As Chicagoans woke up to “Winter Wonderland”-like conditions Sunday, snowfall recorded Saturday at O’Hare International Airport was confirmed as a record 8.4 inches, the highest snowfall on a single calendar day in November since 1951, according to the National Weather Service.
As Chicago digs out from a snowy weekend, another winter punch — with more snow — is inbound
The snow tapered off by late morning Sunday, and the temperature warmed up to around 32 degrees at noon, with 25 to 30 mph winds that decreased throughout the day. A winter weather advisory was in place until noon Sunday, with snow contributing to slippery roads and low visibility, according to the weather service.
The last time O’Hare saw so much snow on a single day in November was 74 years ago, Nov. 6, 1951, when 8 inches fell, according to the weather service. Snowfall reached 8.7 inches at O’Hare by noon Sunday. Amid the record-breaking snowfall, O’Hare saw at least 1,322 flight cancellations and Midway Airport had 250 cancellations, according to FlightAware.
Between 5 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. Saturday, Illinois State Police responded to almost 500 crashes across Cook County, the five collar counties, as well as DeKalb, Kendall and Grundy. Crashes that only incurred property damage tallied 414, while 66 crashes included injuries. Troopers also received reports of 300 motorists who needed assistance on the roadways.
Cook County also recorded its first cold-related death of the season preceding Saturday’s snowfall, when a 68-year-old woman was found dead on Friday near Worth Public Library. The autopsy found the woman died from a combination of hypothermia and heart disease, and ruled it an accident.
But despite the brisk snow, the weather is not unusual for this time of year, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Zachary Yack.
“It’s definitely on the higher end,” said Yack, noting O’Hare’s record-breaking snowfall Saturday, “but it’s something we, again, expect to see starting to get into this time of year.”
Snow is likely to fall again on Monday in the late afternoon through the evening’s rush hour with about 2 to 4 inches of snowfall, according to the weather service.
The Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed over 250 salt spreaders in response to the winter weather system with a focus on arterial streets, DuSable Lake Shore Drive, bridges and overpasses.
An overnight parking ban for motorists begins Monday and won’t expire until April 1, 2026, according to the department. The winter overnight parking ban, which covers 107 miles of the city’s main streets from 3 to 7 a.m., is designed to ensure main roads remain clear for snow removal during winter storms and is enforced regardless of snow.
Signage is permanently posted along streets impacted by the ban, and a full map of the streets can be found on the Streets & Sanitation website.
“Having this consistent rule for overnight parking allows snow removal crews to plan and execute their operations more effectively, and we ask residents and visitors to please follow the posted parking restriction signs so critical routes can be fully salted and plowed during winter weather events,” said Streets & Sanitation Commissioner Cole Stallard in a statement.
Violators will be towed and may face over $200 in fees and tickets, according to the department.
The Tribune’s Adriana Pérez contributed.
