The high temperatures that hit Chicago Thursday broke a record that stretched all the way back to 1887, according to the National Weather Service.
The temperatures surpassed the 136-year-old record for April 13 at around 3 p.m. when the weather service measured a high of 83 at O’Hare International Airport, according to the weather service.
The previous record of 82 had been matched in 1941, weather service meteorologist Zachary Yack said. But as high pressure built up and pushed heat into the city this week, the old record couldn’t last.
“We just happened to have the right pattern in place to break this one here,” Yack said.
The new high mark lasted for at least three hours Thursday and towered above typical temperatures for mid-April, weather service data showed.
Standard April 13 high marks average 58 degrees, with lows usually in the high 30s.
The city has experienced temperatures 20 degrees above normal in a recent heat wave, Yack said.
But despite summer warmth waiting in the wings, the beach-worthy weather is poised to soon go away, if only temporarily, as another system brings cooler weather to Chicago.
The National Weather Service predicts Chicago highs of 78 for Friday and 77 for Saturday, with a Saturday chance of afternoon rain and thunderstorms.
The forecast high sharply drops Sunday to 60 before shooting even lower to 49 — with a chance of snow — on Monday. Monday’s low is expected to be around 39.
The “seasonal” temperatures with highs hovering in the 50s are expected to last midway through next week, Yack said.
“It’s going to feel cooler to people just because we’ve been so warm lately,” Yack said.
Despite the chilly change, warmth-loving Chicagoans have little to complain about this year. Temperatures were 3.7 degrees above normal throughout the winter months, another National Weather Service meteorologist told the Tribune last week.