National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Fresh Snow and Temperature Outlook Ahead of Christmas Day

If you are looking for fresh snow by Christmas morning or are curious about potential travel disruptions, the best chances for at least 1" of new snowfall early this week exist across the mountainous West, Great Lakes, and Northeast. Otherwise, temperatures this last full week of December will average above normal for much of the lower 48 states. Read More >

Chicago, IL

Weather Forecast Office

Christmas Climate Data for Chicago and Rockford

Weather.gov > Chicago, IL > Christmas Climate Data for Chicago and Rockford

Updated December 2022.

Chicago

Official weather records for Chicago date back to 1871 for temperatures and precipitation, and to 1884 for snowfall. Observation location history for Chicago can be found here. 

 

Chicago Climate Data
Christmas Climate Data for Chicago

 

Top 10 Warmest (Highs)   Top 10 Coldest (Highs)
1 1982 64   1 1983 -5
2 2019 57   2 1985 2
3 1936 56   3 1924 6
  1895 56   4 1996 9
5 2021 55   5 1902 10
  1971 55     1892 10
7 1994 52   7 2022 14
  1893 52   8 1977 15
  1891 52     1899 15
10 1940 50     1879 15
  1877 50     1878 15
             
Top 10 Warmest (Lows)   Top 10 Coldest (Lows)
1 1936 46   1 1983 -17
2 1940 42   2 1985 -11
  1877 42   3 1980 -8
4 2019 37   4 2000 -7
5 1982 36   5 1924 -6
6 1957 35   6 1984 -3
  1941 35   7 1935 -2
  1888 35     1903 -2
  1881 35     1892 -2
10 4 years 34   10 1990 -1
          1914 -1
             
Top 10 Wettest   Top 10 Snowiest
1 1950 0.50"   1 1950 5.1"
  1909 0.50"   2 1909 5.0"
3 1982 0.47"   3 1933 4.3"
4 2009 0.46"   4 1951 4.0"
5 1957 0.38"   5 1935 3.9"
6 1973 0.35"   6 1903 3.2"
  1949 0.35"   7 1965 2.9"
8 1965 0.34"   8 2002 2.0"
  1879 0.34"     1996 2.0"
  1877 0.34"   10 1886 1.9"
             

Percent of Years (Precip)

    

Percent of Years (Snow)

  
>0 61%     >0 53%  
>=0.01 43%     >T 33%  
>=0.10 18%     >=1 13%  
>=0.50 1%     >=3 4%  
>=1 0%          
             

Top 10 Snow Depths (Official Snow Depth Measured at 6 A.M. CST)
1 1951 17"   Last snow depths:
2 2000 12"   >=1 2022  
3 1929 10"   >=3 2010  
4 1969 9"   >=6 2008  
  1961 9"   >=10 2000  
6 1909 8"        
7 1934 7"        
  1884 7"        
9 5 years 6"        

 

Chicago Yearly

 

