Climate of Illinois

The highest temperature recorded in Illinois was 117 °F (47.2 °C), recorded on July 14, 1954, at East St. Louis. The 1995 Chicago heat wave was one of the worst weather-related disasters in state history, with 525 dead within a five-day period as overnight lows remained as high as 84 °F (28.9 °C) and daytime highs reached up to 106 °F (41.1 °C).[6] The most deadly heatwave in the history of the United States struck Illinois during July 1936, which killed 2,656 people.[7]

Abandoned vehicles on Lake Shore Drive in Northern Illinois after a large snowstorm

Extreme temperatures changes can occur within minutes with the passage of a strong cold front through the state. On December 20, 1836, temperatures fell 40 °F or 22.2 °C in minutes, which supposedly froze people to their saddles and chickens in their tracks.[8] Until 2019, the lowest temperature was −37 °F (−38.3 °C), recorded on January 15, 2009, at Rochelle.[9] However, Illinois did not officially recognize this measurement, as it was made from a small airport and there were no quality control procedures applied to the measurement.[10] As a result, the official record-lowest temperature for the state was −36 °F (−37.8 °C) recorded at Congerville on 5 January 1999. [11] In 2019, the January North American Cold Wave struck Illinois. This resulted in a new record low temperature, −38 °F (−38.9 °C), recorded on January 31, 2019, at Mt Carroll, Illinois.

While normal annual snowfall exceeds 38 inches (0.97 m) in Chicago, the southern portion of the state normally receives less than 14 inches (0.36 m).[1] The snowiest winter on record for Chicago was 89.7 inches (2.28 m) during the winter of 1978–79.[19] The city has also recorded two other winters with snowfall in excess of 80 inches (2.03 m) -- 1977-78 and 2013-14. During the winter of 1830–31, southern sections of the state were covered with 3 feet (0.91 m) of snow, with drifts up to 6 feet (1.8 m) tall. Storms exceeding the normal winter value are possible within one day mainly in the southern half of the state. The heaviest snowfall recorded in Chicago history was 23 inches (0.58 m) during the Blizzard of 1967.[20]

Illinois averages around 50 days of thunderstorm activity a year which put it somewhat above average for the number of thunderstorm days for the United States. Thunderstorms contribute over half of the annual precipitation statewide.[5] Illinois is vulnerable to tornadoes with an average of 35 occurring annually, which puts much of the state at around 5 tornadoes per 10,000 square miles (30,000 km²) annually.[2] Peak tornado activity occurs between April and June.[5] The deadliest tornado on record in the nation occurred largely in Illinois. The Tri-State Tornado of 1925 killed 695 people in three states; 613 of the victims lived in Illinois.[4] Illinois also receives the remnants of tropical cyclones which have struck the Gulf coast. One of the wetter systems, Tropical Storm Claudette, impacted the state in July 1979 bringing rainfall amounts up to 7.64 inches (194 mm).[21]