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.
| 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 |
| 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.