

In fine weather, a cool (or even cold) breeze in the afternoon blows from the lake, which is felt especially in the eastern districts of the city. In early April, it can still snow on the other hand, during the month the first warm days can occur, with highs around 30 ☌ (86 ☏).

Spring, from mid-March to May, is an unstable season, characterized by different situations and temperature changes: initially cold in March, with snowfalls and frosts still quite frequent, it advances gradually, between the first warm days and the return of cold weather conditions. Every so often, the phenomenon called "ice storm" (or freezing rain) can also occur, that is, rain falling on frozen ground, freezing everything, roads, trees, light poles, cars etc. The coldest record is -32.8 ☌ (-27 ☏) and was set in January 1985 at O'Hare airport.Īlthough the temperature remains below freezing (0 ☌ or 32 ☏) even during the day for weeks, sometimes it can exceed freezing also in winter, resulting in melting snow and possible rainfall. Particularly cold periods, with minimum temperatures dropping to -20 ☌ (-4 ☏), occur practically every year, and sometimes they can even drop to around -30 ☌ (-22 ☏). Polar cold spells are accompanied by the blizzard, the north wind blowing in gusts and able to heighten the feeling of cold. Snowfall is frequent, so much so that it snows for several days in a month sometimes, real snowstorms can occur. But at least, the days here are not as short as in the Nordic countries. Winter in Chicago runs from late November to early March and is very cold, to the point that the average temperature is reminiscent of Northern European cities. The record belongs to the winter of 1978-79, when a total of 228 cm (90 in) of snow fell. An average of 98 centimeters (38.5 inches) of snow falls per year every once in a while, a snowfall can be seen already in October, while in spring, sometimes it can snow even in April. In winter, precipitation mainly occurs in the form of snow. In winter, and also in spring and autumn, weather fronts pass over the area, while in late spring and summer, when they become less frequent, thunderstorms can form in the afternoon or evening: it is no coincidence that the wettest period is from May to August. Precipitation amounts to 960 millimeters (37.9 inches) per year and is well distributed over the seasons, at least in frequency, while in terms of quantity, the winter is the driest season. Chicago - Average temperatures (1991-2020) Month
