Chicago - Extreme Daily Snowfall for Each Year

Here's a list of yearly records for the heaviest snowfalls and snowiest days in Chicago, Illinois. The information easily answers questions such as: How much snow fell in a day during the biggest snowstorm of 2019? When was the last time Chicago got more than a foot of snow in a single day?

This page gives the highest daily snowfall of each year in Chicago and the date it occurred. If a date has a plus sign beside it that means the same amount of snow also fell on at least one other day earlier in the year.

These snowfall extremes were measured at Chicago's Midway Airport and go back to 1942. Since then, the most amount of snow to land in one day at Chicago is 17.6 inches (44.7 centimetres) on January 2, 1999.

Most snow to fall in one day during recent years in Chicago
Inches Date Centi­metres
3.0 January 25, 2023   7.6
9.5 February 02, 2022   24.1
15.9 February 15, 2021   40.4
3.2 December 29, 2020   8.1
6.0 January 28, 2019 15.2
7.3 February 09, 2018 18.5
6.3 March 14, 2017 16.0
5.5 December 04, 2016 14.0
17.2 February 01, 2015 43.7
6.8 January 02, 2014 17.3
9.4 March 05, 2013 23.9
2012
11.9 February 01, 2011 30.2
8.8 February 09, 2010 22.4
Highest daily snowfall recorded at Chicago each year
Inches Date Centi­metres
5.2 January 10, 2009 13.2
4.8 January 31, 2008 12.2
9.7 February 13, 2007 24.6
3.6 January 20, 2006 9.1
10.2 December 08, 2005 25.9
6.1 January 04, 2004 15.5
3.7 March 04, 2003 9.4
8.2 March 02, 2002 20.8
5.4 March 16, 2001 13.7
14.5 December 11, 2000 36.8
17.6 January 02, 1999 44.7
10.9 March 09, 1998 27.7
5.8 January 09, 1997 14.7
5.3 January 11, 1996 13.5
4.3 January 22, 1995 10.9
7.2 February 23, 1994 18.3
4.6 March 13, 1993 11.7
3.9 March 21, 1992 9.9
5.9 March 12, 1991 15.0
7.7 February 14, 1990 19.6
3.7 February 13, 1989 + 9.4
6.6 December 26, 1988 + 16.8
8.6 January 09, 1987 21.8
5.1 March 19, 1986 13.0
5.7 February 11, 1985 14.5
4.6 February 27, 1984 11.7
6.3 March 20, 1983 16.0
9.8 April 05, 1982 24.9
8.2 February 10, 1981 20.8
1980
16.5 January 13, 1979 41.9
9.3 February 06, 1978 23.6
6.9 December 08, 1977 17.5
4.8 January 13, 1976 12.2
9.4 April 02, 1975 23.9
4.7 February 24, 1974 11.9
8.3 December 19, 1973 21.1
6.5 March 29, 1972 16.5
7.1 January 03, 1971 18.0
8.9 March 26, 1970 22.6
9.6 December 23, 1969 24.4
3.8 December 28, 1968 9.7
16.4 January 26, 1967 41.7
4.2 December 28, 1966 10.7
6.5 February 24, 1965 16.5
7.1 March 29, 1964 18.0
8.8 January 19, 1963 22.4
6.3 January 06, 1962 16.0
10.2 December 23, 1961 25.9
11.0 December 20, 1960 27.9
7.2 December 23, 1959 18.3
5.6 December 08, 1958 14.2
5.8 January 09, 1957 14.7
8.3 February 11, 1956 21.1
2.8 March 22, 1955 7.1
11.5 March 02, 1954 29.2
5.4 February 16, 1953 13.7
4.0 January 04, 1952 10.2
10.0 December 14, 1951 25.4
5.6 December 06, 1950 14.2
4.1 February 03, 1949 10.4
4.4 January 01, 1948 11.2
4.7 January 02, 1947 11.9
3.7 December 29, 1946 9.4
4.9 January 13, 1945 12.4
9.0 December 10, 1944 22.9
5.3 January 18, 1943 13.5
5.4 December 20, 1942 13.7
Reference

Jay Lawrimore. 2016. Global Summary of the Year, Version 1.0. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. 

Chicago - Extremes
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