El Nino Making Good on the Mild Chicago Winter it Promised

Chicago, IL - Winter in Chicago this year just isn’t what it used to be, thanks to a near-record strong El Nino in the Pacific.

Just 1 inch of snow fell on the city as a passing weather system dropped flakes and sleet Feb 29 and March 1, according to the National Weather Service.

Even with 11 winter weather events recorded in Chicago since Nov. 20, 2015, the National Weather Service reports the season’s three coldest months — December, January and February — were warmer and had less snow on average than previous Chicago winters. With the end of February came the end of meteorological winter, prompting the National Weather Service to release a season climate review.

Average temperatures in the Chicago area were higher than normal, with well-below normal snowfall and more than usual precipitation from December to February. A warm December with relatively high precipitation contributed to these seasonal anomalies, but January and February also put some relatively warm weather days on the books.

This was the 14th-warmest meteorological winter since 1872 and the 27th-least-snowy winter on record since 1884, NWS reports.

From Dec. 1 to Feb. 29:

• Chicago’s average temperature was 31.3 degrees, which was 4.9 degrees higher than normal.
• The highest temperature was 62 degrees, recorded on Feb. 19 and 28.
• The lowest temperature was -4 degrees, recorded Jan. 18.
• Precipitation was 6.94 inches, which was 1.17 inches more than normal.
• 16.3 inches of snow fell on Chicago, which was 11.8 inches lower than normal.

Average Temperature by Month | FindTheHome

The Feb. 24 winter storm was the frosty exception to this year’s unusual, El Nino-influenced season, NWS reports. Though the city didn’t see much snow accumulate, 12 to 15 inches built up just 34 miles away in Cedar Lake, Indiana. That blizzard in Eastern Illinois and Northwest Indiana made for above-normal precipitation levels in February.

The astronomical winter season will end at 11:30 p.m. March 19.

• Has the El Nino winter met your expectations? Tell us in the comments.

Image via the National Weather Service, Chicago.