Is February Chicago’s peak time for subzero temperatures?

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Dear Tom,

I remember you telling us that early February is Chicago’s peak time for subzero temperatures, and sure enough, we dropped to minus 1 on February 3. Is my memory correct about early February?

Pat Byrne, Hoffman Estates

Dear Pat,

It certainly is. Since 1871, Feb. 4 claims the gold medal for the most subzero readings in Chicago with 24, the last one occurring in 2007 when the mercury plunged to minus 6. The record low for the day is minus 14, logged in 1996. The greatest frequency of Chicago’s subzero weather occurs in the mid-January to early February period. Jan. 28 ranks a close second with 23 below-zero occurrences, followed by February 3 now with 22 and Jan. 5,7, 10, 17 and February 2, all with 21. Chicago has logged a below zero reading as early as Nov. 23, 1950 (minus 1), and as late as March 22, 1888 (minus 1).