Illinois Snow: What’s The Latest Date We’ve Ever Gotten It?

Illinois' snowfall records go back 122 years to 1902, and when you look over those records, it becomes very clear that some decades were just a lot snowier than other decades.

According to the Illinois State Climatologist, "There is no long-term trend in snowfall since 1902. However, some decades were snowier than others, such as the 1910s, 1960s, and 1970s. In fact, the 1970s were the snowiest decade on record with an average snowfall of 27.2 inches. However, snowfall amounts in the last 10 winters have been more variable. The winter of 2014 being about as snowy as the late 1970s, while the winters of 2017 and 2023 were among the top 10 least snowy on record.

Illinois' top 5 snowiest winters of all time (or, since 1902):

1979 with 44.5 inches
1978 with 44.4 inches
1912 with 39.5 inches
2014 with 39.4 inches
1960 with 38.6 inches

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Okay, Let's Cover Which Spots In Illinois Are Early Or Late When It Comes To The Season's First Snowfall

Just so you know, most of Northern Illinois is already lagging behind our average date for the first snowfall of the season.

For example, Chicago normally sees its first trace of snowfall by Halloween, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The earliest date that Chicago received its first snowfall was on September 25th, and that happened in both 1928 and 1942. The latest that Chicago got a trace of snow is December 5th, but the latest date that they received measurable snowfall was on December 28th.

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Looking At Other Illinois Locations And Their Earliest And Latest Snowfalls...

In Rockford, the first trace of snow usually happens on November 20th. The earliest measurable snowfall was on October 12th, 1928, when 0.1 inches or more of snow fell. The second-earliest snowfall on record was in 2014, when light snow fell shortly before 5am. The latest date for snow in Rockford was January 7, 1940.

In Peoria, the average first snowfall of the season is November 26th, according to the National Weather Service. Their earliest measurable snowfall took place on September 25th, 1942. The latest first measurable snowfall in Peoria happened on January 4th, 1913.

Looking ahead in the forecast, I don't see anything that even resembles snow being predicted for our area for at least the next few weeks...if not longer.

Out west, it's an entirely different story:

LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state

Stacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.