It's a Fourpeat Fivepeat for Chicago: Over 80° for 4th 5th Consecutive Day

March 18, 7 PM CDT Update: It's yet another early spring record crushed at Chicago, as the high of 81° made it the 5th consecutive day of 80°+ temperatures. The previous high of 74°, originally set in 1903, had only been tied before in 1918 and 1969, but it was surpassed by 7°.

The graph above, from the National Weather Service, shows how far beyond the previous warmest Marches this month has been to date.

5 PM CDT Update: The high temperature was 82° at Chicago, smashing the old record for March 17 of 74° originally set in 1894 and tied in 2009. Rockford also hit 82°, easily beating the old record of 75° in 2009.

The National Weather Service reports that this breaks a century-plus record by over a month for the earliest string of 4 consecutive days with 80° temperatures or higher:

CHICAGO SET A NEW RECORD FOR MOST NUMBER OF 80 DEGREE DAYS IN A  
MARCH WITH 4.  
  
MARCH 17 WAS THE 4TH CONSECUTIVE DAY ABOVE 80...WHICH BROKE THE   
PREVIOUS RECORD FOR EARLIEST IN THE SEASON TO HAVE 4 CONSECUTIVE 80   
DEGREE DAYS. PREVIOUSLY THE EARLIEST CHICAGO HAS EVER SEEN 4   
CONSECUTIVE 80 DEGREE DAYS WAS BACK ON APRIL 15-18 1896.   

Original post:
After hitting 80° or higher for a record-breaking 3 consecutive days, Chicago has reached that temperature again this afternoon. For the last 2 hours, the temperature has been at least 81°. The regional weather map (click to enlarge) for 3 pm CDT from the College of DuPage shows 80° or higher temperatures throughout most of central and northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and Iowa.

Preliminary Data Lift March Heat Records to Nearly 19 Times Cold Records

Image (click to enlarge):
Monthly ratio of daily high temperature to low temperature records set in the U.S. for January 2011 through March 15, 2012, seasonal ratio for summer and fall 2011, winter 2011-2012, and annual ratio for 2012 and 2011;
CapitalClimate chart from NOAA/NCDC data, background image © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com). Includes historical daily observations archived in NCDC's Cooperative Summary of the Day data set and preliminary reports from Cooperative Observers and First Order National Weather Service stations. All stations have a Period of Record of at least 30 years.

The surge of early spring heat records reached over 400 yesterday alone in preliminary reports from the National Climatic Data Center. This includes 68 official National Weather Service locations out of 290 possible records. In other words, over 23% of all official reporting locations in the entire U.S. set new daily records for March 15. This brings the total number of new heat records for the month so far to 1757, which is 18.7 times the number of cold records. Including the number of ties, the total number of record high temperatures for March to date is nearly 2300. For the year to date, the ratio of heat records to cold records is over 14 to 1.

Here are the NWS locations reporting records yesterday:

                                                                 Period of 
Location                                 Record    Old record     record
AL      HUNTSVILLE INTL AP                85      80  3/15/1984      53
AL      MUSCLE SHOALS AP                  85      81  3/15/1977      71
AR      HARRISON BOONE CO AP              79      75  3/15/1983      54
FL      CRESTVIEW BOB SIKES AP            87      83  3/15/1978      46
GA      MACON MIDDLE GA AP                87      86  3/15/1977      67
GA      COLUMBUS METO AP                  86      83  3/15/1989      64
GA      AUGUSTA BUSH FLD AP               86      85  3/15/1989      67
GA      ATHENS BEN EPPS AP                85      82  3/15/1977      67
GA      ATLANTA HARTSFIELD AP             82      81  3/15/1973      82
IA      BURLINGTON AP                     81      77  3/15/1995     108
IA      DES MOINES AP                     81      77  3/15/2003      67
IA      OTTUMWA INDUSTRIAL AP             80      73  3/15/1995      64
IA      CEDAR RAPIDS AP                   79      76  3/15/1995      58
IA      WATERLOO MUNICIPAL AP             79      70  3/15/1995      63
IA      DUBUQUE WSO AP                    78      70  3/15/1995      61
IA      MASON CITY MUNI AP                74      71  3/15/2003      64
IL      SPRINGFIELD LINCOLN AP            83      79  3/15/1995     111
IL      ROCKFORD AP                       82      73  3/15/1995      61
IL      QUINCY RGNL AP                    81      73  3/15/1995      63
IL      CHICAGO OHARE AP                  81      74  3/15/1995      65
IL      PEORIA INTERNATIONAL AP           81      77  3/15/1935     117
IL      MOLINE WSO AP                     81      77  3/15/1995      68
IN      SOUTH BEND AP                     81      76  3/15/1935     115
IN      FORT WAYNE AP                     81      75  3/15/1995      68
IN      INDIANAPOLIS INTL AP              80      77  3/15/1977      67
KY      LOUISVILLE INTL AP                83      81  3/15/1977      64
MI      JACKSON COUNTY AP                 80      76  3/15/1990      63
MI      LANSING CAPITAL CY AP             78      77  3/15/1990      59
MN      ROCHESTER INTL AP                 74      67  3/15/2003      96
MN      ST CLOUD MUNI AP                  65      61  3/15/2003      72
MN      ALEXANDRIA CHANDLER FLD           63      60  3/15/1995      71
MN      PARK RAPIDS 2 S                   60      59  3/15/1995     112
MO      COLUMBIA RGNL AP                  81      76  3/15/1995      42
MO      ST LOUIS LAMBERT INTL AIRPOR      81      80  3/15/1945      70
MO      JOPLIN REGIONAL  AIRPORT          81      80  3/15/1983      64
MO      VICHY ROLLA NATIONAL AP           80      75  3/15/1995      64
MO      ST JOSEPH ROSECRANS MEM           78      74  3/15/1966      50
MS      TUPELO RGNL AP                    84      83  3/15/1984      49
MT      MILES CITY AP                     74      72  3/15/1992      75
MT      HAVRE AP ASOS                     70      69  3/15/1995      51
MT      GLASGOW INTL AP                   70      64  3/15/1992      65
ND      THEODORE ROOSEVELT AP             71      68  3/15/1995      63
ND      WILLISTON SLOULIN FLD             68      67  3/15/1996     116
ND      MINOT INTL AP                     64      60  3/15/1966      63
ND      JAMESTOWN MUNI AP                 63      54  3/15/1995      63
ND      FARGO HECTOR INTL AP              62      57  3/15/2003      70
ND      GRAND FORKS INTL AP               59      52  3/15/2003      63
NE      NORTH PLATTE RGNL AP              79      76  3/15/2003      64
NE      GRAND ISLAND CTR NE AP            79      78  3/15/1966     111
NE      SCOTTSBLUFF AP                    75      74  3/15/1999     119
OK      GAGE AP                           85      80  3/15/2003      71
OK      BARTLESVILLE MUNICIPAL AP         84      82  3/15/1977      85
OK      PONCA CITY MUNI AP                81      79  3/15/2003      65
SD      SIOUX FALLS AP                    75      73  3/15/1935      80
TN      NASHVILLE ASOS                    82      81  3/15/1984      64
TN      CROSSVILLE AP                     80      77  3/15/1984      57
TX      AMARILLO WSO AP                   84      79  3/15/1961      67
TX      DALHART FAA AP                    81      78  3/15/1999      63
VA      NORFOLK INTL AP                   87      84  3/15/1973      66
VA      RICHMOND INTL AP                  86      82  3/15/2007      91
VA      WASHGTN DULLES INTL AP            84      82  3/15/1990      49
VA      WASHINGTON REAGAN AP              82      81  3/15/1990      75
WI      MADISON DANE CO AP                82      69  3/15/1995      64
WI      MILWAUKEE MITCHELL AP             72      67  3/15/1990      64
WI      LA CROSSE MUNI AP                 71      68  3/15/1995      64
WI      EAU CLAIRE C V R AP               69      66  3/15/2010      62
WI      WAUSAU FAA AP                     68      65  3/15/1995      70
WY      CHEYENNE WSFO AP                  66      65  3/15/2003      97 

Chicago Smashes Record by 7°, First-Ever Consecutive 80°+ Days in March

March 16, 5 PM CDT Update: The preliminary daily climate report indicates that the high temperature at Chicago was 82° shortly before 3 pm. This is the earliest date that the temperature has reached 82° at Chicago. The previous earliest was on the 27th in 1945.

March 16, 4 PM CDT Update: The Chicago temperature is at 81° for the third consecutive day.

March 16, 3 PM CDT Update: With a temperature of 80° at the current hour, Chicago has again broken the record with an unprecedented third consecutive 80° day. The previous record for March 16 was 78° in 1945.

