Weather. It’s one thing everyone experiences and talks about.
In 2023, weather patterns in and around Elgin gave residents a little bit of everything to experience. From bone-chilling temperatures to high heat, from big rains to extended dry periods, it was all there.
Here’s a look back at the milestones which shaped our weather during 2023.
One year ago, January, 2023, nearly two inches of precipitation was recorded in the form of snow. There were four days when the low temperature dipped below zero. The lowest temperature recorded by Weather Observer Leonard Orlowski was minus-10 degrees near the end of the month. The high for the month came on January 9 when the temperature rose to a seemingly balmy 45 degrees.
For three days in a row, February 22 to 24, temperatures were recorded below zero. The coldest day was on February 23 when the temperature dipped to minus-six degrees. The high occurred 10 days earlier, on February 13, when the thermometer peaked at 49 degrees. Just over a half-inch of moisture was recorded during the month.
March, like the month before, was relatively dry as just 0.62 of precipitation fell. As expected temperatures began to rise with the onset of Spring. The high temperature for the month was 66 degrees on March 30 while the low was nine degrees on March 17.
April marked the third consecutive month where less than one inch of precipitation was recorded. The month was extremely dry as just 0.35 of an inch of moisture was received. The high temperature was 87 degrees. As part of a five day span, high temperatures were 73 degrees or higher from April 8-13. The low temperature was 16 degrees, recorded on April 5.
And then the rains came. From May through July, Elgin recorded more than 17 inches of rain. In May, 4.87 inches of rain fell. Of that amount, 2.74 inches of rain fell over a two day period (May 11-12). The high for the month was 87 degrees on May 29-30. The low was 27 degrees recorded on May 1.
More than four inches of rain fell during June, the largest one day amount being 2.35 inches on June 30. The high temperature was 92 on June 19 while the low was 44 which occurred on June 11.
Nearly eight inches of precipitation was recorded in July. The largest one day total was recorded on July 10 with 3.25 inches of rain. There was a three-day span when high temperatures were over 90 degrees (July 26-28). The high for the month was 93 on July 27. The low for the month was 46 degrees on July 5-6.
And then the rains stopped. In August, just 1.37 inches of moisture was recorded. Of that number, 0.75 of an inch fell on August 12. The high temperature was 100 degrees on August 23. It marked the only time during the year the temperature hit the century mark. The low was 52 degrees on August 14. Beginning on August 21 and continuing til September 6, no precipitation was recorded.
September saw a high temperature of 97 degrees recorded on the second day of the month. The low was 43 degrees on September 11. Just 1.71 inches of rain fell, the largest one day total was 0.93 of an inch on September 22.
In comparison with other months, October was the third highest month for precipitation as 4.60 inches was recorded. The largest one day total came on October 11 with 1.61 inches of rain. The high came on October 1 with 89 degrees while the low was 18 degrees on October 29-30. The first hard freeze of the fall was on October 26 then the temperature dropped to 22 degrees.
November saw little precipitation as less than an inch was recorded. The high was 68 degrees on November 6 while the low was 13 degrees on November 26-27.
The last month of the year saw a high of 66 degrees on December 6 and the low being eight degrees on New Year’s Eve. Approximately six to eight inches of snow was recorded on the Christmas Day blizzard.
