Technically, astronomical spring won’t end for another two weeks, but the city of Chicago just experienced one of the warmest weather springs on record.
Meteorological spring runs from March 1 to May 31, and according to the National Weather Service, the month was one of the warmest on record since record-keeping began in 1871.
According to NWS data, the average spring temperature was 53.8 degrees, 4.1 degrees above normal. The average temperature represents the average between the high temperature and the low temperature on a given day, according to officials.
This average temperature is the fourth warmest on record, according to officials.
The month of May played a significant role in this development, as the city recorded an average temperature of 64.8 degrees at O’Hare International Airport. This mark is 4.2 degrees above normal and marks the third warmest May on record in Chicago.
These warm temperatures could continue this summer as a La Niña could potentially emerge as El Niño ends. Typically, La Niña summers bring warmer temperatures to the Chicago area and the rest of the Midwest, with above-average precipitation during these months.
If this trend continues, the fall season will generally be cooler than normal, according to researchers at the University of Illinois.
NBC Chicago
