| 2026-03-02 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 2 Mar: CLR 23.5° REL HMDTY 69% AQ 33 (good) DP 14.9° WND SE 7.2 MPH WND CHL 15.5° BRM 30.38 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:24 Sunset 5:43. 1 Mar: Hi 36.0° (1315) Lo 23.5° (0624) HDD 37 GUST E 22 MPH (0835) *** Least snowiest winter (November through the end of March) happened over 100 years ago (1920-21) when only 9.8” whitened the Illinois prairie. NNNN |
| 2026-03-01 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 1 Mar: CLR 24.8° REL HMDTY 68% AQ 25 (good) DP 15.8° WND NE 7.2 MPH WND CHL 16.8° BRM 30.37 RSG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:26 Sunset 5:42. 28 Feb: Hi 41.0° (1055) Lo 24.8° (0624) HDD 29 GUST NE 22 MPH (1855) *** Snowiest March was in 1926 when 23.1” fell. Least snowiest was but a trace in 2000. NNNN |
| 2026-02-28 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | PRECIPITATION: February 0.26" (norm 1.8") 2026 2.68" (3.7") Winter 4.76" (5.7") SNOW: February 0.7" (norm 12.9") 2026 10.7" (23.4") Winter 20.3" (28.4") Snow Season 32.3" (30.4") 28 Feb: CLR 29.8° REL HMDTY 80% AQ 40 (good) DP 25.2° WND CLM 0.0 MPH WND CHL --.-° BRM 30.04 RSG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:28 Sunset 5:41. 27 Feb: Hi 68.0° (1610) Lo 29.8° (0634) HDD 35 GUST SW 22 MPH (1235) *** OTD in 1994 the earliest last measurable snow of the season (1.0") came through the Lincoln-Way area. More than a generation earlier (1957) the Hickory/Spring Creek floods brought a mammoth 20,000 CFS of dihydrogen monoxide surging into the Des Plaines River. The deathly pollutant caused thousands to be displaced in Joliet and the neighboring hamlet of New Lenox. Ban this deadly substance! www.dhmoban.org/faq/. NNNN |
| 2026-02-27 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 27 Feb: FRZ FG 26.8° REL HMDTY 99% AQ 53 (mod) DP 26.6° WND CLM 0.0 MPH WND CHL --.-° BRM 29.89 STDY VIS 0.25 MI Sunrise 6:29 Sunset 5:39. 26 Feb: Hi 43.7° (1620) Lo 23.9° (0700) HDD 35 GUST SW 9.2 MPH (1350) *** February 2015 hit the record books as being the coldest month since the awful December of 1983. OTD the high was but 19° and the low -6°. A day later, the maximum was only 13° and the minimum -5° with 4” snow on the ground. NNNN |
| 2026-02-26 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 26 Feb: CLDS 23.2° REL HMDTY 68% AQ 53 (mod) DP 14.0° WND NE 5.0 MPH WND CHL 13.0° BRM 29.88 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:30 Sunset 5:38. 25 Feb: Hi 39.2° (1600) Lo 23.0° (0617) HDD 33 GUST W 17.3 MPH (0920) *** A glorious afternoon temperature of 71° shattered the old heat standard by seven degrees OTD in 2024. It was the third-warmest February mark in 153 years of records. The following day also witnessed readings in the low 70s but 11 tornadoes exploded across Northern Illinois. Bad day for ancraophobics. NNNN |
| 2026-02-25 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 25 Feb: CLR 26.4° REL HMDTY 86% AQ 37 (good) DP 22.8° WND W 8.1 MPH WND CHL 18.0° BRM 29.61 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:31 Sunset 5:37. 24 Feb: Hi 39.0° (2005) Lo 19.9° (0700) HDD 35 GUST S 24 MPH (0955) *** In the 19th century’s temperate cycle, 1878 saw northeastern Illinois’ warmest meteorological winter which neared an end with but one day (7 January) having had a sub-20° high. Minimums beneath 10° were recorded on just four days. The maximums from 10 to 25 December were in the 50s each day and thus no white Christmas. NNNN |
| 2026-02-24 | 7:00 AM | T | T | T | NA | NA | | 24 Feb: OVRCST 19.6° REL HMDTY 80% AQ 33 (good) DP 14.2° WND SE 1.1 MPH WND CHL 19.6° BRM 30.03 FLG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:32 Sunset 5:36. 23 Feb: Hi 30.7° (1605) Lo 17.8° (2330) HDD 41 GUST NW 15 MPH (1055) *** Snow depth from continual storms was still at 12” OTD in 1967. To make matters worse, this morning 59 years ago witnessed the mercury plummeting to -6° with an HDD of 61 near the end of northeastern Illinois’ wretched meteorological winter. This record lasted but three years and then was smashed several more times in the late 1970s. NNNN |
| 2026-02-23 | 7:00 AM | T | T | T | NA | NA | | 23 Feb: OVRCST 19.6° REL HMDTY 79% AQ 19 (excellent) DP 14.6° WND NW 6.9 MPH WND CHL 11.6° BRM 30.40 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:35 Sunset 5:35. 22 Feb: Hi 27.3° (1235) Lo 17.2° (0515) HDD 42 GUST NW 22 MPH (1235) *** In 1873 OTD the third of four consecutive double-digit below-zero temperatures (-18°) made the climatological annals of the Lincoln-Way towns. NNNN |
