Meteorological Summer (Jun-Aug) 2020 Recap

Overview & Graphics

Public Information Statement...UPDATED
National Weather Service Chicago IL
1212 PM CDT Wed Sep 2 2020 /112 PM EDT Wed Sep 2 2020/

...A Look Back at the Climate for Meteorological Summer (June,
July, August) 2020 for Chicago and Rockford...

At Chicago, the average high temperature for the summer season was
86.2 degrees, which is 4.3 degrees above the 1981 to 2010
average. The average low temperature was 67.1 degrees, which is
5.4 degrees above normal. The mean temperature for the season was
76.7 degrees, which is 4.9 degrees above normal. A total of 7.75
inches of precipitation was recorded during this past summer,
which is 4.30 inches below normal.

Records established or tied during the summer months:

** The Summer of 2020 was the hottest summer on record, with a
 mean temperature of 76.7 degrees, exceeding the previous record
 of 76.4 degrees set in 1955.

June:
* Record daily high temperature of 94 degrees was set on the 2nd.
* Record daily precipitation of 1.55 inches on the 22nd.
* Record daily precipitation of 1.55 inches on the 26th.
** Tied for 6th hottest June on record with 74.0 degrees.

July:
** 4th warmest July on record with 79.2 degrees.

August:
* Record daily warmest minimum temperature of 78 degrees was tied
  on the 27th.
* Record daily warmest minimum temperature of 77 degrees was tied
  on the 28th.
** Tied for 6th warmest August on record with 76.8 degrees.
** Tied for 6th driest August on record with 0.80 inches.

At Rockford, the average high temperature was 86.0 degrees, which
is 3.3 degree above normal. The average low temperature was 63.4
degrees, which is 2.4 degrees above normal. The mean temperature
for the season was 74.7 degrees, which is 2.9 degrees above
normal. A total of 7.37 inches of precipitation was recorded
during this past summer, which was 5.82 inches below normal.

Records established or tied during the summer months:

** The Summer of 2020 was tied with the 6th hottest summer on
 record, with a mean temperature of 74.7 degrees.

June:
* Record daily warmest minimum temperature of 71 degrees was set
  on the 9th.
** Tied for 8th warmest June on record with 73.3 degrees.

July: None.

August:
** 4th driest August on record with 0.57 inches.

$$

BKL

Latest Seasonal Climate Report:   Chicago    |    Rockford

Public Information Statement...UPDATED
National Weather Service Chicago IL
1204 PM CDT Wed Sep 2 2020 /104 PM EDT Wed Sep 2 2020/

...A Look Back at the Climate for the Month of August 2020 for
Chicago and Rockford...

At Chicago, the average high temperature was 86.4 degrees, which
is 4.5 degrees above normal. The average low temperature was
67.2 degrees, which is 4.3 degrees above normal. The average
temperature for the month was 76.8 degrees, which is 4.4 degrees
above normal. During the month of August, 0.80 inches of
precipitation were recorded, which is 4.10 inches below normal.


Two daily records were tied for Chicago during the month of
August 2020:
* Record daily warmest minimum temperature of 78 degrees was tied
  on the 27th.
* Record daily warmest minimum temperature of 77 degrees was tied
  on the 28th.

Two Top Ten Monthly Records:
**Tied for 6th warmest August on record since 1872 with 76.8
 degrees.
**Tied for 6th driest August on record since 1871 with 0.80
 inches.


At Rockford, the average high temperature was 85.7 degrees, which
is 3.3 degrees above normal. The average low temperature was 62.0
degrees, which is 0.7 degrees above normal. The average
temperature for the month was 73.9 degrees, which is 2.0 degrees
above normal. During the month of August, 0.57 inches of
precipitation were recorded, which is 4.02 inches below normal.

There were no daily records set for Rockford during the month of
August 2020.

One Top Ten Monthly Record:
**4th driest August on record since 1905 with 0.57 inches.

$$

BKL

Latest Monthly Climate Report:   Chicago    |    Rockford

• The average high temperature for Summer 2020 in Chicago was 86.2°F, which was the 5th warmest average high temperature for the summer season on record behind 1988 (87.2°F), 2012 (87.0°F), 1995 (86.5°F), and 1955 (86.3°F)
• The average low temperature for Summer 2020 in Chicago was 67.1°F, which was the 3rd warmest average low temperature for the summer season on record behind 1921 (69.7°F) and 1919 (67.8°F)
• There were 30 days this summer in Chicago that had a high temperature of 90°F or higher, which is the 10th most such days in Chicago's history dating back to 1872
• There were 63 days this summer in Chicago that had a high temperature of 85°F or higher, which is the most ever in Chicago's history, besting the previous top number of 61 days that occurred during the summer of 1995
• There were 27 days this summer in Chicago that had a low temperature of 65°F or lower, which ranks as the third fewest in Chicago's history behind 1921 (20 days) and 1919 (24 days)

Events

• August 10, 2020: Powerful derecho brings widespread severe winds and numerous tornadoes
• July 19, 2020: Thunderstorms bring morning wind damage and heavy rain
• July 15, 2020: Heavy rain areawide along with isolated wind damage and hail in Livingston County
• July 11, 2020: Severe storms produce straight-line wind damage across portions of north and central Illinois
• July 7, 2020: Gusty afternoon storms; The science of these pulse summer storms
• June 26-27, 2020: Severe storms bring areas of wind damage followed by flash flooding
• June 9-10, 2020: Wind damage in Chicago area and then northwest Indiana; brief tornado near Onarga, IL

​NWS Chicago Science and Past Events Page