Warming trend follows coolest July 3 in 45 years
While hot weather aficionados long for a dose of 90-degree temperatures, it's hard to
complain about Friday's weather. The gusty northeast winds responsible for readings
more typical of May or September during evening fireworks displays Thursday have
departed. Light east winds linger Friday, but will travel a fraction of the distance over
chilly lake water before reaching the city. That's likely to limit shoreline highs to the
upper 60s and low 70s for the Taste of Chicago, an improvement from Thursday's low
60s there.
Thursday's 71-degree official high at O'Hare ranks as the city's chilliest July 3 in 45
years. Not since a 67-degree high in 1963 has it been cooler.
Storms that drenched Chicago's northern suburbs late Wednesday went on to produce
record early morning rains in Michigan. Grand Rapids was hit with 3.18 inches -- the
third wettest daily July tally on record.
IT'S THE DAY EACH YEAR WHEN EARTH IS FARTHEST FROM THE SUN
July is Chicago's warmest month. But it's also the month Earth is farthest from the sun.
At 3 a.m. Friday, Earth was as far from the sun as at any point in the year -- what
astronomers call aphelion.
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune