If it seems like it hasn’t snowed much this winter you’d be right … and wrong.
As of Feb. 23, 25.8 inches of snow have fallen in Chicago, as measured at O’Hare International Airport.
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Cumulative snowfall by day
82 inches
Measured in inches at O’Hare International Airport
80
2013-14
60
50.7 inches
2014-15
40
Normal
2015-16
11.2 inches by Nov. 21
20
25.8 inches as of Feb. 23
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
March
April
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Cumulative snowfall by day
Measured in inches at O’Hare International Airport
82 inches
80
2013-14
60
50.7 inches
11.2 inches
by Nov. 21
2014-15
40
Normal
20
25.8 inches
2015-16
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
March
April
However, 25.8 inches pale in comparison with recent winters. At this time last year, Chicago had accumulated 37.4 inches of snow; it was a whopping 68.3 inches in 2014. While this year might seem far less snowy, it’s more or less on pace with an average season.
As much as 7 inches of snow is forecast for Wednesday. Only nine times since 1958 has the Chicago region seen more than 6 inches of snowfall after Feb. 20.
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Total snowfall by year
82 cumulative
inches in the year
of #Chiberia and
the Polar Vortex
1978-79: Largest
cumulative snowfall,
89.7 inches
July to June, 1884 to present.
Average snowfall: 37.6 inches
Chicago blizzard of 1967.
In two days, 20.4 inches fell
1920-21: Smallest
cumulative snowfall,
9.8 inches
During
“snowpocalypse,”
23.2 inches of
snow fell
Feb. 1-2, 2011
80
60
40
20
1884
1900
1950
2000
2014
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Total snowfall by year
July to June, 1884 to present.
Average snowfall: 37.6 inches
During
“snowpocalypse,”
23.2 inches of
snow fell
Feb. 1-2, 2011
1978-79: Largest
cumulative snowfall,
89.7 inches
1920-21: Smallest
cumulative snowfall,
9.8 inches
80
60
40
20
1884
1950
2014
The lower totals this year contrast with recent winters: Six of the last eight seasons saw total snow accumulation greater than the yearly average of 37.6 inches. The 82 inches in 2013-14 was the third-largest in Chicago history. Since 1884, only two other winters have had larger totals: 1977-78 (82.3 inches) and the following season, 1978-79, which set the record of 89.7 inches.
Sources: Midwestern Regional Climate Center, National Weather Service
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