Overview & Graphics

2023 finished as one of the top ten warmest years on record for both Chicago and Rockford. This past calendar year also featured below normal precipitation and below to well below normal snowfall across most of the area.

CoCoRaHS Observer Annual Precipitation Summary

CoCoRaHS Observer Annual Snowfall Summary

Chicago (O'Hare) Daily Temperature Departures from Average in 2023

Rockford Daily Temperature Departures from Average in 2023

Chicago and Rockford Annual Summary

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Chicago IL
1116 PM CST Tue Jan 2 2024 /1216 AM EST Wed Jan 3 2024/

...A Look Back at the Climate for the 2023 Calendar Year for
Chicago and Rockford...

At Chicago, the average high temperature was 62.4 degrees, which
is 2.9 degrees above normal. The average low temperature was
45.7 degrees, which is 2.7 degrees above normal. The average
temperature was 54.0 degrees, which is 2.8 degrees above normal.
33.73 inches of liquid precipitation were recorded, which is 4.13
inches below normal. 19.8 inches of snow were recorded, which is
18.6 inches below normal.


Below is a listing of daily temperature and precipitation
records, as well as top ten monthly, seasonal, and yearly
temperature and precipitation records that were established for
Chicago in 2023...

JANUARY -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

FEBRUARY --
* Record daily precipitation of 1.20 inches on the 22nd.
** 8th wettest February on record since 1871 with 3.83 inches of
   liquid precipitation.

MARCH -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

APRIL --
* Record daily maximum temperature of 83 degrees on the 13th.

MAY --
* Tied record daily maximum temperature of 87 degrees on the 7th.
** 4th driest May on record since 1871 with 0.71 inches of liquid
   precipitation.

JUNE -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

JULY --
* Record daily precipitation of 3.35 inches on the 2nd.
** 7th wettest July on record since 1871 with 7.61 inches of
   liquid precipitation.

AUGUST --
* Record daily maximum temperature of 98 degrees on the 23rd.
* Record daily highest minimum temperature of 77 degrees on the
  23rd.
* Record daily maximum temperature of 100 degrees on the 24th.

SEPTEMBER -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

OCTOBER --
* Record daily maximum temperature of 83 degrees on the 24th.
* Record daily highest minimum temperature of 65 degrees on the
  26th.
** 10th snowiest October on record since 1884 with 0.9 inches of
   snow.

NOVEMBER -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

DECEMBER --
* Record daily highest minimum temperature of 50 degrees on the
  25th.
** 4th warmest December on record since 1872 with a mean average
   temperature of 39.0 degrees.

SEASONAL -- No top ten seasonal records set.

YEARLY --
* 3rd warmest year on record since 1873 with a mean average
  temperature of 54.0 degrees.

..................................................................

At Rockford, the average high temperature was 61.4 degrees, which
is 2.6 degrees above normal. The average low temperature was
41.2 degrees, which is 1.2 degrees above normal. The average
temperature was 51.3 degrees, which is 1.9 degrees above normal.
32.46 inches of liquid precipitation were recorded, which is 4.78
inches below normal. 34.2 inches of snow were recorded, which is
2.9 inches below normal.


Below is a listing of daily temperature and precipitation
records, as well as top ten monthly, seasonal, and yearly
temperature and precipitation records that were established for
Rockford in 2023...

JANUARY --
* Tied record daily highest minimum temperature of 33 degrees on
  the 19th.
* Record daily snowfall of 4.9 inches on the 28th.

FEBRUARY --
* Record daily precipitation of 1.54 inches on the 27th.
** 2nd wettest February on record since 1906 with 3.79 inches of
   liquid precipitation.

MARCH -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

APRIL --
* Record daily snowfall of 0.2 inches on the 22nd.
* Tied record daily minimum temperature of 25 degrees on the
  26th.

MAY -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

JUNE --
* Record daily minimum temperature of 41 degrees on the 12th.

JULY -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

AUGUST --
* Tied record daily lowest maximum temperature of 68 degrees on
  the 14th.
* Record daily highest minimum temperature of 78 degrees on the
  24th.

SEPTEMBER -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

OCTOBER --
* Record daily precipitation of 2.71 inches on the 13th.
* Record daily maximum temperature of 81 degrees on the 24th.
* Record daily highest minimum temperature of 59 degrees on the
  25th.
* Record daily highest minimum temperature of 61 degrees on the
  26th.

NOVEMBER -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

DECEMBER --
* Record daily highest minimum temperature of 42 degrees on the
  8th.
* Tied record daily highest minimum temperature of 40 degrees on
  the 16th.
* Record daily highest minimum temperature of 47 degrees on the
  24th.
* Record daily highest minimum temperature of 45 degrees on the
  25th.
** 2nd warmest December on record since 1905 with a mean average
   temperature of 36.3 degrees.

SEASONAL --
* Tied 9th snowiest spring on record since 1906 with 15.0 inches
  of snow.

YEARLY --
* Tied 9th warmest year on record since 1906 with a mean average
  temperature of 51.3 degrees.


$$

Latest Annual Climate Report:   Chicago    |    Rockford

Events

• January 3, 2023: Rare January tornado near Gibson City, IL

• January 28-29, 2023: Heavy snowfall in far northern Illinois; nighttime freezing rain elsewhere

• February 22-23, 2023: Ice storm across portions of northern Illinois; heavy rainfall farther south

• February 27, 2023: Rare February tornadoes in northern and central Illinois

• 2022-2023 Winter: Mild and wet with a few heavy snowfall events in far northern Illinois

• March 3, 2023: Thundersnow brings quick accumulations and strong winds south of I-80

• March 9-10, 2023: Winter storm produces up to over 9 inches of heavy wet snow in far northern Illinois

• March 25, 2023: Winter storm brings significant snow accumulations to northwest Illinois

• March 26, 2023: Strong to severe storms produce hail near and along the I-80 corridor

• March 31, 2023: Third largest tornado outbreak on record in the U.S. with 22 tornadoes in the local area

• April 4-5, 2023: Multiple rounds of severe storms produce a swath of significant hail and locally severe winds

• April 19-20, 2023: Two rounds of storms bring large hail and damaging winds to the region

• May 7, 2023: Severe storms produce damaging winds, large hail, landspouts, heavy rain, and blowing dust

• July 2, 2023: Significant flash flooding in Chicago and nearby suburbs

• July 12, 2023: Localized tornado outbreak with 13 tornadoes across northeast Illinois

• July 14, 2023: Storms produce damaging winds across northern Illinois and an EF-0 tornado in DuPage County

• July 28-29, 2023: Multiple rounds of storms, including several late night tornadoes and damaging winds

• August 23-24, 2023: Late summer heat wave results in consecutive days with 115+° heat indices

• September 17, 2023: Significant flash flooding in the near south suburbs of Chicago

• 2023: Record number of tornadoes in a calendar year in the NWS Chicago forecast area

NWS Chicago Science and Past Events Page