After going through one of the longest stretches without a measurable snowfall in recorded history, the city of Chicago officially broke that drought just after noon on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.
At approximately 12:10 p.m., O’Hare International Airport reported that it had received one-tenth of an inch of snow, qualifying as the first measurable snowfall of the year at Chicago’s official NWS reporting location.
Dec. 28 marks the latest-ever first measurable snowfall since record-keeping began in 1909, breaking the record of Dec. 20 that had been set in 2012.
On average, the first measurable snowfall in Chicago occurs by Nov. 18, according to the National Weather Service.
A measurable snowfall hadn’t been recorded at O’Hare since March 15 of this year, a stretch of 287 days. That marks the second-longest run without a measurable snowfall since record-keeping began in the city, exceeded only by the 290 days the city went without snow in 2012.
The snow came as part of a weather system that moved its way into the area on Tuesday morning, with more than two inches of snow falling in several locations in Will and Grundy counties, according to NWS.
The snow and slushy accumulations caused travel issues on numerous area roadways, with crashes and closures reported throughout northern Illinois as a result of the wintry conditions.
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