March 16, 2 PM CDT Update: With a temperature of 79° at the current hour, Chicago is within striking distance of an unprecedented third consecutive 80° day.

March 16, AM Update: The National Weather Service has confirmed this morning the report published here last night and provided some additional background data:

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE AT CHICAGO-O'HARE CLIMBED TO 81 DEGREES ON  
MARCH 14TH AND 15TH. THIS IS THE EARLIEST BACK TO BACK 80 DEGREE  
DAYS TO HAVE EVER BEEN RECORDED IN CHICAGO. THE PREVIOUS RECORD  
WAS SET JUST A COUPLE YEARS BACK ON APRIL 1ST AND 2ND 2010 WHEN  
THE HIGH TEMPERATURES WERE 83 AND 81 RESPECTIVELY. PRIOR TO 2010  
THE EARLIEST BACK TO BACK 80 DEGREE DAYS IN CHICAGO WERE APRIL 5TH  
AND 6TH 1929.   

Original post:
After hitting 81° yesterday for the third-earliest 80°+ temperature at Chicago, the high reached 81° again today. This broke the old record for the date by the huge margin of 7°, and it was the first time in 142 years of climate history that 80°+ temperatures were recorded on consecutive days. Prior to this year, the only dates in March with record temperatures of 80° or higher were:

Day   Temp/Year
 3    80/1974
12    81/1990
23    80/1907
27    82/1945
29    88/1986
31    87/1981 

The 82° at Rockford smashed the record for March 15 set in 1995 by 9°. Rockford climate history began in 1893.

Chicago Hits Record High of 81°, Only Second Occurrence Earlier Than March 27 in 142-Year History

Today's high of 81° at Chicago smashed the old record of 77° for March 14, set in 1995. The only other occurrence of 81° earlier than March 27 was on March 12, 1990. This is only the 11th time that 80° or higher temperatures have been recorded on any date in March. Today's high was an incredible 35° above normal, and the daily average was 27° above average. The monthly average through yesterday was already 9.7° above normal, and today's readings will raise that above 11°. Climate records at Chicago began in 1871.

This is the second consecutive day with temperatures of 70° or higher at Chicago. The latest forecast calls for temperatures to reach above 70° on each of the next 7 days. If this occurs, it would tie the record of 9 days with 70°+ temperatures in March, set in 1945.

The National Weather Service has summarized the occurrences of 70° and 80° temperatures in March at Chicago and Rockford:

..70 DEGREES OR GREATER  
YEAR AND NUMBER OF TIMES IN THAT MARCH.  
FOR BOTH LOCATIONS THERE WERE NUMEROUS MARCHS THAT HAD 1 TO 4 DAYS   
OF OCCURRANCE.  
  
...CHICAGO    
   1945 - 9 DAYS                        
  
   1907 AND 1910 - 6 DAYS                     
  
   1938...1963...1986...1995 AND 1998 - EACH HAD 5 DAYS              
                      
...ROCKFORD  
   1910 - 11 DAYS   
  
   1945 -  7 DAYS  
  
   1907 AND 1938 -  6 DAYS  
  
   1918...1946...1963 AND 1986 - EACH HAD 5 DAYS  
                                  
ON AVERAGE THERE ARE 2 DAYS IN MARCH IN CHICAGO AND 3 DAYS ON   
ROCKFORD WHEN THE TEMERATURE REACHES 70 DEGREES OR GREATER.   
   
..80 DEGREES OR GREATER  
YEAR AND NUMBER OF TIMES IN THAT MARCH. A   
RARE EVENT.  
  
...CHICAGO                         
   1986 - TWICE                        
  
   1895...1907...1910...1945...1974...1978...1981...1990...AND   
   2012 (SO FAR) - ONCE EACH.        
                  
  
...ROCKFORD  
   1907...1939 AND 1986 - TWICE EACH  
  
   1928...1943...1981...1986...1998 AND 2007 - ONCE EACH  
  
THE ALL TIME MARCH HIGH AT CHICAGO WAS 88 DEGREES ON MARCH 29 1986.  
THE ALL TIME MARCH HIGH AT ROCKFORD WAS 85 DEGREES ON MARCH 29 1986. 