| 2026-02-22 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 22 Feb: OVRCST 21.6° REL HMDTY 74% AQ 26 (good) DP 14.5° WND NW 9.1 MPH WND CHL 9.9° BRM 30.19 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:37 Sunset 5:33. 21 Feb: Hi 28.9° (1405) Lo 21.6° (0607) HDD 39 GUST NW 43 MPH (0320) *** During the second full year of northeastern Illinois weather data (1873), 51° was recorded on the 21st but -14° one day later. As Prairie State residents often say, if you don’t like today's weather, just wait 24 hours. NNNN |
| 2026-02-21 | 7:00 AM | T | T | T | NA | NA | | 21 Feb: OVRCST 24.3° REL HMDTY 83% AQ 23 (good) DP 19.8° WND W 7.2 MPH WND CHL 16.3° BRM 30.07 RSG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:38 Sunset 5:32. 20 Feb: Hi 38.0° (0700) Lo 24.3° (0630) HDD 28 GUST W 43 MPH (1245) *** A record-high minimum of 49° OTD highlighted a wonderful seven-day heat streak in 2017. NNNN |
| 2026-02-20 | 7:00 AM | 0.06 | NA | NA | NA | NA | | 20 Feb: OVRCST 32.0° REL HMDTY 68% AQ 35 (good) DP 28.9° WND SW 29.4 MPH WND CHL 18.8° BRM 29.40 RSG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:40 Sunset 5:31. 19 Feb: Hi 57.9° (1025) Lo 32.0° (0619) HDD 17 GUST SW 40 MPH (0330) *** Retired WGN weather wizard Tom Skilling was born OTD in the far-west suburbs in 1952. Not the best-looking (Cheryl & Emily, woo-woo!) but the best forecaster. NNNN |
| 2026-02-19 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 19 Feb: CLDS 38.1° REL HMDTY 67% AQ 52 (mod) DP 28.0° WND CLM 0.0 MPH WND CHL --.-° BRM 29.62 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:41 Sunset 5:30. 18 Feb: Hi 64.4° (1415) Lo 35.1° (0315) HDD 10 GUST W 32 MPH (1435) *** Bizarre early season cloudburst brought 3 ½ to 4 inches of rain to the Lincoln-Way area OTD in 2018. As always with events such as this, Hickory Creek abandoned its banks in the middle of New Lenox. NNNN |
| 2026-02-18 | 7:00 AM | 0.16 | NA | NA | NA | NA | | 18 Feb: FG/MST 52.7° REL HMDTY 93% AQ 39 (good) DP 50.5° WND S 17.8 MPH WND CHL 47.3° BRM 29.49 FLG VIS 6 MI Sunrise 6:43 Sunset 5:28. 17 Feb: Hi 57.6° (1345) Lo 38.8° (0700) HDD 16 GUST S 32 MPH (0315) *** When local folks start to sniff spring, Mother Nature often throws a wicked curveball. OTD in 2006, Chicagoland endured a -7° low, 9° high, and braved sustained northwest winds of 10-17 mph. NNNN |
| 2026-02-17 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 66.0° @ 1525 broke 1976's record (65°)for warmest 2/16 in Joliet area! 17 Feb: CLDS 38.3° REL HMDTY 95% AQ 47 (good) DP 36.3° WND SE 6.1 MPH WND CHL 33.3° BRM 29.95 STDY VIS 9 MI Sunrise 6:44 Sunset 5:27. 16 Feb: Hi 66.0° (1525) Lo 35.1° (0700) HDD 15 GUST SW 23 MPH (1415) *** Even better than yesterday, just nine years ago (2017) the day’s maximum reading was 67° with full sun plus light zephyrs. This was the first of a seven-day, unseasonal heat wave. 2/18’s high was 70°, 2/19 featured 69°, 2/20 a 70°, 2/21 only 67°, and 2/22 68°. NNNN |
| 2026-02-16 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 16 Feb: HVY FG 35.1° REL HMDTY 99% AQ 55 (moderate) DP 34.7° WND CLM 0.0 MPH WND CHL --.-° BRM 29.95 STDY VIS 0.25 MI Sunrise 6:45 Sunset 5:26. 15 Feb: Hi 61.3° (1555) Lo 29.7° (0700) HDD 20 GUST W 17 MPH (1115) *** Northeastern Illinois’ final string of brutal winters paused OTD in 1985 with the end of 33 consecutive days below freezing (January 20th had witnessed -27°). TWC's wind-whipped, water-lashed legend Jim Cantore was born in 1964. NNNN |
| 2026-02-15 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 15 Feb: CLDS 29.7° REL HMDTY 97% AQ 102 (UNHEALTHY) DP 29.3° WND W 3.0 MPH WND CHL --.-° BRM 29.93 STDY VIS 8 MI Sunrise 6:47 Sunset 5:25. 14 Feb: Hi 46.4° (1350) Lo 28.4° (0700) HDD 25 GUST S 7 MPH (0350) *** Winter ebbed early in 2023 as exemplified by an epoch-low 6% of Lake Michigan enveloped by ice. NNNN |
