Spring, why are you at my door? (Chicago: best, places)

[coldwine]

I woke up to a typical Chicago day: Cold, gray, blustery, the sky completely obscured by dark clouds with no sunlight shining through. And then I took a half hour to get ready: scarves, boots, gloves... tshirt, turtle neck, sweater. Thick socks, boots. And then I stepped outside, bracing for the cold...

But it was warm and balmy. The air smelled like... spring. I'm going outside for another walk around the city with friends. Enjoy it while you can, folks!

[Lookout Kid]

It's been doing this almost every winter for the last few years... We had a rough December, but there was a December a few years ago where it seemed like it hit 60 degrees almost half of the month. It's not unusual now for a Chicago winter to have temps ranging from 60 degrees to -10 degrees. It's really really strange... I don't remember this happening at all when I was a kid in the 70's and 80's. Global warming anyone?

[j33]

It was lovely .... I took the tarp off the bike, started it up (it took a bit of work since I haven't ridden in about six weeks), and went for a ride.

[NYrules]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

It's been doing this almost every winter for the last few years... We had a rough December, but there was a December a few years ago where it seemed like it hit 60 degrees almost half of the month. It's not unusual now for a Chicago winter to have temps ranging from 60 degrees to -10 degrees. It's really really strange... I don't remember this happening at all when I was a kid in the 70's and 80's. Global warming anyone?

Its not global warming, it is just a huge low pressure system passing through that is pulling up warm moist air from the Gulf. This sort of thing happens every year, but do to the media hype about global warming we blame it on that. But every year at least once or twice we will have a few warm days mixed in amidst the crappy windy 20 degree days we expect as Chicagoans in January.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by NYrules

Its not global warming, it is just a huge low pressure system passing through that is pulling up warm moist air from the Gulf. This sort of thing happens every year, but do to the media hype about global warming we blame it on that. But every year at least once or twice we will have a few warm days mixed in amidst the crappy windy 20 degree days we expect as Chicagoans in January.

Well sure, global warming is quite gradual--typically a fraction of a degree each year. But the weather patterns are becoming affected on a larger scale now, so I wouldn't rule it out. This NEVER happened thirty years ago. In fact, today's temperature was a record high for this date in history.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

It's been doing this almost every winter for the last few years... We had a rough December, but there was a December a few years ago where it seemed like it hit 60 degrees almost half of the month. It's not unusual now for a Chicago winter to have temps ranging from 60 degrees to -10 degrees. It's really really strange... I don't remember this happening at all when I was a kid in the 70's and 80's. Global warming anyone?

I remember once at the end of January in 1997 the temp was over 70. I remember many times in the 80's and 90's when temps got over 50 in Dec,Jan,Feb...

[NYrules]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Well sure, global warming is quite gradual--typically a fraction of a degree each year. But the weather patterns are becoming affected on a larger scale now, so I wouldn't rule it out. This NEVER happened thirty years ago. In fact, today's temperature was a record high for this date in history.

This never happened 30 years ago??? You're right, it happened more like over a hundred years ago. Tomorrow's record was also set in 1907 and was some 60 degrees. Weather | WGNTV.com | Chicago's CW I guess... nope warm fluke days never happened in the past.

[aragx6]

I don't really blame people for thinking any change in weather is because of global warming, because that's what the media says everyday (And please don't think I am some press hating type - I majored in journalism) But when writers and editors who know very little about an incredibly complex subject and try their best to disseminate that information to people who know even less on the subject than they do, there are always going to be issues.

There are some places on Earth who are seeing real change from global warming (like polar bears who are drowning because they can't swim from iceberg to iceberg anymore) But Chicago? Not yet guys.

It's kind of like that El Nino effect - remember when everything could be blamed on El Nino?

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by coldwine

I woke up to a typical Chicago day: Cold, gray, blustery, the sky completely obscured by dark clouds with no sunlight shining through. And then I took a half hour to get ready: scarves, boots, gloves... tshirt, turtle neck, sweater. Thick socks, boots. And then I stepped outside, bracing for the cold...

But it was warm and balmy. The air smelled like... spring. I'm going outside for another walk around the city with friends. Enjoy it while you can, folks!

You should flip on the Weather Channel from time to time. It would have been no shock that it was supposed to be this warm, they forecasted it almost a week ago. And I agree, Im not a fan of this weather in January, this is March weather, I dont like it. Its supposed to be cold and I want it to be cold!

[Chicago60614]

They said there's a very slight chance today will surpass the all time January high temp of 67!! I wish this weather would just stay around for another 6 weeks. I miss strolling around at lunch when I'm not all bundled up.