Chicago's March temps running well above normal

CHICAGO - Chicago has seen a significantly warmer-than-normal March, with temperatures averaging 4.7 degrees above normal through Tuesday. 

With less than a week left in the month, the city is on track to finish with a temperature surplus of at least 4 degrees above the normal monthly average of 39 degrees.

This warm spell follows a colder-than-normal January and February, marking a shift in weather patterns as spring approaches.

Severe March Weather 

What we know:

On Friday, March 14, an unusually strong low-pressure system swept across the Great Plains into the Midwest, bringing record-breaking warmth, strong winds, and severe storms to central Illinois.

Wind gusts exceeded 50 mph in many areas, with Springfield Capitol Airport recording a peak non-thunderstorm gust of 59 mph. The high winds caused scattered damage, including downed trees, power lines, and a collapsed pavilion in Oakford (Menard County).

As the storms moved into central Illinois around 9 p.m., they became more organized, with a well-defined line of storms north of I-72 and more isolated supercells further south. 

Strong wind shear fueled the storms, producing widespread damaging straight-line winds and, in some areas, tornadoes.

The most intense storm of the night tracked through northern Cumberland and much of Coles County, where radar confirmed a tornado based on a debris signature and strong rotation. The storms gradually weakened by 3 a.m. Saturday as they moved into Indiana.

Preliminary damage surveys confirmed eight tornadoes—two rated EF-2 and six rated EF-1. 

What's next:

With just six days left in the month, temperatures are expected to remain above normal, securing a final tally well above the historical average. 

The warmer trend could signal an early start to spring-like conditions in the region.