Winter Heat Records Crush Cold Records by 6 to 1; 2012 to Date Approaches [Update: Reaches] 12 to 1

Image (click to enlarge):
Monthly ratio of daily high temperature to low temperature records set in the U.S. for January 2011 through March 13, 2012, seasonal ratio for summer and fall 2011, winter 2011-2012, and annual ratio for 2012 and 2011;
CapitalClimate chart from NOAA/NCDC data, background image © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com). Includes historical daily observations archived in NCDC's Cooperative Summary of the Day data set and preliminary reports from Cooperative Observers and First Order National Weather Service stations. All stations have a Period of Record of at least 30 years.

Midnight Update: An additional 189 heat records were broken today, vs. only 1 cold record. This raises the March-to-date ratio to 11.4 to 1 and the yearly ratio to 12 to 1.

Original post:
Aided by an incredible ratio of 22 to 1 for January (29 to 1 in the contiguous 48 states), U.S. new daily high temperature records smashed cold records for the winter 2011-12 by a ratio of 6 to 1. As March approaches its midpoint, a surge of early spring heat has raised the monthly ratio to date to nearly 10 to 1. After 10 weeks, or about the 20% point, the year 2012 to date stands at a cozy 11.5 to 1.

Among the 184 high temperature records set or tied yesterday (March 13) are the 46 official National Weather Service reporting locations listed below. The biggest margin was at Bismarck, North Dakota, where the temperature of 71° broke the old record from 1995 by 14°. In all, 7 records were broken by 10° or more. The oldest record, dating back to 1911 at Watertown, South Dakota, was broken by 6°. Seven other records were broken in climate histories of over 100 years.

                                          Period of 
Location              Record  Old record   record
IA SIOUX CITY AP         81   71 3/13/2007   67
IA MASON CITY MUNI AP    69   66 3/13/1996   64
KS GOODLAND RENNER FLD   78   77 3/13/2007  105
KS RUSSELL 1 E           85   80 3/13/1997   65
KS TOPEKA ASOS           82   78 3/13/2007   64
KS CONCORDIA ASOS        82   76 3/13/1971   50
MA WORCESTER             69   68 3/13/1990   63
ME BANGOR AP             56   55 3/13/2006   67
ME AUGUSTA FAA AP        62   53 3/13/2006   63
MN MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL   67   66 3/13/2007  121
MN ROCHESTER INTL AP     66   63 3/13/1990   96
MN INTERNATIONAL FALLS   55   54 3/13/1995   81
MN ST CLOUD MUNI AP      62   61 3/13/1973   72
MN ALEXANDRIA            62   54 3/13/1973   71
MO ST LOUIS INTL AIRPORT 83   79 3/13/2007   70
MO JOPLIN REGIONAL AP    83   80 3/13/2002   64
MO ST JOSEPH             82   78 3/13/1971   49
MO COLUMBIA RGNL AP      81   77 3/13/2007   42
MO KANSAS CITY INTL AP   80   76 3/13/2007   39
MT MILES CITY AP         75   70 3/13/1994   75
MT GLASGOW INTL AP       69   62 3/13/1981   65
MT HAVRE AP ASOS         69   63 3/13/1972   51
ND WILLISTON SLOULIN FLD 72   62 3/13/1914  116
ND FARGO HECTOR INTL AP  63   56 3/13/1945   70
ND BISMARCK MUNI AP      71   57 3/13/1995   66
ND THEODORE ROOSEVELT AP 75   65 3/13/1966   63
ND MINOT INTL AP         68   56 3/13/2007   63
ND JAMESTOWN MUNI AP     63   54 3/13/1961   63
ND GRAND FORKS INTL AP   59   46 3/13/1995   63
NE VALENTINE MILLER AP   81   74 3/13/2003   64
NE OMAHA EPPLEY AIRFIELD 81   80 3/13/2007   64
NE NORFOLK AP            80   73 3/13/2007   64
NE NORTH PLATTE RGNL AP  78   77 3/13/2007   64
NE LINCOLN AP            83   80 3/13/2007   59
NH CONCORD ASOS          71   69 3/13/1990   91
NY WATERTOWN AP          62   60 3/13/2007   62
OK PONCA CITY MUNI AP    84   83 3/13/1971   65
SD HURON AP              79   72 3/13/1945  130
SD ABERDEEN RGNL AP      71   70 3/13/1914  116
SD WATERTOWN RGNL AP     70   64 3/13/1911  116
SD SIOUX FALLS AP        79   69 3/13/1996   80
SD PIERRE RGNL AP        82   72 3/13/1971   78
SD RAPID CITY REG AP     75   74 3/13/2003   64
VT SAINT JOHNSBURY       64   63 3/13/1995  118
VT BURLINGTON WSO AP     67   62 3/13/1946  105
VT MONTPELIER AP         64   59 3/13/1995   63   

