Ice shelves

A few days ago, the coldest temperature in the Lower 48 was recorded just 179 miles west of Chicago when Dubuque, Iowa, registered a minus-9 reading. Today's weather has been much different--as of this typing its 57 degrees. The above photo was taken this afternoon as rain fell along the Lake Michigan shore. There's still a nice ice crust several feet thick along the water.

Urban wildlife

We've reported on Chicago's coyotes and even mountain lions in the past, but NPR broadcast a story that provides more detail on coyotes in particular. I've seen a couple coyotes in Chicago and in recent years the "prairie wolves" have made waves when one walked into a sandwich shop in the Loop. An Ohio State professor reports that a whopping 2,000 coyotes live in Chicago. They help control the canada goose population and can cover a range of 50 square miles in just one evening.

Endless winter

We're on the verge of a big thaw after a hard freeze that has lasted about two weeks. A lot of rain is supposed to fall tomorrow, followed by a bit of snow and then more cold. All those rivers that flooded in January and have been icebound since then could be due for another flood.

I found that I'm not the only one dwelling on the weather. Chicagoist also has been talking a lot of cold and explained the city's 2-inch snow parking ban.

Sometimes the cold and gloom seem hopeless. It's hard to imagine that it well ever be hot again, but by July it will be hard to imagine that it will ever be frigid again. Today was a balmy 32 degrees, and it felt like it spring should be nearing. Then I checked the date and it was still mid-February.