| 2026-02-14 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 14 Feb: CLR 28.8° REL HMDTY 89% AQ 54 (moderate) DP 26.1° WND SE 3.0 MPH WND CHL --.-° BRM 30.03 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:48 Sunset 5:23. 13 Feb: Hi 54.5° (1445) Lo 26.8° (0700) HDD 25 GUST SW 20 MPH (1235) *** Our meteorological “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” happened in 1990. Mother Nature showed no heart on the day of love as New Lenox recorded 7.8” wet snow composed of 0.78” dihydrogen monoxide. (In local weather history the next closest to this was a relatively puny 3.3” in 1973.) The storm of more than a third of a century ago was accompanied by zero visibility from northeast devils of 35-40 MPH and a rare closure of O’Hare International. NNNN |
| 2026-02-13 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 13 Feb: CLR 26.8° REL HMDTY 86% AQ 50 (moderate) DP 23.2° WND SE 3.4 MPH WND CHL --.-° BRM 30.19 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:49 Sunset 5:22. 12 Feb: Hi 44.8° (1650) Lo 24.1° (0230) HDD 33 GUST E 7 MPH (1835) *** 150+ years of local weather data shows that 1905 was the 11th-coldest northeastern Illinois meteorological winter. The year bottomed OTD with an -18° low and -4° high as the 1880-1915 cool cycle continued. Also, this was the coldest day so late during winter in Chicagoland history. NNNN |
| 2026-02-12 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 12 Feb: CLR 24.4° REL HMDTY 93% AQ 58 (moderate) DP 22.8° WND CLM 0.0 MPH WND CHL --.-° BRM 30.26 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:51 Sunset 5:21. 11 Feb: Hi 43.5° (1555) Lo 23.2° (0440) HDD 31 GUST NW 18 MPH (1415) *** 1894's celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday was cancelled in Joliet during the area’s epic cold cycle. Honest Abe might’ve wanted it so with winds that peaked with an 87 MPH gust and nearly eight inches of fresh snow. Sorry, Vachel Lindsay, Mr. Lincoln would not have wanted to walk at midnight. Heck, a second Emancipation Proclamation of his was needed to liberate people from that terrible weather. NNNN |
| 2026-02-11 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 11 Feb: CLR 25.0° REL HMDTY 84% AQ 24 (good) DP 22.3° WND W 5.2 MPH WND CHL 19.2° BRM 30.18 RSG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:52 Sunset 5:20. 10 Feb: Hi 49.5° (1440) Lo 25.0° (0637) HDD 25 GUST N 20 MPH (1515) *** In a weather scenario more typical of central Illinois, the Lincoln-Way area was hit by a vicious storm OTD in 2019 which brought one-half to two-thirds of an inch of ice that was borne by 40 MPH winds. Forty miles north? Snow. Forty miles south? Rain. NNNN |
| 2026-02-10 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 10 Feb: CLR 32.0° REL HMDTY 91% AQ 49 (good-) DP 29.5° WND CLM 0.0 MPH WND CHL --.-° BRM 29.80 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:53 Sunset 5:18. 9 Feb: Hi 39.2° (1530) Lo 18.9° (0700) HDD 35 GUST S 12 MPH (2155) *** The final of nine consecutive days with measurable snow hit the record books OTD in 2018. The month would turn out to be wet with 4.64” precipitation accumulated. NNNN |
| 2026-02-09 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 9 Feb: CLR 18.9° REL HMDTY 84% AQ 55 (moderate) DP 14.7° WND E 6.0 MPH WND CHL 10.9° BRM 30.18 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:54 Sunset 5:17. 8 Feb: Hi 29.3° (1620) Lo 18.9° (0700) HDD 39 GUST SE 21 MPH (1355) *** The horrendous winter of 1976-1977 inflicted a 1,053-hour streak of sub-freezing temperatures on Chicagoland residents. The killer cold finally ended at 1000 hours OTD when the mercury inched above 32°. NNNN |
| 2026-02-08 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 8 Feb: CLR 19.4° REL HMDTY 90% AQ 37 (good) DP 17.1° WND E 8.1 MPH WND CHL 9.3° BRM 30.31 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:56 Sunset 5:15. 7 Feb: Hi 28.6° (1535) Lo 11.8° (0715) HDD 46 GUST E 8.1 MPH (0646) *** Greatest 12-hour temperature drop in northeastern Illinois history happened on this glorious day in 1900. Mercury collapsed from 62° with 70 mph winds and a thunderstorms to an Arctic front that resulted in a 10° reading. On a happier note, solid-in-his-predictions NBC Chicago weather guy Brant Miller was born OTD in 1950. As Frank crooned, it was a very good year. NNNN |
| 2026-02-07 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 7 Feb: CLR 11.8° REL HMDTY 66% AQ 26 (good) DP 2.8° WND N 5.5 MPH WND CHL 3.7° BRM 30.37 RSG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:57 Sunset 5:15. 6 Feb: Hi 38.1° (1615) Lo 11.7° (0630) HDD 37 GUST NW 23 MPH (1235) *** In 1979 more misery came OTD with another overnight minimum of -20°. From New Year’s Day through 6 February the average temperature was 3°. NNNN |
