Low temperatures are expected to hit Chicago on Thursday morning, with wind chills dipping as low as minus 30 degrees.
The National Weather Service is predicting temperatures could possibly tie the 1936 record for Feb. 19 of minus 7 degrees.
As of about 8 p.m. Tuesday, WGN-TV's chief meteorologist Tom Skilling predicted the high Thursday to be 4, with a low of minus 6. The weather service Tuesday is predicting the high Thursday at between 3 and 6 degrees with a low of 7 below zero at O'Hare.
The daily high temperatures are expected to remain in the single digits until Friday, when temperatures are predicted to rise into the teens.
The historic average for Feb. 1 to 16 is 27.7 degrees, National Weather Service meteorologist Amy Seeley said Monday. So far this February, the average daily temperature stands at less than 19 degrees.
Illinois state climatologist Jim Angel said February's low temperatures can be partially attributed to all the snow still on the ground, most of it from the Super Bowl weekend storm.
"All that snow works to keep both the daytime and nighttime temperatures low," Angel said.
He said on average, winter temperatures start to rise in February. But he said lows don't always increase steadily because they can be affected by single weather events.
"It is common to see cold temperatures late in the season," Angel said. "In fact, the record lows for early to mid-March are near to below zero."
While the cold may ease slightly Friday, the weather service is predicting possible flurries or light snow.
cgross@tribpub.com
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