Year High Temp Low Temp Precip Snowfall Snow Depth
1872 20 4 0.00    
1873 38 33 0.00    
1874 43 23 0.00    
1875 43 30 0.00    
1876 28 21 0.03    
1877 50 42 0.34    
1878 15 3 0.00    
1879 15 2 0.34    
1880 34 28 0.01    
1881 44 35 0.00    
1882 40 33 0.22    
1883 32 24 0.00    
1884 18 8 0.11 1.4 7.0
1885 37 30 0.02 T T
1886 35 18 0.17 1.9 2.0
1887 23 14 T 0.0 T
1888 39 35 0.02 0.0 0.0
1889 47 33 0.00 0.0 0.0
1890 28 20 0.00 0.0 0.0
1891 52 34 T 0.0 0.0
1892 10 -2 0.03 0.3 T
1893 52 30 0.03 T T
1894 31 24 0.00 0.0 0.0
1895 56 33 0.00 0.0 0.0
1896 31 15 0.00 0.0 T
1897 32 18 0.00 0.0  
1898 29 26 0.05 0.5  
1899 15 6 0.00 0.0  
1900 18 12 T T  
1901 35 29 0.16 0.0 T
1902 10 5 T T 2.0
1903 30 -2 0.26 3.2 5.0
1904 29 25 0.02 0.1 T
1905 34 24 0.00 0.0 T
1906 34 26 0.00 0.0 T
1907 39 31 0.00 0.0 3.0
1908 35 27 0.00 0.0 0.0
1909 31 23 0.50 5.0 8.0
1910 32 13 0.03 0.3 T
1911 37 32 0.00 0.0 0.0
1912 43 32 0.00 0.0 0.0
1913 38 34 0.00 0.0 T
1914 16 -1 T T 4.0
1915 34 20 0.12 1.1 4.0
1916 32 19 0.00 0.0 4.0
1917 22 14 0.00 0.0 0.0
1918 28 21 0.04 0.4 6.0
1919 31 19 0.00 0.0 1.0
1920 22 10 0.10 0.8 1.0
1921 23 8 T 0.1 1.0
1922 45 31 0.00 0.0 0.0
1923 38 34 0.11 0.1 0.0
1924 6 -6 0.00 0.0 2.0
1925 27 5 0.01 0.1 2.0
1926 30 15 T T T
1927 35 24 0.00 0.0 0.0
1928 39 29 0.00 0.0 0.0
1929 29 24 0.01 0.2 10.0
1930 40 29 T 0.0 T
1931 39 33 0.00 0.0 0.0
1932 49 32 0.00 0.0 0.0
1933 21 7 0.28 4.3 1.0
1934 30 27 0.04 0.5 7.0
1935 26 -2 0.19 3.9 5.0
1936 56 46 0.11 0.0 0.0
1937 33 24 0.00 0.0 T
1938 28 20 T T 1.0
1939 43 27 0.00 0.0 0.0
1940 50 42 0.07 0.0 0.0
1941 39 35 0.11 T 0.0
1942 36 33 T T 2.0
1943 46 26 0.00 0.0 0.0
1944 25 0 0.04 0.5 6.0
1945 37 27 0.19 0.8 6.0
1946 46 16 0.00 0.0 0.0
1947 33 18 0.09 1.8 2.0
1948 22 13 0.01 0.2 T
1949 39 31 0.35 0.1 T
1950 20 6 0.50 5.1 6.0
1951 30 23 0.32 4.0 17.0
1952 30 22 T T T
1953 38 27 0.00 0.0 2.0
1954 45 31 0.00 0.0 0.0
1955 40 29 T T 0.0
1956 30 28 0.02 0.3 T
1957 45 35 0.38 0.0 0.0
1958 37 27 T T T
1959 45 25 T 0.0 4.0
1960 41 13 0.00 0.0 1.0
1961 27 5 T T 9.0
1962 26 12 0.10 1.2 T
1963 39 18 0.00 0.0 1.0
1964 30 22 0.20 1.5 0.0
1965 35 30 0.34 2.9 2.0
1966 27 16 0.00 0.0 0.0
1967 37 12 0.09 1.1 0.0
1968 18 1 T T 1.0
1969 28 21 T T 9.0
1970 26 9 0.10 1.3 T
1971 55 30 0.01 0.0 0.0
1972 35 30 0.03 0.4 1.0
1973 44 34 0.35 0.0 3.0
1974 24 13 T T 3.0
1975 35 28 0.01 0.3 1.0
1976 34 23 T T T
1977 15 0 T T 2.0
1978 25 13 0.01 0.7 1.0
1979 38 32 0.05 T 0.0
1980 17 -8 T T 2.0
1981 34 14 0.00 0.0 T
1982 64 36 0.47 0.0 0.0
1983 -5 -17 0.00 0.0 4.0
1984 19 -3 0.00 0.0 1.0
1985 2 -11 0.00 0.0 T
1986 32 26 T T 0.0
1987 36 29 T T T
1988 29 17 T T 0.0
1989 36 14 0.03 0.5 1.0
1990 28 -1 0.00 0.0 0.0
1991 42 17 0.00 0.0 T
1992 25 10 T T T
1993 18 5 0.03 0.5 1.0
1994 52 24 0.00 0.0 0.0
1995 31 14 0.02 0.2 T
1996 9 1 0.03 2.0 1.0
1997 35 26 T T 1.0
1998 33 17 0.00 0.0 0.0
1999 31 7 0.00 0.0 0.0
2000 17 -7 0.00 0.0 12.0
2001 22 12 T 0.2 1.0
2002 29 23 0.08 2.0 0.0
2003 36 17 0.00 0.0 0.0
2004 19 11 0.02 0.3 0.0
2005 36 33 0.03 T 0.0
2006 37 30 T T 0.0
2007 42 21 0.00 0.0 0.0
2008 24 0 0.00 0.0 6.0
2009 43 21 0.46 0.4 1.0
2010 31 20 0.06 0.9 5.0
2011 45 29 0.00 0.0 0.0
2012 33 25 0.01 0.1 0.0
2013 27 18 0.07 1.2 T
2014 42 33 0.00 0.0 0.0
2015 44 32 0.00 0.0 0.0
2016 39 32 0.09 0.0 2.0
2017 21 2 0.01 0.1 2.0
2018 45 28 0.00 0.0 0.0
2019 57 37 0.00 0.0 0.0
2020 22 8 0.00 0.0 0.0
2021 55 31 0.03 0.0 0.0
2022 14 2 0.00 0.0 1.0

 

 

Rockford

Official weather records for Rockford date back to 1905 for temperatures, precipitation, and snowfall. Some of the observations for Rockford prior to 1950 contain missing snowfall and snow depth information, so some of the snowfall statistics for Christmas have been calculated on data from 1950 to present. Observation location history for Rockford can be found here.

 

Rockford Climate Data
Christmas Climate Data for Rockford

 

Top 10 Warmest (Highs)   Top 10 Coldest (Highs)
1 2019 59   1 1983 -5
2 1982 58   2 1985 2
3 1936 52   3 1996 5
  1905 52   4 2000 7
5 2021 51   5 1977 9
6 1922 49     1914 9
7 1940 48   7 1924 10
8 1943 47   8 1910 13
  1912 47   9 2022 14
10 2018 46     1993 14
  1939 46     1980 14
          1933 14
             
Top 10 Warmest (Lows)   Top 10 Coldest (Lows)
1 1940 43   1 2000 -22
  1936 43   2 1983 -15
3 1973 35   3 1985 -12
4 2019 33   4 1980 -11
  2014 33     1924 -11
  2005 33   6 1914 -10
  1982 33   7 1984 -7
8 2016 32     1935 -7
  1972 32   9 2008 -6
  1957 32     1990 -6
  1941 32     1977 -6
             
Top 10 Wettest   Top 10 Snowiest
1 1945 1.25"   1 1909 6.0"
2 1957 0.55"   2 1950 4.0"
3 1950 0.42"   3 1951 3.4"
4 1909 0.33"   4 1935 2.5"
5 1973 0.32"   5 1962 2.1"
6 1920 0.30"   6 1945 1.5"
7 2009 0.25"   7 1996 1.0" *
8 1935 0.22"   8 1978 0.9"
9 1951 0.21"     1965 0.9"
10 1962 0.17"   10 2013 0.8"
          * = Estimated

Percent of Years (Precip)

    

Percent of Years (Snow) Since 1950

  
>0 50%     >0 53%  
>=0.01 27%     >=0.1 25%  
>=0.1 13%     >=1 6%  
>=0.5 2%     >=3 3%  
>=1 1%          

Top 10 Snow Depths (Official Snow Depth Measured at 6 A.M. CST)
1 2000 14"   Last snow depths:
  1951 14"   >=1 2022  
3 2008 13"   >=3 2016  
4 1950 12"   >=6 2016  
5 1969 10"   >=10 2008  
6 2010 8"        
  1918 8"        
8 2016 6"        
  2013 6"        
  1983 6"        


 

Rockford Yearly

 

Year High Temp Low Temp Precip Snowfall Snow Depth
1905 52 26 0.00 0.0 0.0
1906 30 9 0.00 0.0  
1907 38 26 0.00 0.0  
1908 39 26 0.00 0.0 0.0
1909 26 21 0.33 6.0  
1910 13 7 0.05 0.0  
1911 35 22 0.00 0.0 0.0
1912 47 29 0.00 0.0  
1913 32 23 T T T
1914 9 -10 0.00 0.0 5.0
1915 32 18 0.00 0.0  
1916 30 -3 0.00 0.0 4.0
1917 26 5 0.00 0.0  
1918 26 13 0.00 0.0 8.0
1919 34 13 0.00 0.0  
1920 MM -1 0.30 0.0  
1921 20 -3 T T  
1922 49 27 0.00 0.0  
1923 40 30 0.00 0.0  
1924 10 -11 0.00 0.0  
1925 22 3 0.03 0.5  
1926 18 3 0.00 0.0  
1927 36 13 0.00 0.0  
1928 41 27 0.00 0.0  
1929 36 21 0.00 0.0  
1930 39 27 0.00 0.0  
1931 39 27 0.00 0.0 0.0
1932 45 29 0.00 0.0 0.0
1933 14 -1 T T  
1934 27 22 0.05 0.5  
1935 20 -7 0.22 2.5  
1936 52 43 0.16 0.0 0.0
1937 32 14 0.00 0.0  
1938 29 21 0.00 0.0  
1939 46 22 0.00 0.0 0.0
1940 48 43 0.10 0.0 0.0
1941 37 32 0.00 0.0 0.0
1942 40 14 0.00 0.0 0.0
1943 47 17 0.00 0.0  
1944 25 9 0.00 0.0  
1945 34 19 1.25 1.5  
1946 43 10 0.00 0.0  
1947 37 19 T T 0.0
1948 18 5 0.00 0.0  
1949 37 22 0.00 0.0 0.0
1950 15 0 0.42 4.0 12.0
1951 28 11 0.21 3.4 14.0
1952 27 18 T T 0.0
1953 41 21 0.00 0.0 T
1954 41 27 0.02 0.0 0.0
1955 36 24 0.01 T T
1956 30 26 T T T
1957 41 32 0.55 0.0 0.0
1958 36 20 T T T
1959 39 20 0.00 0.0 5.0
1960 42 10 0.00 0.0 4.0
1961 25 1 T T 5.0
1962 21 3 0.17 2.1 1.0
1963 37 11 0.00 0.0 5.0
1964 26 16 0.05 0.7 T
1965 30 19 0.05 0.9 4.0
1966 24 5 0.00 0.0 T
1967 34 8 0.01 0.1 T
1968 17 -2 T T 1.0
1969 28 18 T T 10.0
1970 27 3 0.02 0.3 T
1971 40 30 0.02 0.0 0.0
1972 33 32 0.04 0.2 3.0
1973 37 35 0.32 0.0 4.0
1974 23 6 T T 1.0
1975 32 29 T T T
1976 34 19 T T T
1977 9 -6 T T 4.0
1978 24 10 0.03 0.9 4.0
1979 36 23 0.00 0.0 0.0
1980 14 -11 T T 1.0
1981 34 13 0.00 0.0 T
1982 58 33 0.13 0.0 0.0
1983 -5 -15 0.00 0.0 6.0
1984 20 -7 0.00 0.0 2.0
1985 2 -12 0.00 0.0 3.0
1986 30 24 T T T
1987 35 25 T T 1.0
1988 27 15 0.00 0.0 0.0
1989 37 14 0.03 0.6 2.0
1990 25 -6 0.00 0.0 T
1991 38 14 0.00 0.0 1.0
1992 28 8 T 0.1 0.0
1993 14 4 0.04 0.7 2.0
1994 45 20 0.00 0.0 T
1995 26 13 T T T
1996 5 -3 0.10 1.0* 0.0*
1997 30 24 T T* 2.0*
1998 33 12 0.00 0.0 0.0*
1999 32 7 0.00 0.0 2.0*
2000 7 -22 0.00 0.0 14.0
2001 18 9 T 0.1 T
2002 28 23 T T* 0.0*
2003 39 12 0.00 0.0 0.0*
2004 20 12 T 0.4 T
2005 36 33 T T 1.0
2006 37 29 0.00 0.0 0.0
2007 40 20 0.00 0.0 1.0
2008 24 -6 0.00 0.0 13.0
2009 40 16 0.25 0.5 T
2010 32 22 0.01 0.2 8.0
2011 44 24 0.00 0.0 0.0
2012 26 13 0.00 0.0 1.0
2013 25 17 0.04 0.8 6.0
2014 45 33 0.00 0.0 0.0
2015 36 29 0.00 0.0 0.0
2016 39 32 0.16 0.0 6.0
2017 15 -1 T T 1.0
2018 46 25 0.00 0.0 0.0
2019 59 33 0.00 0.0 0.0
2020 24 8 T T T
2021 51 25 0.01 0.0 0.0
2022 14 0 T T 2.0

 

* = Estimated based on nearby NWS Cooperative Observer data.

 

Christmas Eve

Below are statistics for Chicago and Rockford for Christmas Eve. This is for the calendar day of December 24. So if curious about the night of the 24th, remember that after midnight (such as when low temperatures are often observed), they tend to fall on the calendar day of Christmas (December 25). 

 

Chicago

Top 3 Warmest (Highs)   Top 3 Coldest (Highs)
1 1889 64   1 1983 -11
2 1982 62   2 1872 5
3 1877 59   3 1878 8
             
Top 3 Warmest (Lows)   Top 3 Coldest (Lows)
1 1982 51   1 1983 -25
2 1877 49   2 1872 -23
3 1893 46   3 1878 -9
  1889 46        
             
Top 3 Wettest   Top 3 Snowiest
1 1965 2.61"   1 1918 7.1"
2 1982 1.71"   2 1951 4.6"
3 1979 1.53"   3 1915 3.0"
        Last  Accum Snow:  2020 (0.2")
        Last  1+" Snow:  2017 (1.8")
             

Top Snow Depths (Official Snow Depth Measured at 6 A.M. CST)
1 1929 13"   Last snow depths:
2 2000 12"   >=1 2022  
3 1969 10"   >=3 2016  
  1951 10"   >=6 2008  
             

 

Rockford

Top 3 Warmest (Highs)   Top 3 Coldest (Highs)
1 2021 55   1 1983 -11
  2019 55   2 2000 6
  1982 55   3 2022 12
          2004 12
             
Top 3 Warmest (Lows)   Top 3 Coldest (Lows)
1 1982 46   1 1983 -24
2 1931 37   2 2000 -15
3 1908 35   3 2013 -11
             
Top 3 Wettest   Top 3 Snowiest
1 1965 1.77"   1 1918 8.0"
2 1979 1.54"   2 1945 5.0"
3 2009 1.27"   3 1916 4.0"
        Last  Accum Snow:  2017 (1.0")
        Last  1+" Snow:  2017 (1.0")
             

Top Snow Depths (Official Snow Depth Measured at 6 A.M. CST)
1 2000 14"   Last snow depths:
2 2008 11"   >=1 2022  
3 1969 9"   >=3 2016  
  1951 9"   >=6 2016  
             

 

White Christmas

A "White Christmas" is defined as one having at least 1 inch of snow on the ground. Below are information on the climatological likelihood of this based on 1991-2020 normals.

 

White Christmas Probability
Nationwide Climatological Probabilities
To learn more about these maps and to see an interactive one, please see this page.

 

White Christmas Probability
Regional Climatological Probabilities (same as above but zoomed-in)
To learn more about these maps and to see an interactive one, please see this page.

 

Chicago

Probability of a White Christmas
1991-2020 Normals 1884-2021 Period of Record
34% 41%

 

White Christmas Probability
White Christmas History for Chicago

 

Rockford

Probability of a White Christmas
1991-2020 Normals 1950-2021 Period of Record*
45% 44%

 

* Some of the observations for Rockford prior to 1950 contain missing snowfall and snow depth information, so the snow depth statistics were calculated on data from 1950 to present.

 

White Christmas Probability
White Christmas History for Rockford

 

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