Public Information Statement

Public Information Statement
Statement as of 9:55 PM CDT on March 16, 2012

...Historic and unprecedented March warmth to continue...

**records broken so far since March 14th by date**

*march 14th*
Chicago-ohare...record high of 81 (previous: 77 in 1995)
Rockford........record high of 79 (previous: 74 in 1995)

81 at Chicago was 3rd earliest 80 degree reading for Chicago.

*March 15th*
Chicago-ohare...record high of 81 (previous: 74 in 1995)
Rockford........record high of 82 (previous: 73 in 1995)
record warm low of 54 (previous: 49 in 1945)

82 at Rockford was the earliest 80 degree reading on record. Previous
earliest 80 degree reading was 82 on March 23 1939.

*March 16th*
Chicago-ohare...record high of 82 (previous: 78 in 1945)
Rockford........record high of 80 (previous: 75 in 1945)

82 at Chicago-ohare is the earliest it has been this warm in Chicago.
Previously...the earliest 82 degree reading was not until March 27 1945.
82 degrees is the normal high for June 24th!

**Records likely to be broken/threatened through Tuesday March 20th**

*march 17th*
Chicago-0hare...record high: 74 (1894, 2009)
current forecast high: 79
record warm low: 49 (1894)
current forecast low: 58

Rockford........record high: 75
current forecast high: 80
record warm low: 45 (2003)
current forecast low: 59

*march 18th*
Chicago-ohare...record high: 74 (1903, 1918, 1969)
current forecast high: 76
record warm low: 59 (1894)
current forecast low: 59

Rockford........record high: 73 (1945)
current forecast high: 77
record warm low: 42 (1968)
current forecast low: 58

*march 19th*
Chicago-ohare...record high: 78 (1921)
current forecast high: 77
record warm low: 59 (1903)
current forecast low: 59

Rockford........record high: 78 (1921)
current forecast high: 77
record warm low: 54 (1945)
current forecast low: 58

*march 20th*
Chicago-ohare...record high: 76 (1921)
current forecast high: 76
record warm low: 53 (1918)
current forecast low: 60

Rockford........record high: 79 (1921)
current forecast high: 76
record warm low: 53 (1921)
current forecast low: 61

A final word:
in Chicago...the warmest March on record occurred in 1910 and then
in 1945...which both averaged 48.6 degrees. Through March 15th...the
average monthly temperature for March 2012 for Chicago-ohare through
March 15th was 46.9.

In Rockford...the warmest March on record was in 1945...with an
average temperature of 48.2. Through March 15th...the average monthly
temperature for March 2012 was 44.5 degrees.

At the current pace...it is likely that we will not only break...but
shatter these records for both Chicago and Rockford.