Chicago Weather Facts and Records
Chicago is known as the Windy City but is not among the top 10 Windiest Cities in the United States.
On average Chicago is one of the cooler cities in the United States and receives more rain and snow than a typical American city.
Chicago receives 54% of all possible sunshine on a yearly basis. The same sunshine levels as Green Bay and Milwaukee in Wisconsin and Concord, New Hampshire and about 7.5% less sunshine than New York City receives per year.
Temperature Records and Yearly Averages
The average annual temperature for Chicago is 49.1 degrees.
The average annual daily high is 58.3 degrees.
The average annual daily low is 39.8 degrees.
Record Hottest Temperatures
105 degrees - occurred on July 24, 1934.
54.4 degrees - warmest annual temperature average occurred in the year 1921.
Record Coldest Temperatures
-27 degrees - coldest temperature in Chicago history occurred on January 20, 1985.
45.1 degrees - coldest year on record in Chicago was 1875.
-82 degrees - coldest wind chill in Chicago history occurred on December 24, 1983.
Record Precipitation or Rain Totals
36.3" - average annual rainfall in Chicago.
49.5" - wettest year occurred in 1983 with 49.5 inches of rain.
22.2" - driest year occurred 1962 with 22.2 inches of rain.
Snowfall Records in Chicago
38" - average annual snowfall in Chicago.
89.7" - snowiest year in Chicago history was 1978-1979 with 89.7 inches of snow.
9.8" - least snowiest year in Chicago history was 1920-1921 with 9.8 inches of snow.
42.5" - snowiest month in Chicago history was January 1918.
23" - biggest snowstorm in Chicago history occurred on January 26-27, 1967.
18.6" - most snow in one day in Chicago history occurred on January 2, 1999.
For more see Best Weather Cities in the United States
Worst Weather Cities in the United States
Published by Joe Dorish
Joe Dorish is a writer who lives in the NYC area. He writes primarily about the things he is passionate about - sports, business, economics, weather and travel. He loves to drive and used to own a Limo company. View profile
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