CHICAGO — Chilly, wet and dreary — that’s how weather experts are describing the extreme bummer that has been spring in Chicago.
The National Weather Service categorized just one day in April as “clear and sunny,” said Kevin Donofrio, science and operations officer. NBC 5 meteorologist Paul Deanno said Tuesday just one of the past 42 days saw significant sunshine. That report was followed by another dark and soggy day.
Though still gloomy, there were seven sunny days recorded in April 2021. It’s been colder than usual, too.
“This year, we’re stuck with heavier spring jackets, maybe one that has rainproof on it with a fleece underneath,” Donofrio said. “It’s been much cloudier than usual.”
Donofrio said this April saw 1.56 inches more rain than usual. Paul Walker, senior metrologist with AccuWeather, said there were only six days without rain last month.
Chicago was also 2.7 degrees cooler than an average April, Walker said. Last year, it was 2.2 degrees warmer.
“It’s a pretty substantial swing, but certainly not out of the ordinary,” Walker said. “Spring so far in Chicago has been cloudy, cool, frequent storms passing by the south, bringing up rain every couple of days, keeping us on the cold side of things.”
Donofrio described weather patterns this spring as “the perfect recipe for cool and cloudy conditions.”
Donofrio predicted the wet, cloudy weather will likely stick around through the spring.
“That’s the nature of April and May, what happens with Lake Michigan,” Donofrio said. “It’s the battle of a lake that’s really cold and large, versus the national warming that’s starting to happen.”
Next week will see “a tale of two seasons,” Donofrio said. Monday could hit 80 degrees, and temperatures during the week are expected to be warmer than normal, Donofrio said.
“You won’t need a coat at all,” Donofrio said. “But maybe bring an umbrella just in case.”
Walker said Chicago will not see consistent sunshine until “probably June.”
“We gotta wait for the Great Lakes to warm up a little bit,” he said.
Support Local News!
Subscribe to Block Club Chicago, an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods. Already subscribe? Click here to gift a subscription, or you can support Block Club with a tax-deductible donation.
Listen to the Block Club Chicago podcast:
