4-degree heat in Chicago breaks Valentine’s Day record – NBC Chicago
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Hearts are warm this Valentine’s Day, but the same cannot be said for the weather in Chicago.
As if the bitter cold and extreme temperatures of the past few days weren’t enough, an unprecedented cold record was set on Sunday, according to NBC 5 Storm Team meteorologists.
The high temperature was just 4 degrees, breaking the previous record of 8 degrees set in 1943. Cold Valentines are not uncommon in Chicago, though: Temperatures dropped to -2 degrees last year.
This year, winds were as low as 30 degrees below zero in some places.
But what caused all this?
In winter, a lot of cold air forms over the Arctic and the Arctic Circle because there is no sunlight in the area during winter. A stream of air known as the “Polar Night Jet” holds the cold air in place, the equivalent of a large air circle at the top of the planet.
When the “sudden stratospheric warming” happens, the “polar night jet” has the potential to be severely disrupted, and that’s what’s happening right now.
Above the creepy temperatures, get ready for more snow.
A series of snow showers began Sunday night and are expected to continue into Tuesday morning, with lake-effect showers also hitting areas near Chicago and parts of northwestern Indiana.
However, relief may be only a few days away.
Highs in the 30s are again in the forecast, suggesting that the long cold period may soon be over.
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