Chicago, Illinois – Snowfall has quietly added up across northern Illinois this winter, with communities near Lake Michigan and the Wisconsin border seeing the highest seasonal totals from late September through early February. While major snowstorms have been limited, frequent lighter systems have produced steady accumulation and repeated travel impacts.
According to the National Weather Service and NOAA’s National Snowfall Analysis, northern Illinois has recorded between 2 and 3 feet of snow since Sept. 30. The highest totals are focused along and north of the Interstate 80 corridor, where colder air and occasional lake-enhanced snowfall have boosted accumulations.
Chicago, Evanston, Waukegan, and the northern suburbs have dealt with recurring slick roads and snow-covered side streets, particularly during morning and evening commutes. Farther inland, Rockford, DeKalb, and communities near the Wisconsin state line are near the upper end of the seasonal range, with snow lingering longer between systems.
Central Illinois, including Peoria, Bloomington, and Champaign, has generally seen lower totals, often closer to one to two feet so far, while snowfall drops off farther south. Even so, repeated freeze-thaw cycles have kept icy patches common across much of the state.
The Illinois Department of Transportation continues to remind drivers that untreated roads and refreeze can remain hazardous well after snow ends. With winter still underway, additional snow events could continue to build on seasonal totals in northern Illinois, and more advisories may be issued as conditions evolve.
