How Much Snow Will We See This Winter In IL? See 4 Predictions

How cold and snowy will the upcoming winter be in Illinois?

While winter doesn't officially start until Dec. 21, meteorological winter started Dec. 1.

Several forecasters have put forward their predictions for how snowy the season will be here in the Prairie State. Here's a look at what they're saying:

AccuWeather

An AccuWeather 2024-25 winter forecast predicts a pretty snowy winter for the Chicago area, especially compared to last year.

The private weather company said in its forecast that winter will have some “meteorological twists and turns” that could bring bursts of heavy snow and blasts of bitterly cold air. One of the major factors playing into this long-range forecast is the La Niña weather pattern, which can influence the trajectory of snowstorms.

AccuWeather also predicted that it will be warmer than normal this winter for Chicago, with a below average demand for heating across the northern half of the state.

"Snow shovels will be needed across the Northeast and Midwest this winter, although they could gather dust during part of the season as the weather patterns play tug-of-war between mild and rainy, and cold and snowy," Accuweather said.

February is the most probable month for the arrival of a polar vortex — a large area of cold, low-pressure air rotating counterclockwise around Earth’s poles that can expand in the winter and send cold air southward. However, there’s less certainty this year about when, or if, the extreme cold air will make it to the continental U.S.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac

In its 2024-2025 outlook, The Old Farmer’s Almanac released calls for the coming season to be cold and dry, mixed with snowy conditions, in Illinois.

“This winter, temperatures will be up and snowfall down throughout most of the United States,” said Carol Connare, the Old Almanac’s editor-in-chief. “While there will still be plenty of chilly temperatures and snow for most slopes, the high heating costs associated with the season shouldn’t hit so hard. We’re predicting a temperate, uneventful winter — potentially a welcome reprieve from the extremes of recent years.”

Illinois is split between the Lower Lakes area in Region 6, while central and southern counties are the Ohio Valley in Region 7, which is expected to see a small band of snow — "'snow is a poor man’s fertilizer' for these agriculturally-heavy states," the Almanac states.

This region will see below-normal precipitation and snowfall this winter, with most snow expected in late December, from late January into early February, and from late February into early March.

The Farmers' Almanac

The 208th edition of the Farmers' Almanac is predicting a "Wet Winter Whirlwind" for the 2024-2025 winter season. Its forecast calls for rapid-fire storms that will bring both rain and snow, with little downtime in between.

"We anticipate the winter of 2024-25 will be wet and cold for most locations," The Farmers' Almanac predicts.

The Farmers' Almanac says it is "red flagging" the final full week of January over most of the nation's eastern half. Expect a very active storm track with frequent bouts of heavy precipitation along with strong gusty winds.

Above-average precipitation is expected for the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and the Midwest, according to the forecast.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center

Warmer than normal temperatures and colder than normal temperatures have an equal chance of happening this winter in Illinois, according to a new winter 2024-25 outlook for December, January and February.

NOAA said data supports the development of a weak La Niña that lacks some of the blustery punch traditionally seen in such climate patterns.

The probabilities for above normal precipitation are leaning above to likely above across the state, according to the updated winter outlook released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center.