Earliest 1" Hail in Massachusetts by Over 1 Month

Near and after midnight last night, there were 12 reports of ¾" hail or larger in Worcester, Hampshire, and Middlesex counties in Massachusetts. The largest were 1" measured at Westminster and 1.25" at Littleton. According to the National Climatic Data Center, of the 287 reports of 1" hail or larger in Massacusetts since official records began in 1950, there had never been any previous reports as early as March. The earliest report was on 04/19/1969 in Norfolk County. In fact, of the 825 reports of ¾" hail or larger in the state, none had occurred in March either. The earliest was on 04/06/1982 in Nantucket County. The storm reports, from the National Weather Service:

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1157 PM     HAIL             TEMPLETON               42.56N  72.07W
03/13/2012  M0.88 INCH       WORCESTER          MA   HAM RADIO       

1215 AM     HAIL             WESTMINSTER             42.55N  71.90W
03/14/2012  M1.00 INCH       WORCESTER          MA   LAW ENFORCEMENT 

            HAIL COVERED THE ROAD 

1222 AM     HAIL             GRANBY                  42.26N  72.53W
03/14/2012  M0.75 INCH       HAMPSHIRE          MA   BROADCAST MEDIA 

1228 AM     HAIL             GRANBY                  42.26N  72.52W
03/14/2012  M0.88 INCH       HAMPSHIRE          MA   HAM RADIO       

1235 AM     HAIL             LEOMINSTER              42.52N  71.76W
03/14/2012  M0.88 INCH       WORCESTER          MA   GENERAL PUBLIC  

1242 AM     HAIL             GROTON                  42.61N  71.57W
03/14/2012  M0.75 INCH       MIDDLESEX          MA   BROADCAST MEDIA 

1243 AM     HAIL             LUNENBURG               42.59N  71.73W
03/14/2012  M0.88 INCH       WORCESTER          MA   HAM RADIO       

1248 AM     HAIL             SHIRLEY                 42.54N  71.65W
03/14/2012  M1.00 INCH       MIDDLESEX          MA   HAM RADIO       

1255 AM     HAIL             LITTLETON               42.54N  71.47W
03/14/2012  M0.75 INCH       MIDDLESEX          MA   AMATEUR RADIO   

1257 AM     HAIL             LITTLETON               42.54N  71.51W
03/14/2012  M1.25 INCH       MIDDLESEX          MA   HAM RADIO       

0120 AM     HAIL             WILMINGTON              42.55N  71.17W
03/14/2012  M0.88 INCH       MIDDLESEX          MA   HAM RADIO       

0131 AM     HAIL             NORTH READING           42.58N  71.08W
03/14/2012  M0.75 INCH       MIDDLESEX          MA   HAM RADIO       

Southeast Michigan Tornado is Earliest So Far North

The National Weather Service reports that an EF-1 tornado on Sunday, March 12, was the earliest so far north in southeastern Michigan since records began in 1950. The tornado southeast of Coleman in Midland County was only the 10th tornado to occur before April 1 in the 17 counties covered by the NWS Detroit office. It was the first to occur north of highway I-69 and is tied with the March 12, 1976 Lenawee County tornado as the earliest in the region. The tornado had a track length of 5.1 miles and a maximum width of 125 yards. The storm report:

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0643 PM     TORNADO          3 SSE COLEMAN           43.71N 84.57W
03/12/2012  EF1              MIDLAND            MI   EMERGENCY MNGR

            EF1 TORNADO WITH WINDS ESTIMATED TO 90 MPH STARTED NEAR
            WEINERT AND LEWIS ROADS WHERE A GARAGE WAS DESTOYED. THE
            TORNADO MOVED NORTHEST DAMAGING 3 MORE POLE BARNS AND
            UPROOTING TREES...ESPECIALLY AROUND ALAMANDO AND MANDO
            ROADS AND NEAR THE END OF THE TORNADO PATH AT M-18 AND
            SHAFFER ROAD. THE TORNADO PATH WAS 5.1 MILES WITH A
            MAXIMUM WIDTH OF 125 YARDS. THE TORNADO ENDED AT 648 PM
            EDT.  

Image (click to enlarge): Tornado damage near Coleman, Michigan, on March 12, 2012, from NWS