Dear Tom,
We get big snows that last a day or two, but sometimes it snows just a little bit for days on end. What is Chicago’s record for the most consecutive days with snow?
–Todd Pierce
Dear Todd,
Your observation that Chicago’s largest snowstorms usually are one-day or two-day events is correct. In 125 years of snowfall records, Chicago’s greatest snowstorm was the blizzard of Jan. 26 and 27, 1967, when 23.0 inches snow (and 6-foot drifts) brought the city to a standstill.
However, a scan of Chicago’s snowfall data also supports your contention that periods of “little snows” can sometimes go on for days. In that regard, Chicago’s extreme event was the nine-day period of Jan. 29 through Feb. 6, 1902. Measurable snow fell each day, but the nine-day total was only 5.0 inches.
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