Valentine's Day brings winter's first, although brief, dip below zero
Temperatures dipped below zero early today for the first time this winter, making it the coldest Valentine's Day in 77 years, the National Weather Service said.
It was 2 below zero at 8 a.m. at O'Hare International Airport, 1 below at Midway and 7 below at local Weather Service headquarters in Romeoville, the Weather Service in Chicago noted on Twitter.
A normal winter has eight below-zero days, the agency said, attributing this warm winter to few pronounced cold-air systems, lack of lasting snow cover and cloudy nights.
The sunshine and cold, following snowfall overnight Wednesday, was a bonus for some winter-sports enthusiasts. But it won't last long.
Temperatures are climbing into the teens today. Clouds and mid-30s return on Saturday, and Monday is forecast to be rainy and in the 40s.