Warm Spell 37 Years Ago This Week

If you were living in the Chicago metro area 37 years ago, you might recall an incredible warm spell that occurred in late February and early March of 1974. The mild weather began February 27 and lasted 11 days. Here are the high temperatures;

February 27...49

February 28...56

March 1.........48

March 2.........71

March 3.........80

March 4.........47

March 5.........57

March 6.........60

March 7.........60

March 8.........55

March 9.........69

Temperatures then fell back to the 30s and 40s for most of the rest of the month, only cracking the 50 degree mark two more times.

The highs for March 2, 3, and 9 are still records that stand today. The 80 degree temperature that occurred March 3 is also noteworthy because it is the earliest date in the year that an 80 degree temperature was ever recorded in Chicago.

Midway Airport was the official Chicago climate station in 1974.

It was mild elsewhere in northern Illinois, including Rockford, where a high of 73 on March 3 set a record. That record was tied in 1983.