Snow in Chicago, Illinois Winter storm alerts · 7-day snow forecast · average snowfall
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Chicago averages 38.8 inches of snow a year. The snowiest month is January (12.5″), and snow usually falls from October through April. On about 11 days a year at least an inch falls. Snow covers the ground (1″+) on roughly 44 days of an average winter.
Average snowfall by month
Month
Snowfall
Days 1″+
Days with snow cover
Freezing nights
Avg. low
October
0.1″
<1
<1
1
47°F
November
1.5″
1
1
11
35°F
December
7.9″
2
9
24
25°F
January
12.5″
4
18
27
19°F
February
10.1″
3
12
23
23°F
March
5.7″
1
4
18
32°F
April
1.0″
<1
1
3
41°F
Year
38.8″
11
44
106
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — snowfall at Chicago Midway Airport 3sw (10 mi from the city center, +30 ft elevation difference); temperatures at Chicago Midway Airport. Averages smooth out big years: single winters can bring half or double the normal.
38.8 inches in an average year (NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Chicago Midway Airport 3sw station, 10 miles away). The snowiest month is January with 12.5 inches.
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How many freezing nights does Chicago have?
About 106 nights a year drop to 32 °F or below (NOAA 1991–2020); the coldest month, January, averages a low of 19 °F.