After the relatively cool summer we in the Rockford area just experienced, it seems somewhat odd that September would bring along with it a record-breaking heatwave. But it did, and we've got the numbers to prove it.

The temperature fluctuations we've been going through in Northern Illinois' summer of 2017 have been pretty weird to say the least. There was only one day in all of August when the temperature reached 90 in Chicago, only two in July, and only six in June. Before this past week, the longest streak of 90-degree days in 2017 was a three-day stretch in early June.

Then September rolls around, and the records start to fall. All Chicago needed was to break a record yesterday to make it a full week of record-breaking temps. And, they got it.

It was the seventh consecutive day of temperatures in the 90s in Chicago — the longest such stretch this year. All seven days were record highs for their respective dates:

 

  • Monday's high of 92 beat the Sept. 26 record of 90 set in 1933
  • Sunday's high of 93 beat the Sept. 24 record of 91 set in 1891
  • Saturday's high of 95 beat the Sept. 23 record of 91 set in 1937
  • Friday's high of 94 beat the Sept. 22 record of 92 set in 1956
  • Thursday's high of 94 beat the Sept. 21 record of 92 set in 1970
  • Wednesday's high of 92 beat the Sept. 20 record of 91 set in 1931

The heat wave should come to an end today, when the temperature is expected to top out in the low 70s. Starting Wednesday, highs will be in the 60s and 70s through the start of next week.

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