Chicago could break another weather record in December, but not for snow accumulation or wind chill, but for warm temperatures.
The current record high for Dec. 12 stands at 61 degrees which was set 138 years ago in 1877, according to the National Weather Service. Chicago could top that record Saturday with a forecasted high at 60 degrees.
The northern portions of the Chicago area will reach the mid-50’s Saturday. Farther south will stretch to the mid-60’s, and along I-80 will remain in the upper 50’s and 60’s for high temperatures, according to NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman. The temperatures are well above average for this time of year by nearly 25 degrees.
Chicago may not come as close to beating the record high on Sunday. The record high for Dec. 13 is 67 degrees which was set in 1975, according to the National Weather Service.
The warmth blanketing the Chicago area can be credited to El Niño, which is characterized by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean along the equator. The shift in temperatures could cause a change in weather patterns thousands of miles away – including in Chicago.
