Dear Tom,
Has there ever been an outbreak of severe weather in Chicago and then measurable snow in the same 24-hour period?
Thanks, Joe Yates Elgin
Dear Joe,
One of the most memorable events in Chicago’s weather history comes close to fitting your criteria. On Friday April 21, 1967 Chicago’s most devastating severe weather outbreak struck, killing 58 people as a series of deadly twisters ravaged the towns of Belvidere, Lake Zurich and Oak Lawn. In addition to the numerous fatalities, 1,100 people were injured and damage topped 100 million dollars.
Afternoon temperatures peaked in the middle 70s before the storms struck, but fell sharply in their wake as colder air moved into the city. Just 48 hours after the violent weather, with temperatures in the 30s, a steady snow began that accumulated to 3.1 inches before ending late Sunday evening April 23.
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His weather forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN News at noon and 9 p.m.
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