| 2026-02-06 | 7:00 AM | 0.02 | 0.3 | 0.02 | NA | NA | | 6 Feb: FG/MST 27.3° REL HMDTY 95% AQ 63 (moderate) DP 25.9° WND SW 1.1 MPH WND CHL --.-° BRM 29.64 FLG VIS 5 MI Sunrise 6:58 Sunset 5:13. 5 Feb: Hi 29.7° (1315) Lo 16.5° (0700) HDD 42 GUST S 21 MPH (1415) *** Geezow, back to 1967. 9” new snow fell on top of what was still on the ground from the storms of 26/27 January. 36” in 11 days! As important but 56 years earlier, future President Ronald Reagan was born above the town bakery in Tampico, Illinois. NNNN |
| 2026-02-05 | 7:00 AM | T | T | T | NA | NA | | 5 Feb: CLR 15.3° REL HMDTY 94% AQ 51 (moderate) DP 12.5° WND E 2.2 MPH WND CHL --.-° BRM 30.12 FLG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 6:59 Sunset 5:12. 4 Feb: Hi 27.9° (1650) Lo 10.8° (0235) HDD 44 GUST N 6 MPH (1215) *** OTD in 1979 during northeastern Illinois’s second-coldest winter, the annals of awful weather continued with a -20° low, 76 HDD, and an almost unimaginable snow depth of 29”. NNNN |
| 2026-02-04 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | --> Mercury broke above 32° at 1420 yesterday. Lincoln-Way area had endured 426 consecutive hours of freezing weather going back to 16 January. 4 Feb: OVRCST 20.8° REL HMDTY 82% AQ 51 (moderate) DP 16.2° WND N 5.0 MPH WND CHL 13.8° BRM 30.34 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:00 Sunset 5:11. 3 Feb: Hi 32.7° (1420) Lo 20.1° (0540) HDD 43 GUST NE 10 MPH (1735) *** Warmest February came way back in 2024: 39.5° was the mean temperature over the 29 days. The month was 10.7° warmer than average. NNNN |
| 2026-02-03 | 7:00 AM | 0.02 | 0.4 | 0.03 | NA | NA | | 3 Feb: OVRCST 21.2° REL HMDTY 95% AQ 52 (moderate) DP 19.9° WND CLM 0.0 MPH WND CHL --.-° BRM 30.15 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:01 Sunset 5:10. 2 Feb: Hi 27.5° (1405) Lo 17.2° (2110) HDD 47 GUST W 9 MPH (1415) *** Snow depth was 24” in 2015 following the “Super Bowl Blizzard” - the Bears were NOT in that game - on the 31st (12.3”), 3” snow falling a day later, and 4” on 2 February. NNNN |
| 2026-02-02 | 7:00 AM | T | T | T | NA | NA | | 2 Feb: OVRCST 23.0° REL HMDTY 95% AQ 52 (moderate) DP 21.6° WND W 6.2 MPH WND CHL 15.8° BRM 30.07 STDY VIS 7 MI Sunrise 7:02 Sunset 5:08. 1 Feb: Hi 28.6° (1500) Lo 4.8° (0700) HDD 47 GUST S 20 MPH (1935) *** In 2011 the Groundhog Day storm ended (1/31-2/2) with a total of 21.2” snow. It was/is the third-largest winter storm in northeastern Illinois. A man who covered it for WGN, retired weatherman Tom Skilling was born on this day in 1952. NNNN |
| 2026-02-01 | 7:00 AM | T | T | T | NA | NA | | 1 Feb: CLR 5.2° REL HMDTY 93% AQ 54 (moderate) DP 3.4° WND CLM 0.0 MPH WND CHL -.-° BRM 30.31 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:03 Sunset 5:07. 31 Jan: Hi 27.3° (1450) Lo 5.2° (0648) HDD 47 GUST N 20 MPH (1255) *** The Groundhog Day storm began striking the area during early afternoon OTD in 2015. The resulting 16” of wet snow in New Lenox helped the month to become the snowiest February in northeastern Illinois history. 0.87” in liquid-equivalent precipitation also was a record for ANY February day. OPPOSITES? 1) No February snow fell in 1987, 1998, and 2017. 2) Record February warmth came in 2024 with the month’s average temperature of 39.5° that broke a 142-year standard. NNNN |
| 2026-01-31 | 7:00 AM | T | T | T | NA | NA | | Precipitation: Winter '25-26 4.81" (norm 3.9") Jan 2.42" (1.9") Snow: Snow Season Nov-Jan 31.6" (norm 17") Winter 19.6" (15.5") Jan 10.0" (10.5") 31 Jan: OVRCST 13.3° REL HMDTY 81% AQ 34 (good) DP 8.8° WND W 9.2 MPH WND CHL 1.0° BRM 30.36 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:04 Sunset 5:06. 30 Jan: Hi 21.2° (1350) Lo 4.1° (0700) HDD 53 GUST NW 21 MPH (0115) *** It's been a date of extremes. Must’ve seemed like spring when it was 65° in 1989 but -21° in 2019 (after -23° the day before) was very, very wintery. NNNN |
| 2026-01-30 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 30 Jan: OVRCST 3.2° REL HMDTY 85% AQ 51 (moderate) DP 0.6° WND W 5.0 MPH WND CHL -7.0° BRM 30.32 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:05 Sunset 5:05. 29 Jan: Hi 19.0° (1400) Lo -3.5° (0435) HDD 56 GUST N 8 MPH (2135) *** 1977’s final bit of miserable January weather happened on the 30th when 60 mph winds and -20° on the Joliet thermometers made for -62° of wind chill. Once again, US routes 30, 45, and 52 were closed through the Lincoln-Way area. NNNN |
