The unseasonably warm weather broke a century-old record on Friday, drawing Chicago area residents and tourists outdoors — many ditching their coats — as other typical winter activities like ice skating rinks closed shop.
Friday's temperature climbed up to 67 degrees, breaking the 60-degree record for the date set in 1880, said National Weather Service meteorologist Charles Mott.
Businesses seized upon the spring-like temps Friday with at least one tour boat company beginning its operations along the Chicago River much earlier than usual.
Shoreline Sightseeing offered three 75-minute-long architecture tours departing from Navy Pier's Polk Bros. Park and floating down the Chicago River, passing landmarks that include the Tribune Tower, Wrigley Building and Marina City. The company also planned to offer a 40-minute lake tour at various times on Saturday and Sunday.
This weekend, adult tickets for the river tour cost $30 and for the lake tour cost $18 if purchased online, or $35 and $21 if purchased at Navy Pier.
"The river is not frozen so we're taking advantage," said Amy Hartnett, Shoreline's director of sales and marketing. "We're certainly hoping for a great crowd."
The weather for the rest of the weekend could break additional records.
Saturday's high is expected to reach 60 to 64 degrees, Mott said, coming close or possibly surpassing the record of 62 degrees set in 1981. It's less likely Sunday's weather would shatter the record of 65 degrees set in 1930, because the forecast called for a high around 60 inland but closer to 40 degrees near the lake, he said. Monday could see a high in the mid-60s inland and 50s near the lake, closing in on the record of 64 set in 1930.
High temperature records could fall in coming days Tom SkillingEverything appears a "go" for what looks to be record warming in the coming days.
A ridge of warm air will build over the central U.S. as a deep low-pressure trough moves off the West Coast into the Rockies. On Friday, southern California will experience heavy rains, winds gusting faster than 75...
Everything appears a "go" for what looks to be record warming in the coming days.
A ridge of warm air will build over the central U.S. as a deep low-pressure trough moves off the West Coast into the Rockies. On Friday, southern California will experience heavy rains, winds gusting faster than 75...
(Tom Skilling)With those kinds of temperatures looming the Chicago Park District has closed its seven outdoor rinks — with the exception of Maggie Daley Park's ice ribbon — due to unsafe conditions caused by the unseasonably warm temperatures, said spokeswoman Jessica Maxey-Faulkner.
By Friday afternoon, skaters were still circling the ice skating ribbon downtown but some were wearing T-shirts. Millennium Park, which is operated by the city, also remained open, and tweeted Wednesday that it didn't expect the warm weather to close its ice rink this weekend because it has a cooling system in place.
Out-of-town tourist Priscilla Ssensamba, from Detroit, said she lucked out with such good weather for February. "It's a little bit windy. Overall, it was beautiful," she said Friday after getting off the first Shoreline Sightseeing vessel, which had more than 70 passengers.
She found out about the boat ride while walking by the ticketing booth on her way to check out the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier, which was recommended by a friend. She's been to Chicago about three times in the winter but wasn't able to take the tour until Friday.
Typically, Shoreline begins its tour operations the weekend of the St. Patrick's Day Parade, which will be held March 11 this year. But the company bumped up the start to capitalize on the spring feel.
"If anyone is from here, they know if it gets above 50 degrees in the winter people will be out like crazy," Hartnett said.
The weather was a major factor that led Robin Bell and her husband Stephen to check out the boat tour.
"I don't think we could've ever done this in February," she said. The couple from London, Ontario was visiting Chicago for the first time. A cab driver and hotel concierge told them about the boat tour, she said. "It's a good way to see a lot from a different view and perspective than walking around," she said.
Tricia Lanctot had been keeping tabs on the weather all week. When her daughter Meaghan saw how nice the weather was supposed to be on her day off from school, she suggested the boat tour. The two from Lake Forest got to play the role of tourists on Friday. "I've lived here almost 30 years and haven't done it," Tricia Lanctot said about the boat tour.
Shoreline might extend its service on Monday as well, but that depends on the weather, Hartnett said. Otherwise, regular weekend service for tour operations at docks at Navy Pier and Michigan Avenue will start in March and regular daily service in late April or the beginning of May.
Pricing for tours and water taxi service remains the same as last season, she said.
The company's water taxis to the Museum Campus and along the river will begin operating on weekends in May and will run daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Shoreline doesn't expect to have a water taxi stop at Michigan Avenue near Pioneer Court again this season due to the construction of the Apple store. Instead, the water taxis will shuttle passengers along the river from Union Station/Willis Tower to Navy Pier.
Meanwhile, the Wendella river tour boats will begin on March 10, and the Chicago Water Taxi's season will open the next day for the St. Patrick's Day river-dyeing ceremony and parade, according to Andrew Sargis, chief of operations. A week later on March 20, daily water taxi service at seven docks along the river will begin with some fare increases, including a $1 increase for a one-way ticket and $2.50 increase for a 10-ride pass, he said.
The Chicago Architecture Foundation river cruise is set to start April 1, according to its website.
Additionally, Odyssey and Spirit, both part of Entertainment Cruises' Chicago fleet, are offering dinner cruises on a limited schedule this weekend on Lake Michigan departing from Navy Pier, according to general manager Dan Russell. Its Seadog sightseeing boats will return to the water in late March, he said.
lvivanco@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @lvivanco
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