What is sometimes cold, sometimes warm and always unpredictable? If you said “Chicago weather,” you are absolutely right.
Chicagostarted winter mildly, but people knew this was too good to be true. The temperature dropped below 11 degrees two weeks ago and the temperature Jan. 29 was a surprising 60 degrees. Then 3-6 inches of snow were expected to accumulate.
On the warm 60-degree day, DePaul’s campus filled with people starting to prepare for spring, wearing shorts, light jackets and even no jackets as they enjoyed the unseasonably, but short-lived, warm weather. The drastic change in weather the next day was not expected.
The next few days caused people to pull back out their winter scarves, hats and gloves. For some, this odd weather change was a glimpse of springtime in Chicago, but for others it was just Chicago’s unpredictable cycle of climate.
The weird weather was 20 to 30 degrees above the normal high of 31 degrees for both Jan. 28 and Jan. 29. The temperature later in the week dropped a significant 37 degrees.
“I am not really surprised because the weather is always wacky in Chicago,” said Christine Leak, a senior at DePaul, who is from Chicago. “We usually have one or two warm days in the winter.”
The average temperature for the month of January, according to the Weather Channel, is a high of 31 degrees and a low of 18 degrees. The two days that surpassed the average high was a surprise to many and reaffirmed the problem of global warming for a few people.
“I am not sure of the cause, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it had something to do with global warming,” said Leak.
Chicagois not the only place experiencing this crazy weather. According to CNN, a freeze warning was in effect in Arizona last week, as well as a possible tornado in Kentucky and temperatures expected to hit the low 20s in central California.
“I don’t know what else the cause of this weather could be other than global w a r m i n g , ” said Chrystyn Stokes, a student at DePaul and Chicago native.
According to the National Climatic Data Center, 2012 was announced the hottest year ever, setting the most record highs since they began recording temperatures in 1895. This year seems to be following that trend.
The month of January in Chicago also set some records. The warmest recorded temperature for Jan. 29 was the 60 degrees experienced this year.
“The reason for the warmth across the United States is a westerly flow,” said meteorologist for Accuweather Bernie Rayno in a Good Morning America article. Whatever the cause of this weather, students around the DePaul campus didn’t seem to be complaining. A break in the cold temperatures allowed many to bring out their spring outfits, if only just for a day or two, before the freezing temperatures returned.
“It’s crazy,” said Leak. “We can get all four seasons in one day.”
As for this week of snowfall, students are staying in and keeping cozy hoping for another warm surprise. Yes, the groundhog saw his shadow Feb. 2, but whether that will bring us an early spring is as unpredictable as the weather has been.