| 2026-01-29 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 29 Jan: CLR 0.9° REL HMDTY 81% AQ 45 (good) DP -3.5° WND NW 7.0 MPH WND CHL -12.0° BRM 30.28 RSG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:06 Sunset 5:03. 28 Jan: Hi 18.9° (1505) Lo -0.5° (0505) HDD 56 GUST W 21 MPH (1435) *** Happy birthday to Cheryl Scott, one of this CoCoRaHS man’s favorite Chicago weather forecasters. She turns 41 this fine day. When Cheryl was a young lass in 2008, a temperature drop of 50° happened over a span of just ten hours. 49° at 1551 hours OTD became -1° at 0151 on the 30th. NNNN |
| 2026-01-28 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 28 Jan: CLR 0.0° REL HMDTY 86% AQ 50 (good-) DP -3.9° WND W 8.2 MPH WND CHL -13.1° BRM 30.22 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:07 Sunset 5:02. 27 Jan: Hi 14.7° (1455) Lo -0.8° (0100) HDD 55 GUST W 26 MPH (0835) *** A post-mortem on the January 1967 blizzard: 23+ inches of snow, peak gusts of 53 MPH, 4-6’ drifts, 20,000 cars/1,100 CTA buses stranded/abandoned, $150,000,000 ($1.4 billion in 2026 money) in business losses, and both major Chicago airports shutdown for five days. Ten years later OTD, a -17° minimum, winds of 40 MPH (wind chill -52°), 9” blowing snow on the ground, and the vital I-80/US 30 interchange totally snowbound made New Lenox isolated from the world for 36 hours. NNNN |
| 2026-01-27 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 27 Jan: CLDS 14.2° REL HMDTY 80% AQ 33 (good) DP 9.1° WND SW 15.2 MPH WND CHL -1.2° BRM 29.95 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:08 Sunset 5:01. 26 Jan: Hi 14.2° (0611) Lo -3.5° (0720) HDD 60 GUST S 29 MPH (2055) *** The great blizzard of 1967 concluded OTD at 1010 hours. 6.6” of additional snow made the total 23” (2.4” H2O). That event is still the #1 northeastern Illinois snowstorm. Two tales of storm memories are still vivid in the minds of a pair of CoCoRaHS guys. 1) In Joliet, a 16-year-old attended a tripleheader college basketball bonanza at the Chicago Stadium. Eight other riders (two adults and SIX teens) were packed into Joliet Central athletic director Ken Parker’s station wagon. With the Dan Ryan Expressway but one lane in each direction, this nonet did not manage to arrive home until 3 a.m. 2) In Oak Forest, future DuPage County CoCoRaHS legend Joe Neilly was in 4th grade at St. Damian school. With no buses on the streets, his nuns told students to pack not lunches but cars. Mr. Neilly recalls eight kids in one neighbor's small sedan. Ah, the adventures of the young! NNNN |
| 2026-01-26 | 7:00 AM | 0.06 | 2.0 | 0.06 | NA | NA | | 26 Jan: CLR -2.7° REL HMDTY 75% AQ 41 (good) DP -8.7° WND W 6.2 MPH WND CHL -14.6° BRM 30.24 RSG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:08 Sunset 5:00. 25 Jan: Hi 16.5° (1330) Lo -2.7° (0640) HDD 55 GUST N 21 MPH (1855) *** If 65 or older and grew up in the Chicago area, you likely remember this day in 1967. That Thursday marked the beginning of northeastern Illinois' great blizzard. Initial flakes of snow were observed at 0502 and in the next 19 hours, 16.4” (1.66 H2O) fell. This 16-year-old lad went to work at 4 p.m. and did not clock out until 10 the next morning with snow still falling. Gross pay for those 18 hours was a whopping $20.70! NNNN |
| 2026-01-25 | 7:00 AM | 0.14 | 2.8 | 0.14 | NA | NA | | 25 Jan: LT SNW 7.0° REL HMDTY 89% AQ 47 (good) DP 4.3° WND N 6.1 MPH WND CHL -3.0° BRM 30.16 FLG VIS 2.5 MI Sunrise 7:09 Sunset 4:58. 24 Jan: Hi 7.0° (0631) Lo -7.2° (0700) HDD 67 GUST N 7 MPH (0735)*** We interrupt weather tales from 1960 through the 1990s with a report of long-ago awful weather OTD in 1897. The second of back-to-back overnight record lows froze people of the pre-central heating and non-insulation era with a reading of-20°. (Psst! The all-time high for this date was set in 1967 when another balmy day with a maximum of 66° caused revision of the Northeastern Illinois annals. 24 hours later, hmm.) NNNN |
