New projections released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicate that Earth will experience the hottest year in the office’s 150-plus year history, but what about the city of Chicago?
According to new data from the NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, there is a nearly 100% chance that “2023 will rank as Earth’s warmest year on record.”
The office says that global land and ocean surface temperatures have set monthly records in each of the last six months, and with an El Niño pattern is expected to hold until spring at least, more records could fall in months to come.
While global temperatures are poised to potentially set records, what of the city of Chicago?
According to the National Weather Service, Chicago has seen an average temperature of 55.4 degrees Fahrenheit so far this year. If that number were to hold, the city would set a record for its warmest yearly average on record, which dates back to 1871.
The NWS says that the overall average temperature, defined as the halfway point between the average low and the average high temperature for a given timespan, in the month of December is 30.5 degrees.
If Chicago would hit that number this year, the city’s average temperature for the year would be 53.3 degrees, tying it with 2020 and 2021 as the fifth-warmest on record.
Local
As of yesterday, Chicago would be at an average temperature of 39.1 for the month. That would put the city at 54.05 degrees for the year, which would be the second-warmest on record, trailing only 2012’s 54.5 degrees.
Another thing to keep in mind is that temperatures could be above average in coming days, including on the Christmas holiday. That could cause the average temperature to rise, but it’s unclear if it will be enough to set the new record.
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