If you are looking for fresh snow by Christmas morning or are curious about potential travel disruptions, the best chances for at least 1" of new snowfall early this week exist across the mountainous West, Great Lakes, and Northeast. Otherwise, temperatures this last full week of December will average above normal for much of the lower 48 states. Read More >
| A strong storm system that brought snow as far south as the Gulf Coast of Texas crossed the Great Lakes region February 15th into the morning of the 16th. Though northern Illinois was on the northwest extent of the main axis of heavy snow with this system, lake-effect and lake-enhanced snow resulted in significant snow totals along and near Lake Michigan in Illinois and Indiana, where amounts in excess of 12" were common, with isolated pockets of up to 18". A substantial snowfall gradient was centered roughly along the I-294 corridor in Cook County, with a difference of up to 10 inches over as little as 5 miles (7.1" in Elmhurst and 18.2" in Oak Park.) |
|
Fast Facts
 |
| Three week stretch of snowfall in Chicago. |
 |
| NWS Warnings, Watches, and Advisories. |
Snow Totals
|
|
|
| Storm total snowfall from the evening of 2/14 through ~8am 2/16. | Storm total snowfall from the evening of 2/14 through ~8am 2/16, zoomed into the Chicago metro. |
 |
 |
| Regional Snowfall Reports | National Snowfall Reports |
Public Information Statement National Weather Service Chicago IL 530 PM CST Tue Feb 16 2021 ...Observed Snow Accumulations for 2/14-2/16... The following are observed snowfall totals from the evening of Sunday, February 14 through the morning of Tuesday, February 16 as relayed to the National Weather Service from a variety of sources. ...SNOWFALL REPORTS... Location Amount Time/Date Provider ...Illinois... ...Boone County... Caledonia 1.4 W 1.9 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Timberlane 1 SW 1.8 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Capron 1.5 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS ...Cook County... Chicago - West Ridge 18.6 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Oak Park 1 NNE 18.2 in 0650 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Evanston 18.0 in 0700 AM 02/16 Trained Spotter 1 ENE Bridgeview 17.7 in 0600 AM 02/16 Official NWS Obs Forest Park 1 ENE 17.3 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Lincoln Square - Chicago 17.0 in 0650 AM 02/16 Public 1 N Douglas - Chicago 16.9 in 0648 AM 02/16 Trained Spotter Chicago - West Ridge 16.5 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS 2 WNW Wilmette 16.0 in 0813 AM 02/16 Public Albany Park - Chicago 16.0 in 0600 AM 02/16 Public Bridgeview 1 WNW 15.5 in 0730 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Harwood Heights 15.0 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Thornton 14.5 in 0810 AM 02/16 Public Oak Lawn 14.5 in 0715 AM 02/16 Public 1 E Lakeview - Chicago 14.5 in 0650 AM 02/16 Public Homewood 14.0 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS 1 N Lynwood 13.6 in 1100 AM 02/16 CO-OP Observer Oak Lawn 1 WSW 13.4 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Beverly - Chicago 13.0 in 0835 AM 02/16 Public Chicago Ridge 13.0 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Northbrook 9.7 in 0600 AM 02/16 Trained Spotter Oak Forest 1 NNW 9.6 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Park Forest 9.5 in 0500 AM 02/16 COOP La Grange Park 1 SSW 8.5 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Park Ridge 1 SSW 8.4 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Palos Park 2 WSW 7.5 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Ohare Airport 7.5 in 0600 AM 02/16 Official NWS Obs Franklin Park 0.5 SSE 6.6 in 0800 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Mount Prospect 6.5 in 0800 AM 02/16 Trained Spotter Schaumburg 2 E 6.4 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Elk Grove Village 2 WSW 5.6 in 0650 AM 02/16 COCORAHS 2 NNE Palatine 5.5 in 0910 AM 02/16 Trained Spotter Roselle 1 NNW 5.1 in 0500 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Palatine 1 E 4.3 in 0915 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Hoffman Estates 4.0 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Barrington 3.9 in 0800 AM 02/16 COOP ...De Kalb County... Sycamore 2.6 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Cortland 2.5 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS DeKalb 2.5 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS ...DuPage County... Lombard 8.2 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Elmhurst 2 SE 7.1 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Glen Ellyn 1 SW 6.6 in 0530 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Roselle 1 ESE 6.0 in 0811 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Glen Ellyn 1 W 6.0 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Aurora 4 NE 5.0 in 1000 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Naperville 3 SE 5.0 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Naperville 5.0 in 0600 AM 02/16 COCORAHS West Chicago 4 SE 4.8 in 0819 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Bolingbrook 3 NE 4.7 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Aurora 4 ESE 4.5 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS West Chicago 4 NNE 3.0 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS ...Ford County... Paxton 6.5 in 1200 PM 02/16 Emergency Mngr ...Grundy County... Carbon Hill 3 NW 5.5 in 0800 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Coal City 4 NNW 4.7 in 0700 AM 02/16 UCOOP Morris 2 W 4.2 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Morris 1 NW 4.0 in 0800 AM 02/16 COOP ...Iroquois County... Chebanse 7.2 in 1000 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Ashkum 6 E 4.9 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS ...Kane County... St. Charles 5.3 in 0830 AM 02/16 Trained Spotter Geneva 4 WSW 5.3 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Elgin 3 W 4.8 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Sugar Grove 1 NNW 4.2 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Aurora 3 WSW 4.1 in 0800 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Geneva 1 SSW 3.9 in 0730 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Batavia 3.9 in 0600 AM 02/16 COCORAHS North Aurora 1 ENE 3.8 in 0630 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Geneva 3.2 