| 2026-01-24 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 24 Jan: OVRCST -7.4° REL HMDTY 60% AQ 46 (good) DP -17.7° WND N 7.8 MPH WND CHL -22° BRM 30.68 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:10 Sunset 4:57. 23 Jan: Hi -2.4° (1505) Lo -9.0° (0851) HDD 68 GUST N 22 MPH (1235). *** This was the warmest of three record-breaking days in 1967. Noting the 67° afternoon, your future CoCoRaHS reporter’s boss sent him outside to work. Wearing but a tee shirt and shorts, yours truly spent his four-hour shift cleaning windows at Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet. The next day’s high would be 66 (one degree off the all-time mark) but 48 hours later? Aye yai yai. NNNN |
| 2026-01-23 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 23 Jan: CLR -8.1° REL HMDTY 59% AQ 26 (good) DP -17.2° WND NW 17.8 MPH WND CHL -32° BRM 30.52 RSG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:11 Sunset 4:56. 22 Jan: Hi 26.4° (1355) Lo -8.1° (0751) HDD 49 GUST W 35 MPH (1635). *** In 1967 the second of three consecutive gorgeous days set records around Joliet with 55-60° highs. This was a Monday and after school your CoCoRaHS history guy shot baskets in the driveway while clad in only jeans and a sweatshirt. 72 hours later? Look out! NNNN |
| 2026-01-22 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 22 Jan: CLR 15.8° REL HMDTY 68% AQ 25 (good) DP 7.2° WND S 13.2 MPH WND CHL 3.0° BRM 30.19 RSG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:12 Sunset 4:55. 21 Jan: Hi 32.0° (1155) Lo 15.8° (0555) HDD 39 GUST W 35 MPH (2215). *** A relatively balmy 34° maximum with light southwest zephyrs OTD in 1994 brought an end to severe cold that had stretched for a week. Daily low temperatures had been between -13° & -21°. NNNN |
| 2026-01-21 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 21 Jan: OVRCST 29.5° REL HMDTY 63% AQ 34 (good) DP 18.0° WND S 12.4 MPH WND CHL 18.9° BRM 29.91 FLG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:13 Sunset 4:53. 20 Jan: Hi 29.5° (0634) Lo 1.8° (0735) HDD 51 GUST S 20 MPH (0415). *** Nearly one year before Chicagoland’s lowest temperature (1/20/1985), 1984 featured a face-freezing, cartilage-cracking -26°. Unless one wants to do meteorological research in the era of glaciers, that mark was our second-coldest reading. NNNN |
| 2026-01-20 | 7:00 AM | T | T | T | NA | NA | | 20 Jan: CLR 1.8° REL HMDTY 83% AQ 43 (good) DP -2.4° WND SW 6.2 MPH WND CHL -12.8° BRM 30.35 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:13 Sunset 4:52. 19 Jan: Hi 8.2° (1535) Lo -0.9° (0815) HDD 56 GUST W 29 MPH (0715). *** As promised yesterday, today’s post informs readers of the lowest temperature EVER recorded in the region. The morning low OTD in 1985 was -27° with a persistent wind chill of -58°. As Ed would've said to Johnny, "How cold was it?" I recall my car door sounding very odd as it clanked into its frame. NNNN |
| 2026-01-19 | 7:00 AM | 0.03 | 1.3 | 0.03 | NA | NA | | 19 Jan: BLWG SN 0.5° REL HMDTY 75% AQ 20 (excellent) DP -4.0° WND W 24.3 MPH WND CHL -21.9° BRM 30.04 RSG VIS 4 MI Sunrise 7:14 Sunset 4:51. 18 Jan: Hi 19.4° (1550) Lo 0.5° (0700) HDD 53 GUST W 28 MPH (0555). *** It was a Saturday in 1985 when the fourth-coldest day occurred in northeastern Illinois. Bad as the -23° temperature was, wait until tomorrow’s post by your CoCoRaHS weather history guy for an even more gruesome tale. NNNN |
| 2026-01-18 | 7:00 AM | 0.01 | 0.1 | 0.01 | NA | NA | | 18 Jan: CLR 7.7° REL HMDTY 79% AQ 20 (excellent) DP 2.7° WND W 7.5 MPH WND CHL -3.1° BRM 30.06 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:14 Sunset 4:50. 17 Jan: Hi 17.1° (1515) Lo 7.7° (0624) HDD 47 GUST W 26 MPH (1215). *** New Lenox residents of 1996 must have gloried in the noon temperature of 58°. 88 minutes later, however, the mercury plummeted to 0°, but was back to 54° at 2 p.m. and then dropped to 5° that night. 0.40” rain was also in the mix. The next day saw a high of 9° and a low of 3°. None of this is a typographic error! NNNN |
| 2026-01-17 | 7:00 AM | 0.07 | 1.1 | 0.07 | NA | NA | | 17 Jan: CLR 12.0° REL HMDTY 72% AQ 19 (excellent) DP 4.6° WND W 12.9 MPH WND CHL -2.9° BRM 29.88 RSG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:15 Sunset 4:49. 16 Jan: Hi 37.4° (1455) Lo 12.0° (0617) HDD 35 GUST SW 32 MPH (1745). *** Prohibition began OTD in 1920 with a 16° high, 2° low, and 2” snow on the ground in Joliet. Yes, one could say that the Steel City was cold and snowy, but “dry.” NNNN |
