(Pixabay)

Chicago set a new record high temperature for May 11 when temperatures reached 90 degrees Wednesday, the earliest the city has notched a 90-degree day in more than a decade, according to the National Weather Service.

Oppressive humidity sent heat indices soaring above 100 in the Chicago region, and Thursday will see more of the same, the weather service said.

Chicago’s record for May 12 is 92, set in 1956. That mark looks likely to stand, with the forecast calling for a maximum of 90 degrees on Thursday.

The last time Chicago set back-to-back high temperatures in May was 2018, with highs of 97 and 95 on May 27 and 28, respectively, climate data shows.

(National Weather Service Chicago)

Normally, Chicago experiences a single 90-degree day in May. Add wildfire smoke to the mix, and the week has been anything but normal on a variety of fronts.

Temperatures are expected to feel less July-like and more like spring next week, with highs predicted in the upper 60s, the weather service said.

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