One of the worst natural disasters to ever strike the state of Illinois was the Chicago 1967 blizzard. Twenty-three inches of snow fell in the course of just one day, leaving cars and buses stranded, residents housebound, and an entire effectively city shut down — for days. Illinois has had Polar Vortexes and have certainly seen plenty of snow, but it’s never been anything quite like what happened 50 years ago. Even today, long-time residents still talk about the Illinois 1967 blizzard. Scroll on to read the story.
To this day, the blizzard of 1967 remains the biggest snowfall to ever hit northeast Illinois (as well as northwest Indiana).
flickr/renee_mcgurk
During the day and over the night of January 26, 1967, into the following morning, a Category 5 (extreme) blizzard deposited nearly two feet of snow, effectively “whiting out” the entire Chicagoland area.
pxfuel
Those already at work or school were caught completely unprepared, as no one knew that this storm was going to gain such magnitude.
Wikipedia/58follow The snow began at 5 a.m. on Thursday and did not stop until after 10 a.m. the next morning.
By noon, there were already eight inches of snow on the ground.
Wikipedia/58follow Many people did not make it home and had to stay in hotels. Helicopters had to be used in place of emergency vehicles and looting was rampant in some parts of the city.
By the time everything had settled, 60 people had died and there was an estimated $150 million in business losses.
pxhere The Chicago 1967 blizzard is estimated to have caused the most damage since the Great Chicago Fire in 1871.
Most winters in the city and in Illinois generally look like this at their worst.
flickr/Eli Duke Even today, people still talk about the year 23 inches of snow fell in one single day.
What do you remember about the Chicago 1967 blizzard? Do you know anyone in Illinois who still talks about this epic event? (Grandpa Joe and Aunt Mille, we’re looking at you!) Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
flickr/renee_mcgurk
pxfuel
Wikipedia/58follow
The snow began at 5 a.m. on Thursday and did not stop until after 10 a.m. the next morning.
Many people did not make it home and had to stay in hotels. Helicopters had to be used in place of emergency vehicles and looting was rampant in some parts of the city.
pxhere
The Chicago 1967 blizzard is estimated to have caused the most damage since the Great Chicago Fire in 1871.
flickr/Eli Duke
Even today, people still talk about the year 23 inches of snow fell in one single day.
For a deeper dive into record-setting Illinois storms of all kinds and varieties, click over to nine more terrible storms that took place in Illinois.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: Chicago, IL, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Illinois Snowstorm Superlatives January 14, 2021 Sarah What is the snowiest winter on record in Illinois? The snowiest winter on record in Illinois happened in the winter of 1978-79, which saw over 105 inches of snow measured. This winter’s huge snowfall total was boosted, in part, by the record-setting, one-day snowstorm that happened on January 27. In fact, the 1970’s as a decade experienced a huge spike in snowfall amounts, a trend that the state returned to in the late 2010’s. What is the coldest temperature ever recorded in Illinois? The coldest temperature ever recorded in the state came in at -36 degrees Fahrenheit in Congerville, IL, on January 5, 1999. (Interestingly, Congerville is actually located in Central Illinois, just outside Peoria – not the region that usually sees the state’s coldest temperatures.) For reference, January, while being the state’s coldest month of the year, typically sees highs reach the upper 30s, with lows falling in the 20s. What’s the snowiest city in Illinois? Illinois is typically thought of as a cold place to live; but truthfully, there’s a great deal of climate variability in the state. The Southern half of Illinois, for example, usually sees much milder winters and modest amounts of snowfall, while the Northern part of state generally receives a lot of snowfall each year – around 40 inches. This is due, in large part, to Northern Illinois’s close proximity to Canada and the Great Lakes. In terms of snowfall, Antioch, a suburb of Chicago, has the title of the state’s snowiest city. This Northern Illinois city boasts roughly 45 inches of snowfall each year.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Illinois Snowstorm Superlatives
January 14, 2021
Sarah
What is the snowiest winter on record in Illinois? The snowiest winter on record in Illinois happened in the winter of 1978-79, which saw over 105 inches of snow measured. This winter’s huge snowfall total was boosted, in part, by the record-setting, one-day snowstorm that happened on January 27. In fact, the 1970’s as a decade experienced a huge spike in snowfall amounts, a trend that the state returned to in the late 2010’s. What is the coldest temperature ever recorded in Illinois? The coldest temperature ever recorded in the state came in at -36 degrees Fahrenheit in Congerville, IL, on January 5, 1999. (Interestingly, Congerville is actually located in Central Illinois, just outside Peoria – not the region that usually sees the state’s coldest temperatures.) For reference, January, while being the state’s coldest month of the year, typically sees highs reach the upper 30s, with lows falling in the 20s. What’s the snowiest city in Illinois? Illinois is typically thought of as a cold place to live; but truthfully, there’s a great deal of climate variability in the state. The Southern half of Illinois, for example, usually sees much milder winters and modest amounts of snowfall, while the Northern part of state generally receives a lot of snowfall each year – around 40 inches. This is due, in large part, to Northern Illinois’s close proximity to Canada and the Great Lakes. In terms of snowfall, Antioch, a suburb of Chicago, has the title of the state’s snowiest city. This Northern Illinois city boasts roughly 45 inches of snowfall each year.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
The snowiest winter on record in Illinois happened in the winter of 1978-79, which saw over 105 inches of snow measured. This winter’s huge snowfall total was boosted, in part, by the record-setting, one-day snowstorm that happened on January 27. In fact, the 1970’s as a decade experienced a huge spike in snowfall amounts, a trend that the state returned to in the late 2010’s.
What is the coldest temperature ever recorded in Illinois?
The coldest temperature ever recorded in the state came in at -36 degrees Fahrenheit in Congerville, IL, on January 5, 1999. (Interestingly, Congerville is actually located in Central Illinois, just outside Peoria – not the region that usually sees the state’s coldest temperatures.) For reference, January, while being the state’s coldest month of the year, typically sees highs reach the upper 30s, with lows falling in the 20s.
What’s the snowiest city in Illinois?
Illinois is typically thought of as a cold place to live; but truthfully, there’s a great deal of climate variability in the state. The Southern half of Illinois, for example, usually sees much milder winters and modest amounts of snowfall, while the Northern part of state generally receives a lot of snowfall each year – around 40 inches. This is due, in large part, to Northern Illinois’s close proximity to Canada and the Great Lakes. In terms of snowfall, Antioch, a suburb of Chicago, has the title of the state’s snowiest city. This Northern Illinois city boasts roughly 45 inches of snowfall each year.