| 2026-01-16 | 7:00 AM | 0.02 | 0.6 | 0.02 | NA | NA | | 16 Jan: LT SNW 26.4° REL HMDTY 87% AQ 24 (good) DP 23.0° WND S 14.2 MPH WND CHL 15.4° BRM 29.55 FLG VIS 1.5 MI Sunrise 7:15 Sunset 4:47. 15 Jan: Hi 26.4° (0632) Lo 13.3° (0750) HDD 46 GUST SW 20 MPH (1955). *** On this dastardly day in 1982, -25° on the thermometer made for northeastern Illinois’ third-coldest reading in 1½ centuries of local weather records. NNNN |
| 2026-01-15 | 7:00 AM | 0.12 | 2.0 | 0.12 | NA | NA | | 15 Jan: CLR 14.7° REL HMDTY 71% AQ 20 (excellent) DP 7.0° WND NW 8.5 MPH WND CHL 4.7° BRM 30.01 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:16 Sunset 4:46. 14 Jan: Hi 36.9° (0700) Lo 14.7° (0619) HDD 35 GUST N 36 MPH (0835). *** Coldest Martin Luther King day was in 1994 as temperatures reached down to -19°. Caveat? MLK day has only been observed since 1986 when President Reagan’s proclamation took effect. NNNN |
| 2026-01-14 | 7:00 AM | T | T | T | NA | NA | | 14 Jan: LT GRPL 37.6° REL HMDTY 79% AQ 16 (excellent) DP 31.6° WND W 12.2 MPH WND CHL 29.6° BRM 29.61 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:16 Sunset 4:45. 13 Jan: Hi 48.9° (1450) Lo 33.8° (0700) HDD 22 GUST W 21 MPH (1555). *** Check back to yesterday’s CoCoRaHS entry from 1979 and you’ll see the preamble to today’s monstrous monograph. OTD -14° of unhappiness followed the previous day’s 1¼ FEET of snow to create a record (which still stands 47 years later) 29” snow on the ground. And you don’t want to know about the drifts! NNNN |
| 2026-01-13 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 13 Jan: CLR 33.6° REL HMDTY 87% AQ 35 (good) DP 30.0° WND S 9.2 MPH WND CHL 27.4° BRM 29.72 FLG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:16 Sunset 4:44. 12 Jan: Hi 41.4° (1435) Lo 29.1° (2150) HDD 30 GUST W 20 MPH (1055). *** Another red-letter event occurred OTD in 1979 when 16.5” snow buried the area on a weekend. 60” snow thus far in that wild winter shut down Lincoln-Way Central High School (and this history teacher) until Monday 21 January. NNNN |
| 2026-01-12 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 12 Jan: CLR 27.3° REL HMDTY 80% AQ 32 (good) DP 21.7° WND SW 9.1 MPH WND CHL 18.1° BRM 30.16 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:17 Sunset 4:43. 11 Jan: Hi 31.8° (1425) Lo 23.7° (2240) HDD 37 GUST W 28 MPH (0745). *** 1977 continued on its fearsome and frigid way to the record books OTD with a high temperature of 5° and low of -7°. Readings 27° below the norm made this the coldest January ever in our part of the Midwest. Typical weather at that ghastly time featured below-zero days from the 4th through 13th. In the end, the average temperature for those 31 days was 10.1°. NNNN |
| 2026-01-11 | 7:00 AM | 0.18 | 0.1 | T | NA | NA | | 11 Jan: OVRCST 24.6° REL HMDTY 78% AQ 25 (good) DP 19.4° WND NW 15.1 MPH WND CHL 13.4° BRM 30.21 RSG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:17 Sunset 4:42. 10 Jan: Hi 37.0° (0745) Lo 21.9° (0410) HDD 33 GUST W 24 MPH (1735). *** More Arctic cold came OTD in 1982 as a -3° low and high of but 7° with west winds 15-20 accompanied a -79° wind chill. On a sunnier note, legendary CBS Chicago weather guy P.J. Hoff was born on 11 January 1896 (died 1981). Remember his ”vice-president in charge of looking out the window? ” NNNN |
| 2026-01-10 | 7:00 AM | 0.06 | NA | NA | NA | NA | | 10 Jan: LT R 37.2° REL HMDTY 94% AQ 36 (good) DP 35.6° WND SE 5.1 MPH WND CHL 33.4° BRM 29.99 FLG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:17 Sunset 4:41. 9 Jan: Hi 47.1° (1025) Lo 37.2° (0624) HDD 15 GUST W 30 MPH 0715). *** The late 1970s/early 1980s continued to set records for bone-chilling cold OTD in 1982 when the morning low dropped to -26?. In over 150 years of Chicago observations, this is the second-coldest mark. Winds that day blasted along at 29 MPH at 5 p.m. to create a horrible wind chill. At -17° very fine – and rare - crystalline snow coated the tundra. NNNN |
| 2026-01-09 | 7:00 AM | 1.61 | NA | NA | NA | NA | | 9 Jan: OVRCST 43.3° REL HMDTY 86% AQ 18 (excellent) DP 39.2° WND SW 16.6 MPH WND CHL 36.3° BRM 29.61 RSG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:17 Sunset 4:40. 8 Jan: Hi 60.8° (2120) Lo 39.9° (0715) HDD 14 GUST W 38 MPH 0355). *** Many, MANY years ago OTD in 1875 a horrible -20° temperature led northeastern Illinois into its coldest year. Average reading over 52 weeks was but 45.1°. No days were 90° or above and 11 of 12 months were below the norm. The truest indignity from 150+ years ago is that only December saw the mercury above average. NNNN |
