Chicago residents are wrapping up the year with historically mild temperatures as the city marks its warmest year on record through November. The average temperature this year hit 57 degrees, nudging past the previous 1921 record of 56.4 degrees, according to NBC Chicago. While the chill of early December might suggest otherwise, the overall warmth is undeniable, setting the stage for potentially breaking the annual record if temperatures average at least 27.1 degrees for December.
With a nod to the fluctuating weather patterns, meteorologist Gino Izzi commented on the striking trend of warm years, stating, "Of the top 10 warmest years through November, six of them have happened since 2012." Indicating a pattern that cannot be overlooked, these years include the current one, as well as 2017, 2020, 2021, and last year, as reported by NBC Chicago. This period of balminess, however, contrasts sharply with the present cold snap that has Chicagoans bundling up.
The city's immediate weather forecast finds no respite from the cold as a slight chance of flurries lingers and a cloudy day gradually clears up, with highs near a freezing 29 degrees. "Mostly sunny, with a high near 32" follows into Tuesday, with modest west winds stirring up to 10 mph, as described by the National Weather Service. Wednesday promises a minor reprieve from the frost, as temperatures could ascend into the 40s, a potential upward tick on the city’s temperature roller coaster.
With the year's end in sight, whether Chicago garners the title for the warmest year overall hinges on December's whims. Early forecasts submit a colder start to the month—temperatures on Sunday fell to a mere 14 degrees, pulling the average down to just 21 degrees, significantly lower than the required 27.1-degree threshold for setting the new record. Chicagoans, accustomed to the Midwestern winters' unpredictability, watch as the season unfolds, possibly warmer than ever, despite a "roller coaster" of a weather week predicted by Izzi in a statement obtained by NBC Chicago.