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Sleepy Hollow 1 W 2.5 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Geneva 2 WNW 2.4 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Campton Hills 3 NNE 2.0 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS ...Kankakee County... St. Anne 7.3 in 0700 AM 02/16 COOP ...Kendall County... Boulder Hill 1 NNE 5.2 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Oswego 1 SSE 5.0 in 0830 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Plainfield 4 SW 4.2 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS ...La Salle County... Ottawa 5.9 in 0800 AM 02/16 Public Streator 1 WSW 4.8 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Mendota 1 SE 4.5 in 0700 AM 02/16 COOP Peru 1 NNE 4.0 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Earlville 3 S 3.0 in 0600 AM 02/16 COOP ...Lake County... Highwood 15.6 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Bannockburn 8.3 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Riverwoods 1 NE 6.2 in 0800 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Buffalo Grove 2 N 5.4 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Forest Lake 1 SSW 4.7 in 0700 AM 02/16 UCOOP Mundelein 4 WSW 4.1 in 0700 AM 02/16 COOP Grandwood Park 1 SE 4.0 in 0600 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Mundelein 1 NNE 3.9 in 0800 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Long Lake 3.0 in 0800 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Lindenhurst 1 NNW 2.9 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Fox Lake Hills 2.2 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS ...Lee County... Sublette 3 WNW 2.5 in 0730 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Dixon 2.0 in 0800 AM 02/16 COOP Nelson 3 NNW 2.0 in 0800 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Amboy 1 WSW 2.0 in 0621 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Ashton 1.7 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS ...Livingston County... Chatsworth 9.0 in 0800 AM 02/16 CO-OP Observer Dwight 8.0 in 0700 AM 02/16 COOP ...McHenry County... McHenry 1 ENE 2.5 in 0900 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Woodstock 4 SW 2.5 in 0800 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Crystal Lake 1 WSW 2.5 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Huntley 2.2 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Marengo 2.1 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Richmond 2.0 in 1025 AM 02/16 Dept of Highways Bull Valley 2 WNW 2.0 in 0800 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Harvard 2.0 in 0700 AM 02/16 COOP Hebron 2 WSW 1.5 in 0700 AM 02/16 UCOOP Woodstock 5 NW 1.4 in 0700 AM 02/16 COOP ...Will County... Crete 3 ENE 11.0 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Crete 3 E 10.5 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Monee 5 SE 8.3 in 0800 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Lockport 2 SE 8.2 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Mokena 1 W 8.1 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Mokena 2 WSW 7.8 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS NWS Chicago-Romeoville 7.8 in 0600 AM 02/16 Official NWS Obs Peotone 7.4 in 0700 AM 02/16 COOP Manhattan 7.2 in 0300 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Manhattan 5 ENE 6.9 in 0800 AM 02/16 COOP Joliet 6.8 in 0630 AM 02/16 Trained Spotter Homer Glen 1 NNE 6.7 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Naperville 4 SE 6.5 in 0940 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Joliet 2 N 4.4 in 0700 AM 02/16 UCOOP ...Winnebago County... Rockford Airport 3.0 in 0600 AM 02/16 Official NWS Obs Rockford 2 ENE 2.0 in 0900 AM 02/16 COCORAHS ...Indiana... ...Jasper County... Remington 9.5 in 0800 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Rensselaer 2 SW 9.5 in 0730 AM 02/16 COOP Collegeville 9.2 in 0600 AM 02/16 COCORAHS DeMotte 8.2 in 0800 AM 02/16 COCORAHS DeMotte 7.8 in 0600 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Roselawn 3 ENE 7.0 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS ...Lake County... St. John 3 SSE 14.4 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Gary 5 ENE 13.8 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Munster 1.5 NNW 12.3 in 0759 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Crown Point 11.3 in 0700 AM 02/16 Trained Spotter St. John 11.3 in 0600 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Crown Point 2 NNE 10.9 in 0600 AM 02/16 COCORAHS ...Newton County... Mount Ayr 2 NNE 5.3 in 0830 AM 02/16 COCORAHS ...Porter County... 3 N Valparaiso 18.0 in 0742 AM 02/16 Trained Spotter Valparaiso 1 N 15.6 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Chesterton 4 ESE 15.0 in 0700 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Chesterton 2 E 14.2 in 0630 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Porter 13.7 in 0730 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Ogden Dunes 11.3 in 0620 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Lakes of the Four Seasons 11.0 in 0830 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Boone Grove 2 WNW 8.5 in 0730 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Valparaiso 4 SW 5.1 in 0600 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Boone Grove 4 NNE 5.0 in 0630 AM 02/16 COCORAHS Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official. $$
Photos
 |
 |
 |
| Evanston. Photo courtesy of Rick DiMaio. | Evanston. Photo courtesy of Rick DiMaio. | Glen Ellyn. Photo courtesy of Amy Crouch. |
 |
 |
| Chicago (Uptown/Edgewater Area). Photo courtesy of Alek Haselhorst. | |
Radar
 |
| Radar loop from 6 pm February 14 through 12 am February 16. (courtesy of NWS Central Illinois) |
Meteorology
Much of this is courtesy of NWS Central Illinois.
 |
 |
| Infrared satellite loop showing the storm mature as it digs into the Southern Plains and then tracks our way to the northeast. Also note the widespread cold air over Canada into the Midwest detected by the infrared satellite imagery. | 300 mb map analysis at 2 p.m. on February 15, as the weather system was rapidly strengthening as approaching. Basically the entire state of Illinois was within an exceptionally favorable zone for strong lift. |
 |
Media use of NWS Web News Stories is encouraged! Additional recaps can be found on the NWS Chicago Science & Past Events Page. |
|
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on YouTube
LOT RSS Feed