Tidbits like this are why Chicagoans love Tom Skilling: “Long term weather records reveal that, on average, as many days of sub-32 (degrees) and sub-zero cold are on the books by Jan. 18 as are likely to occur from this date forward in what remains of the cold season.”

As inane as that might seem at first glance, it interestingly follows the winter solstice, after which we can at least look forward to longer days, by exactly 28 days (one lunar cycle). It also now gives us warmer weather to look forward to, and another milestone to cross off during the darkest days of our character building winter.