It’s Impossible To Forget These 3 Horrific Winter Storms That Have Gone Down In Illinois History

We’ve all been through a bad winter storm or two (or ten), but some storms are worse than others. Some storms are so memorable that they go down in history as some of the worst winter storms in Illinois – ever. With record snow accumulation and a variety of additional factors, the following historic storms shut down the state (or worse, resulting in the end of life). Have you ever lived through an Illinois blizzard? You should be glad if it wasn’t one of these:

Joe+Jeanette Archie/Wikimedia Commons

Joe+Jeanette Archie/Wikimedia Commons

Talk about a nightmare. One of the worst winter storms to ever hit the state of Illinois was the Chicago Blizzard of 1967. Occurring on January 26th and 27th, 1967, this menacing storm dumped 23 inches of snow, had intense winds of more than 50 miles per hour, and caused snowdrifts of four to six feet in height. This is one storm that essentially shut down the entire city of Chicago, including O'Hare. Thousands of cars and buses were stranded, and it was a veritable nightmare in the aftermath of this storm. Damages were assessed at around $150 million, and over 60 people lost their lives by the time it was all over. This takes the cake as quite possibly THE worst Illinois blizzard of all time.

t3xt/Wikimedia Commons

David Mark/Pixabay

February 2, 2011, was Groundhog Day, the day when the country was meant to find out if there would be six more weeks of winter weather or if, mercifully, spring would soon arrive. Instead, the people of Illinois experienced about six weeks' worth of winter weather in three days, from January 31st to February 2nd. If you've never experienced a Snowpocalypse like what occurred over those days, consider yourself lucky. Not only did this blizzard affect Illinois, but much of the United States and Canada as well. If you ask the kids, it was fun; if you ask the adults, not so much.

Shankarnikhil88/Wikimedia Commons

On January 31st, there was a light snowfall - but as the storm continued, it got much, much worse. Wind gusts between 50 and 60 miles per hour began the following day, creating dangerous conditions such as zero visibility at times as well as massive snowdrifts. The total snowfall measured at Chicago's O'Hare Airport was 21.2 inches, while the total at the Rockford Airport was 15.1 inches. You can learn more about the historic Groundhog Day Blizzard on the Weather.gov website.

Mx. Granger/Wikimedia Commons

artistmac/Flickr

One of the top five snowstorms ever record in the Chicago area occurred during Super Bowl weekend from January 31st to February 2nd, 2015. Known as "Winter Storm Linus," this blizzard dumped 19.3 inches of snow on Chicago, 22 inches in Lincolnshire, and 11.9 inches in Rockford. A low-pressure system, Arctic air, and other factors created quite the recipe for disaster. You can read more about Winter Storm Linus on the Weather.gov website.

Were you around for the worst snowstorms in Illinois? What other memorable storms have you lived through? Tell us about your experience in the comments!

For more incredible Illinois history, read about the terrifying tornado that tore through IL in 1925. If that’s a little too intense (we don’t blame you), you could learn about nine historical events in Illinois that everyone will remember, or perhaps you’ll enjoy exploring the Cahokia Mounds in Collinsville.

The OIYS Visitor Center

Illinois Blizzard

November 15, 2022

Tori Jane

1. Which Illinois blizzard was the most historic?  

The most historic Illinois blizzard on record is the incredible Chicago Blizzard of 1967. It dropped 23 inches of snow on the city of Chicago and surrounding areas, ensuring it would never be forgotten. 

2. What are some fun things to do in winter in IL?  

There are many fun things to do in winter in IL, including:  

• Admiring amazing frozen waterfalls in Illinois   
• Embarking upon an awe-inspiring Illinois winter hike   

• Go snow-tubing in IL at Snowstar Winter Park   
• Enjoy ice skating at the largest ice skating rink in Illinois   
• Check out an indoor waterpark in IL   

 

3. What is winter in Illinois like? 

Winter in Illinois is a magical time filled with wonder and delight. As illustrated above, there are lots of fun things to do during winter in IL; other ideas include:  

• Horseback riding at White Pines Ranch  
• Visiting state parks when covered in snow

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