Chicago WX Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Here are all of the official 10"+ snowstorms in Chicago's recorded history per LOT's website. Added are the maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation totals, snowfall totals, and snow depth for the dates of each storm...with averages/totals/max depth also calculated. Period of record: 1884 to present. All data taken from these sites: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lot/?n=chi_ten_inch_snow http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/IPS/ http://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/# Notes: - snowfall/snow depth data missing for the March 23-24, 1897, February 28, 1900, and December 13 portion of the Dec 12-13, 1903 storms...as per the sites I used. -LOT has the total for Jan 12-14, 1979 storm as 20.3", yet all of the other sites have 20.7" total for the 3 days combined. -keep in mind observational practices/techniques have changed throughout the years. Official site observation locations (snowfall data since Fall of 1884): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago WX Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 Other 10"+ snowstorms that were recorded at Midway Airport, O'Hare Airport, and the Midway 3SW COOP...outside of when they were the official sites (specifically MDW and ORD). Site indicated in ( ) for each storm. Midway Airport storms in these charts from Oct 1928 to May 1942 O'Hare Airport storms in these charts from Oct 1958 to Dec 1979 Midway 3SW COOP storms in these charts from January 1980 to present Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago WX Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 And finally, the official site "close calls" or storms that were just short of the 10" mark...and a few that got to 10" that I think are worthy of consideration. Obviously without hourly data/radar, the older storms are harder to figure out (Jan and Feb 1885)...but looking at archived hourly data and radar images, I'd give March 8-10, 1999 some credence (added LES on the 10th, but that's not unusual). January 11-12, 1918 looks like a lowball snowfall measurement as well...but, different ways of measuring back in those days and all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoosier Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Wow @ February 1895...over a foot of snow with temps in the single digits above/below zero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago WX Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 Wow @ February 1895...over a foot of snow with temps in the single digits above/below zero. Straight 10:1 ratios too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoosier Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Checking the maps from that February 1895 storm, the surface low tracked across the deep south, with a massive high pressure (better than 31 inches of mercury) moving into the Plains. I would bet that total at Chicago was lake enhanced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoosier Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Straight 10:1 ratios too. Unfortunately that's an issue that plagues the older records at many observation sites. I mean, some of them were probably 10:1, but too many of them seem suspicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago WX Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 Checking the maps from that February 1895 storm, the surface low tracked across the deep south, with a massive high pressure (better than 31 inches of mercury) moving into the Plains. I would bet that total at Chicago was lake enhanced. Most likely. Looks the ULL/500 low deepened over the MW. A little reference point, IND had 4.2" on 0.42" with that system...with very cold temps obviously. But that total precipitation number for Chicago though...geez. Unfortunately that's an issue that plagues the older records at many observation sites. I mean, some of them were probably 10:1, but too many of them seem suspicious. Yep, no doubt. Interesting nonetheless, looking back at some of the older storms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago WX Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 *Official* Chicago 10"+ snowstorms by season. Highest season snowfall total without a 10"+ snowstorm: 2007-08 (60.3") Lowest season snowfall total with a 10"+ snowstorm: 1930-31 (27.2") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonger Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 That's impressive. I think Detroit has only cracked double digit snowfalls around 15 times in 130+ years. I'll let Josh correct me if I'm wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitelakeroy Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 That's impressive. I think Detroit has only cracked double digit snowfalls around 15 times in 130+ years. I'll let Josh correct me if I'm wrong. Thank goodness I am not from/in Detroit! I have had at least 15 double digit snows (not including my MTU years). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoosier Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 To piggyback on what Tim posted, if we single out the official 18"+ storms for Chicago... Year/Seasonal Total/Biggest Single Storm 1929-1930 / 58.2" / 19.2" 1966-1967 / 68.4" / 23.0" 1978-1979 / 89.7" / 20.3" 1998-1999 / 50.9" / 21.6" 2010-2011 / 57.9" / 21.2" Now for this winter, with current seasonal total and biggest storm 2014-2015 / 36.7" / 19.3" The lowest seasonal total in a winter containing an 18+ storm is 50.9". If history is any guide, there's quite a bit more snow to fall in Chicago before winter ends. That being said, it's a really limited sample size so I wouldn't read too much into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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