Snowfalls as heavy as this week’s are remarkably rare in Chicago. It’s only the 14th time since snow records began at Midway Airport in 1928 a snowstorm has socked the site with a foot or more of snow. The 12" measured as the final flakes fell at 1:08 p.m. Wednesday is the heaviest to fall in a February there since 12.3" fell on the 6th and 7th of the month in 1933—74 years ago.
Just west, O’Hare’s 10.3" tally was its heaviest this season and established a new Feb. 13 record. But, that total was dwarfed by the 14.6" reported at Whiting, Indiana, 12" in west suburban Batavia, 11.2" at Morton Arboretum and 11" at Arlington Heights and Oak Brook.
Snow fell over 36 consecutive hours amid gusts in 31 of them which hit 39 m.p.h. and produced 5 ft. drifts. Snow slashed visibilities under a quarter-mile for 8 hours. February’s 15.9" at Midway ranks 3rd snowiest since 1928.
--By Tom Skilling, WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
