The 6 Worst Snowstorms in Chicago History
Written by: Great Lakes Snow
Do you remember the last Chicago blizzard?
The recording of snow records began in 1886. That’s a lot of years for record snowfall. If you live in or around Chicago, you know that snow is just part of living in this area. But even for the staunchest Chicagoans, record-breaking snow is something you never forget.
So let’s take a moment to look back at the six worst snowstorms in Chicago’s history. We’ll also pinpoint the biggest snowstorm in Chicago. Let’s see how many of these you remember living through, if any.
Chicago’s 6 Worst Snowstorms
Here are the top six worst snowstorms in Chicago’s history:
1. January 26- 27, 1967 – 23 inches – The Biggest Snowstorm in Chicago History
The Chicago blizzard of 1967 was the worst and biggest snowstorm in Chicago history. This blizzard included 53-mile-per-hour winds, white-out conditions, six-foot snow drifts, and 23 inches of snow which fell steadily for 29 hours straight.
2. January 1-3, 1999 – 21.6 inches
This snowstorm accumulated the largest amount of snow to ever be recorded in one day in the Chicago area. It was accompanied by 60-mile-per-hour winds and more than 500 National Guard troops were activated to help the city deal with the emergency.
3. January 31 – February 2, 2011 – 21.2 inches
This blizzard is not so fondly remembered as Chicago snowmageddon. It was accompanied by 50- to 60-mile-per-hour and higher winds, zero visibility, and snowdrifts throughout the city that ranged from 2-10 feet or more. Not to mention the thunder, lightning, and hail.
4. January 12-14, 1979 – 20.3 inches
This snowstorm dumped almost 21 inches of snow in just two days. It literally crippled the city and the entire northern Illinois and Northwest Indiana region.
5. January 31 – February 2, 2015 – 19.3 inches
This snowstorm dropped 19.3 inches and is to date the record for the most snow in one day in Chicago. And to top it off, it was Super Bowl Sunday. Other than that, people pretty much took this storm in stride.
6. March 25-26, 1930 – 19.2 inches
This is only one of two record snowfalls in the month of March (in Chicago) since weather recordkeeping began. At that time, it was the biggest snowstorm in the city’s history. But as you know, that is no longer the case.
The snow fell for almost 44 hours straight and was accompanied by high winds and 4–5-foot snow drifts. And, fun fact, just a short two weeks after that, the temperatures reached 90°, which was the city’s earliest on record to hit this high temperature.
Remembering all that snow reminds us that record snowfall and severe winter weather can occur at any time.
Does your business have a snow removal plan in place? Professional snow removal costs are more affordable than you might think.
Is Your Business Prepared for the Next Winter Weather Event?
If you have a retail or commercial business location, it’s your responsibility to protect the lives of everyone who comes and goes from your property. And that includes performing snow and ice removal after every winter weather event. If you don’t, it could cost you!
So let’s talk about some of the reasons you might want to consider hiring a professional snow removal company versus relying on your employees to do it for you.
Should You Hire a Professional Snow Removal Company?
There are plenty of great reasons to hire a professional snow removal company versus trying to do it yourself:
- Improved Safety
- Rapid Work
- Dependability
- Experience
- Liability (this one is huge and could ultimately save your company from ruin)
- Promptness
- Health and Safety
- Protection
- Advanced Equipment
- Time Savings
Hiring a professional snow removal company will also ensure you don’t encounter any
snow pile dangers. Many people don’t realize the dangers associated with leaving snow piles around their property (and there are many).
How to Find a Reliable Snow Removal Company
5. Find out what specialized equipment they have and how often they will plow your site during a storm.
6. Ask them what types of contracts they have and how they charge.
7. Ask them what their salt availability is.
8. Find out what their response times are.
9. Ask if they offer emergency services.
After you get all that information, and it’s satisfactory to you, then you can move on to vetting them socially.
Ask for references and check them. You should also do a quick internet search to see what comes up. Unfortunately, sometimes competitors post negative comments, so keep that in mind while doing your internet research.
Check their safety records, get copies of their insurance policies (workman's comp and general liability), and confirm they have enough staff to perform the duties you want to hire them for.
Also, make note of how quickly they reply to your communications and how those communications are handled. Lastly, ask them about their payment processes to see if they are in line with your expectations.
What’s Next?
Enlisting snow and ice removal services from a professional versus doing it yourself is pretty much priceless! Contact Great Lakes Snow today. We are experts in on and offsite snow relocation. We also offer de-icing services, snow shoveling, and/or snow blowing, and have a highly trained, dependable team that will be there for you for every Chicagoland winter weather event.
We hope you enjoyed this article about Chicago’s six worst snowstorms and learning what the biggest snowstorm in Chicago history was. Thank you for giving us a little of your time. We look forward to hearing from you!
