Chicago Weather

Chicago Records First Snow of the Season. How Early Is It Compared to Years Past?

The National Weather Service reported that O'Hare Airport saw snow starting at 9:21 a.m., which "will go down as officially the first snow" for Chicago

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Chicago officially recorded its first snow of the 2022-23 season Monday morning.

The National Weather Service reported that O'Hare Airport saw snow starting at 9:21 a.m., which "will go down as officially the first snow" for Chicago.

The weather service noted that while it is the first "trace of snowfall," since a snowflake did hit the ground, it is not the first measurable snow.

"If the snow accumulates to at least 0.1", then it would officially become the first measurable snowfall, but that has not yet happened," the NWS tweeted.

So, how early is this?

According to the NWS, the average date Chicago sees its first traces of snow typically falls around Oct. 31.

The trace snowfall at O’Hare International Airport on Monday, means the city is two weeks ahead of “schedule” for the first flakes of the season, but it is not the earliest on record.

In 2021, however, Chicago didn’t see its first trace snowfall until Nov. 12. And, according to records, the first measurable snowfall -- defined by NWS as one-tenth of an inch of snow or more -- didn't occur until Dec. 28, 2021, the latest first measurable snowfall in recorded history.

The earliest first trace of snowfall that has ever been recorded in the city occurred on Sept. 25, 1942, according to NWS, and the latest occurred on Dec. 5, 1999. Monday's snow is the earliest since Oct. 4, 2014.

Still, the earliest measurable snow, defined as a tenth of an inch or more, happened on Oct. 12, 2006, with 0.3 inches recorded.

While Chicago may or may not see measurable snowfall Monday, two northwest Indiana counties are under a winter weather advisory warning of the potential for up to 3 inches of snow.

Porter and Jasper counties are under the advisory from 4 p.m. Monday through midnight Tuesday. There, forecasters say a period of "heavy, wet, wind-driven snow" is possible Monday afternoon and evening, with some areas seeing up to 3 inches of snow, particularly those away from Lake Michigan.

But the advisory warns of some uncertainty surrounding the forecast.

"There is a higher than normal degree of uncertainty with the snow forecast," it states. "If snow is less intense than expected or stays east of the area, then little or no snow accumulation would occur."

Either way, commuters in the area should prepare for the potential for slippery and hazardous road conditions.

For those concerned about accumulating snow, however, a combination of above-freezing temperatures and warm ground temperatures should ensure that little to no accumulation takes place elsewhere in the Chicago area.

The NBC 5 Storm Team said Monday will be breezy and cold, with below-average temperatures in the low 40s, and wind gusts up to 35 miles per hour.

However, the wind chill will make things seem closer to winter, creating a day that feels more like temperatures in the 20s and 30s. And, some areas may even see their first snow flurries of the season.

For the latest details, continue to visit the NBC 5 app throughout the day on Monday.

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