| 2026-01-08 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 8 Jan: CLR 39.4° REL HMDTY 88% AQ 51 (mod) DP 35.8° WND S 7.1 MPH WND CHL 34.2° BRM 29.88 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:18 Sunset 4:39. 7 Jan: Hi 45.7° (1540) Lo 33.4° (1000) HDD 27 GUST S 7 MPH (1435). *** Snow depth OTD in 1999 was 12” from a 21” storm January 1st to the 3rd. Northwest winds howled at a steady 15-20 MPH and created a wind chill of -5° with 3-4’ drifts. NNNN |
| 2026-01-07 | 7:00 AM | 0.01 | NA | NA | NA | NA | | 7 Jan: FG/MST 34.9° REL HMDTY 99% AQ 42 (good) DP 34.5° WND W 5.2 MPH WND CHL 30.9° BRM 29.87 RSG VIS 1.25 MI Sunrise 7:18 Sunset 4:38. 6 Jan: Hi 46.8° (1250) Lo 34.9° (0624) HDD 25 GUST W 18 MPH (1235). *** OTD in the Janus of 1912 - second-coldest northeastern Illinois month ever – the thermometer at the U.S. Court House (219 S Dearborn Street) in Chicago registered -16°. Average temperature that January was 11.9° and, at one point, 10 consecutive days passed when the mercury did not break above 0°. NNNN |
| 2026-01-06 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 6 Jan: OVRCST 39.6° REL HMDTY 95% AQ 71 (moderate) DP 25.5 38.1° WND SE 1.1 MPH WND CHL 39.6° BRM 29.55 FLG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:18 Sunset 4:37. 5 Jan: Hi 46.8° (1415) Lo 28.4° (0750) HDD 26 GUST W 9 MPH (1115). *** -16° reading OTD in 2014 was the coldest day of the third-coldest (average temperature 18.8°) and third-snowiest (67.4”) winter in northeastern Illinois annals. NNNN |
| 2026-01-05 | 6:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 5 Jan: CLR 30.4° REL HMDTY 82% AQ 44 (good) DP 25.5 ° WND SE 6.2 MPH WND CHL 26.4° BRM 29.81 FLG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:18 Sunset 4:36. 4 Jan: Hi 33.3° (2320) Lo 25.3° (0740) HDD 37 GUST SE 6.2 MPH (0557). *** Temperature was -18° OTD in 1884 during the Midwest cold cycle as the six-story Beaurivage apartment building (Michigan Avenue at Van Buren) caught fire in Chicago. The blaze sent hundreds into the bitter weather at 4 a.m. “Women screamed, the children cried, and the men yelled themselves hoarse, almost drowning the crackling of the flames gathering about them" but no one died. NNNN |
| 2026-01-04 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 4 Jan: OVRCST 25.3° REL HMDTY 67% AQ 51 (moderate) DP 15.8° WND NW 2.2 MPH WND CHL 25.3° BRM 30.18 RSG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:18 Sunset 4:35. 3 Jan: Hi 28.6° (1345) Lo 21.6° (0710) HDD 42 GUST SW 5.8 MPH (1125). *** January of 1981 was cold. It made the history books, however, as this area’s least snowiest Janus with just 0.01” of white crystals. NNNN |
| 2026-01-03 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 3 Jan: OVRCST 21.6° REL HMDTY 63% AQ 51 (moderate) DP 11.8° WND NW 1.1 MPH WND CHL 21.6° BRM 30.03 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:18 Sunset 4:34. 2 Jan: Hi 21.6° (0657) Lo 18.5° (0710) HDD 44 GUST NW 11.4 MPH (1025). *** Northeastern Illinois’ snowiest January registered a fall of 42.5” in 1918. This occurred in the heart of the second outbreak of the Spanish Flu in New Lenox. Some say that the awful weather may have saved local residents from serious or fatal illness as it forced people to stay inside and away from others who might have infected them with the contagion. NNNN |
| 2026-01-02 | 7:00 AM | 0.00 | 0.0 | NA | NA | NA | | 2 Jan: OVRCST 21.6° REL HMDTY 76% AQ 35 (good) DP 15.1° WND NW 6.8 MPH WND CHL 14.4° BRM 29.90 RSG VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:18 Sunset 4:33. 1 Jan: Hi 22.5° (0520) Lo 11.1° (0700) HDD 49 GUST NW 6.9 MPH (0637). *** Intense cold of January 1977 registered an incredible HDD stat of 68 OTD. It was the beginning of an historic frigid snap that saw 17 days below zero and daily temperatures that averaged but 10.1°. NNNN |
| 2026-01-01 | 6:00 AM | 0.12 | T | T | NA | NA | | 1 Jan 2026: CLR 11.5° REL HMDTY 81% AQ 21 (excellent) DP 6.6° WND NW 6.5 MPH WND CHL 1.3° BRM 30.02 STDY VIS 10 MI Sunrise 7:18 Sunset 4:32. 31 Dec 2025: Hi 35.1° (1435) Lo 11.3° (0547) HDD 39 GUST W 21 MPH (1315). *** Late on this day in 1999 was the beginning of the third-biggest northeastern Illinois snowstorm. Three-day total would weigh in at 21.6”. NNNN |