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Dear Tom,

How does Chicago’s average January sunshine compare to Seattle’s?

Thanks,

Jerry Ruzicka

Warrenville

Dear Jerry,

While Chicago’s dreariest time of the year is the November-January period, averaging 41-42 percent of possible sunshine, the Seattle area is far drearier averaging just 24 percent. In a typical Chicago January, sunshine averages 42 percent compared to just 23 percent in Seattle.

This past January was extremely cloudy in Chicago with 23 percent of possible sunshine and was the city’s second lowest on record edging out January,1998’s 20 percent. However, that near record low for us would be typical for a Seattle January. Chicago’s summers are also sunnier than Seattle averaging 66 percent compared to Seattle’s 60 percent. Annually Chicago’s records 54 percent of possible sun, while Seattle logs just 45 percent.