Image
© WeatherchannelWeather Channel producer Shawn Reynolds tweeted this incredible photo taken by pilot Hank Cain of a tundra-like Chicago, from above on January 23rd, 2014.
An over a century-old record falls.

The average temperature for December 2013 to March 2014 period in Chicago was only 22.0°F, 10 degrees below freezing, beating the old record set in the winter of 1903-04. It even beat the harsh winters of 1977/78 which were some of the worst ever.

While stories rage in the media about how global warming is a threat to mankind and nobody will be left untouched by it, the National Weather Service in Chicago issued this statement today.

No, it isn't an April fools joke.

Here is the statement:
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL 937 AM CDT TUE APR 1 2014 /1037 AM EDT TUE APR 1 2014/ ...COLDEST FOUR MONTH PERIOD ON RECORD IN CHICAGO... CHICAGO: THE IMPRESSIVE COLD THIS PAST WINTER CONTINUED DURING MARCH...WITH A MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF ONLY 31.7 DEGREES FOR THE MONTH. THIS RANKS AS THE 19TH COLDEST MARCH ON RECORD IN CHICAGO. HOWEVER...OF EVEN MORE INTEREST IS THE FACT THAT WITH THE ABNORMALLY COLD MARCH ACROSS THE AREA...THIS MADE THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR THE DECEMBER THROUGH MARCH PERIOD IN CHICAGO 22.0 DEGREES...WHICH IS THE COLDEST SUCH PERIOD ON RECORD FOR CHICAGO DATING BACK TO 1872!

HERE IS A LIST OF THIS YEARS DECEMBER THROUGH MARCH AVERAGE TEMPERATURE RELATED TO THE OTHER COLDEST SUCH PERIODS ON RECORD IN CHICAGO:

RANK AVERAGE YEAR
DEC-MAR TEMP
-----------------------------
1. 22.0 2013-14
2. 22.3 1903-04
3. 22.5 1977-78 22.5 1892-93
5. 22.7 1978-79

ROCKFORD:

UNSEASONABLY COLD CONDITIONS ALSO OCCURRED IN ROCKFORD IN MARCH. THE AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE WAS 29.6 DEGREES...WHICH WAS THE 12TH COLDEST MARCH ON RECORD. THE DECEMBER THROUGH MARCH AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR ROCKFORD WAS 18.4 DEGREES. THIS RANKS AS THE 2ND COLDEST SUCH PERIOD ON RECORD IN ROCKFORD DATING BACK TO 1906.

HERE IS A LIST OF THIS YEARS DECEMBER THROUGH MARCH AVERAGE TEMPERATURE RELATED TO THE OTHER COLDEST SUCH PERIODS ON RECORD IN ROCKFORD:

RANK AVERAGE YEAR
DEC-MAR TEMP
-----------------------------
1. 18.2 1977-78
2. 18.4 2013-14
3. 18.5 1978-79
4. 19.1 1911-12
5. 21.0 1981-82

$$
KJB