chicago has experienced. But he does remind folks that a winter without snow does not occur linearly, meaning there will be the possibility of cold, snowy winters in the future.
Spring has arrived early this year
While the official first day of spring won’t be here until March 20, it’s hard not to notice that trees are already in bloom and the weather is balmy, if not downright hot in many places. But it is important to keep in mind that winter isn’t officially over yet, as our neighbors in some areas of Canada can tell us.
And besides February breaking records for one of the warmest months in many of our northern states, it was also a record setter for precipitation amounts in many regions.
In a new report issued by the U.S. Geological Survey last week, new data and maps were provided that show without a doubt that spring is three or more weeks early this year. The agency also explains the implications of economic, health and planning and managing issues that arise out of this change in climate.
Generally, the report stated that 2016 was the hottest year on record, globally, and the third hottest year in a row. The USGS also notes that 16 of the 17 hottest years recorded have occurred since 2000. The new maps show that 2017 is shaping up to be another record-breaker, however, different regions could exhibit variable responses over time.
