Snow Climatology for the NWS Chicago County Warning Area
| Normal First Date: | November 18 | Normal Last Date: |
|---|---|---|
| Earliest First: | October 12, 2006 | Earliest Last: |
| Latest First: | December 28, 2021 | Latest Last: |
How late has Chicago got snow?
The latest final trace snowfall that the city has ever recorded occurred on May 25, 1924, less than one month ahead of the summer solstice. As of April 11, the latest measurable snowfall that the city received occurred on April 2, while the last trace snowfall was recorded on April 9.
Has it snowed in Chicago this year?
The area’s first official snowfall accumulation of the season was also its latest ever — finally arriving Dec. 28, 2021. “The normal first measurable snowfall is Nov. 18, and Chicago saw a stretch of 287 days with no measurable snow from March 15 to Dec.
When was the last blizzard in Chicago Illinois?
Over the three day period, snowfall totaled 21.2 inches officially at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, making it the third largest snowstorm on record for the city of Chicago.
January 31-February 2, 2011 Historic Blizzard.
| Chicago O’Hare, IL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Time | Snowfall Amount (inches) |
| 2/2 | 12AM-6AM | 3.7 |
| 6AM-12PM | 2.9 |
How long has it snowed in Chicago 2021?
287 days
Winter 2021-22
It was the second-longest stretch of days between two measurable snowfalls — 287 days — but snow finally arrived in Chicago Tuesday. Dec. 28 also marks the latest date of a first snowfall in Chicago history going back to 1885.
What months does it snow in Chicago?
The snowy period of the year lasts for 3.5 months, from December 2 to March 19, with a sliding 31-day snowfall of at least 1.0 inches. The month with the most snow in Chicago is February, with an average snowfall of 3.2 inches. The snowless period of the year lasts for 8.5 months, from March 19 to December 2.
What is the snowiest month ever in Chicago?
On January 26 and 27, 1967, Chicago endured its worst snowstorm on record. The snow started at 502 AM on the 26th, and by 1010 AM of the 27th a record 23 inches of snow crippled the city.
What was the coldest day in Chicago 2022?
Jan. 26, 2022
Steam rises from a manhole in the Edgewater Beach neighborhood, Wednesday morning, Jan. 26, 2022. Temperatures were the coldest of the season, with wind chills as low as minus 30 degrees, according to the National Weather Service Chicago.
Is Chicago colder than NYC?
While the coldest average monthly temperature in New York bottoms out at 27 degrees, Chicago’s average lows in winter months are 18 degrees or colder. Chicagoans make up for those rough winters by embracing the outdoors the rest of the year.
What was the coldest day in March 2022?
March 12
The warmest temperature was 75°F on March 21. The coldest temperature was 2°F on March 12.
When was the worst snowstorm in Chicago?
Chicago Weather Alert: The Worst Snowstorms In Chicago History
- 21.2 inches Feb. 1-2, 2011.
- 20.3 inches Jan 13-14, 1979.
- 19.3 inches Feb. 1-2, 2015.
- 19.2 inches Mar 25-26, 1930.
- 16.2 inches Mar 7-8, 1931.
- 15.0 inches Dec 17-20, 1929.
- 14.9 inches Jan 30, 1939.
- 14.9 inches Jan 6-7, 1918.
How many inches of snow did Chicago get in the Blizzard of 2011?
21.2 inches
With 21.2 inches total, the 2011 blizzard sits in the history books behind the Jan. 1-3 1999 blizzard, which dropped 21.76 inches of snow, and the Jan. 26-27 1967 blizzard, which saw a whopping 23 inches of snowfall.
What was the worst winter in Chicago history?
The notorious winter of 1978-1979 remains the snowiest we’ve seen, with 89.7 inches falling. The year before saw 82.3 inches, according to the National Weather Service. As of Tuesday morning, Chicago is at 43.9 inches this winter at O’Hare Airport, the official measuring location in Chicago.
Does Chicago get a lot of snow?
Chicago Snow – What You Need to Know
Chicago averages 36 inches (91 cm) of snowfall, which can seem like a lot until you factor in the fact that, most often, snowfalls throughout the season are light batches of only around 2 inches (5.1 cm).
Has Chicago ever had snow in July?
Snow has never been observed in Chicago in July and August, with the earliest start to the fall snow season being traces that fell on Sept. 25 in 1928 and 1942.
Does it snow in March in Chicago?
March, with an average snowfall of 5.6 inches, ranks as the city’s fourth snowiest month, behind January, February and December.
Is Chicago the coldest city?
The winter high for Minneapolis—St Paul is just 27 °F (-3 °C). That’s nearly seven degrees Fahrenheit colder than the next chilliest city, Milwaukee.
Coldest Winter Days.
| City | 32 °F 0 °C |
|---|---|
| Chicago, Illinois | 35 |
| Cleveland, Ohio | 32 |
| Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 28 |
| Indianapolis, Indiana | 26 |
Which month is the coldest in Chicago?
January
On average, January is Chicago’s coldest month, but it’s not necessarily the coldest month in any given winter. Long-term temperature averages at Midway Airport (1929-2011) rank January as the city’s coldest month with 23.9 degrees followed by February at 27.9 degrees and December at 28.9.
What is the coldest it has ever been in Chicago?
minus 27 degrees
Chicago’s coldest recorded temperature took place Jan. 20, 1985, at minus 27 degrees. Many of the city’s other lowest recorded temperatures came from arctic snaps in 1872 and 1899. The record number of days with a temperature below zero was in 1912 with 10.
What year was the big snow?
The ‘big snow’ of 1982 did not come without casualties.
What’s the most snow Chicago has gotten?
Chicago’s snowfall climatology dates back to the 1884-85 snow season and over the course of those 138 seasons, Jan. 26 with a total of 87.4 inches boasts the most snowfall of any day of the year. That total is buoyed by the 16.4 inches that fell in 1967, the first day of the city’s benchmark 23.0 inch “Big Snow”.