2008 Woodie Awards
Chicago when it sizzles
Stephanie Jevtic
Issue date: 5/5/08 Section: Summer
What's that saying we have? "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes."
That's right; Chicago can go through a large range of climate condition variations in an entire day. At the heart of the city's all-year-round unpredictable weather is the effect from Lake Michigan. That is, the lake captures wind and its reaction with the opposing atmospheric conditions and causes the changes. A vortex forms around Chicago at times, which means that inland and downtown are usually very different from each other. Temperatures can vary wildly within the span of one week, and as we look at this past April, each week was either warm or cold. We're still waiting for summer to start.. What can we look forward to this year?
Based on history, Chicago summers are very beautiful, but have erratic periods of heat and thunderstorms. The wettest month is June, with the average precipitation being 4.3 inches. The highest official temperature ever recorded is 105 degrees Fahrenheit on July 17, 1995 during the Chicago Heat Wave.
What's interesting to note is comparing one year to another, seeing how trends are changing. This year has been cooler than last year, as our winter has been very harsh and over-extended. In 2007, Apr. 1 had a high of 61 degrees Fahrenheit with 0.09 inches of rain; this year, it was 58 degrees with trace amounts of precipitation. This Apr. 30 was a high of 59 and partly cloudy, contrasting a very summery day in the 80s last year.
No matter how the weather changes, it is always a surprise in Chicago. Try to not depend on your air conditioner; instead get your body to adapt to the weather. Around the world, people don't shy from warm drinks like tea or from wearing jeans. Having the body naturally roll with the punches of the climate reaps health benefits such as weight loss and good circulation. Enjoy the great outdoors, but stay protected and cool. Wear sunscreen of SPF 25 or more, have sunglasses for your eyes and wear a hat. Be sure to use an umbrella on rain days and have a light sweater on hand for the unseasonably cool days. All anyone can do is read and listen for the weather conditions in order to be prepared. Living in Chicago is exciting, come fair winds or fowl.
That's right; Chicago can go through a large range of climate condition variations in an entire day. At the heart of the city's all-year-round unpredictable weather is the effect from Lake Michigan. That is, the lake captures wind and its reaction with the opposing atmospheric conditions and causes the changes. A vortex forms around Chicago at times, which means that inland and downtown are usually very different from each other. Temperatures can vary wildly within the span of one week, and as we look at this past April, each week was either warm or cold. We're still waiting for summer to start.. What can we look forward to this year?
Based on history, Chicago summers are very beautiful, but have erratic periods of heat and thunderstorms. The wettest month is June, with the average precipitation being 4.3 inches. The highest official temperature ever recorded is 105 degrees Fahrenheit on July 17, 1995 during the Chicago Heat Wave.
What's interesting to note is comparing one year to another, seeing how trends are changing. This year has been cooler than last year, as our winter has been very harsh and over-extended. In 2007, Apr. 1 had a high of 61 degrees Fahrenheit with 0.09 inches of rain; this year, it was 58 degrees with trace amounts of precipitation. This Apr. 30 was a high of 59 and partly cloudy, contrasting a very summery day in the 80s last year.
No matter how the weather changes, it is always a surprise in Chicago. Try to not depend on your air conditioner; instead get your body to adapt to the weather. Around the world, people don't shy from warm drinks like tea or from wearing jeans. Having the body naturally roll with the punches of the climate reaps health benefits such as weight loss and good circulation. Enjoy the great outdoors, but stay protected and cool. Wear sunscreen of SPF 25 or more, have sunglasses for your eyes and wear a hat. Be sure to use an umbrella on rain days and have a light sweater on hand for the unseasonably cool days. All anyone can do is read and listen for the weather conditions in order to be prepared. Living in Chicago is exciting, come fair winds or fowl.
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