The warmest and coldest since 1872

Here’s a look back at the hottest, coldest, wettest and snowiest Christmas holidays in Chicago dating back to 1872. Data is from National Weather Service and was measured at the city’s official recording site, which has been O’Hare International Airport since January 17, 1980. For nearly a century before that, locations around downtown Chicago, the University of Chicago, and Midway International Airport were used to gather definitive weather data.

As for 2024, meteorologists expected the day to be the opposite of a winter wonderland: dreary, cloudy and damp.

Vintage Chicago Tribune: It’s not the holiday season without …

Hottest

Chicago experienced its warmest Christmas on December 25, 1982when it was 64 degrees. The following year, however, Chicago experienced the low temperature of minus 17 degrees — the city’s coldest Christmas. There are at least three instances in the past 150 years where opposite temperature extremes hit the area in back-to-back years.

In 2024 it was the highest 39 degrees. In 2023 it was the highest 59 degrees— the second hottest ever recorded in Chicago for the date. Highs in the mid-50s also occurred in 2021 and 2019.

Coldest

Chicago experienced its lowest low Christmas temperature on December 25, 1983, when it was Minus 17 degrees.

In 2024 it was the lowest 32 degrees.

Wettest

Rain accumulations of half an inch or more have occurred twice since 1872 according to National Weather Service.

In both years, rain turned to snow, with about five inches recorded in each case. The Tribune reported in 1909“Every street in the Loop district was a mass of slush that made it dangerous to cross.” So in 1950“Taxi companies reported heavy business unable to handle all calls as citizens left their cars at home and sought other transportation for holiday gatherings.”

But at least a little rain tends to fall by Christmas – less than half an inch of rain has fallen 95 of the 154 years on record.

Snowiest

Since 1872, only snowfall of more than an inch has been recorded 16 times on Christmas.

A record snowfall on 5.1 inches fell on December 25, 1950.

Timeline: How the Tribune covered Christmas temperatures up and down

50 degrees (1877)

“Yesterday was the most uneventful and sensational of all the Christmases that have been celebrated in Chicago since the city had an existence and a name. Last December 25th was bitterly cold. The previous year was sloppy and chilly. But this was memorable for being a day of continual rain, without a vestige anywhere of the snow and ice which generally characterize the season.” — Tribune, December 26, 1877

52 degrees (1891)

“In yesterday’s change of weather, there was a drop of almost 25 degrees in a few hours, and many who had been out riding in quite warm clothes felt well chilled before they could get back home.” — Tribune, December 26, 1891

Minus 2 degrees (1892)

“It seemed a bit like the weather of old tides coming with cold blasts from the north. Snowdrifts, sunshine and all the merry-go-round that follows in the wake of a roaring winter storm.” — Tribune, December 26, 1892

52 degrees (1893)

“There was nothing in the weather repertoire that was not used yesterday at Chicago except hail. There was fan weather, fur weather, umbrella and parasol weather, overcoat and seersucker weather. Anyone unhappy with the weather had only to wait a a few minutes and that would change.” — Tribune, December 26, 1893

56 degrees (1895)

“The unique sight of an endless stream of children carrying dolls floating their way along Michigan Avenue attracted the attention of hotel guests along the way. The spectators became so interested in the children that many were stopped and their dolls examined and commented on.” — Tribune, December 26, 1895

Minus 3 degrees (1903)

“One death, several accidents and delayed streetcar traffic are already the result of the storm, which came unannounced and caught the city unawares.” — Tribune, December 26, 1903

Minus 1 degree (1914)

“The mercury shot below zero early this morning. Between 3 and 9 last night the mercury dropped fourteen degrees and stood at two over. By midnight it had reached zero and was still descending.” — Tribune, December 26, 1914

Minus 6 degrees (1924)

“Yesterday was the coldest Christmas Day in 52 years in Chicago. The mercury dropped to 6 degrees below zero at 3:30 a.m. and hovered near zero all day, despite the glorious sunshine. … Four deaths were attributed to the cold and 154 fire alarms were recorded during the day.” — Tribune, December 26, 1924

Minus 2 degrees (1935)

“Christmas brought Chicago a wild cold snap and a blizzard that surprised forecasters almost as much as the public.” — Tribune, December 26, 1935

56 Degrees (1936)

“When Chicagoans awoke to find that there was still no snow on the ground and that the gentle breezes outside were even milder than those that blessed Christmas shoppers, a general exodus to the outdoors began. Golfers invaded every course that remained open. .The parks were full of strolling couples and brand new bikes and velocipedes were taken straight from the Christmas tree to the pavements.” — Tribune, December 26, 1936

50 Degrees (1940)

“It won’t be a white Christmas.” — Tribune, 25 December 1940

55 Degrees (1971)

“Chicagoans who had visions of Christmas snowflakes yesterday were instead treated to drizzle, fog and temperatures in the mid-forties.” — Tribune, December 26, 1971

Minus 8 Degrees (1980)

“Although the cold was the worst of the young winter season, the wind was relatively calm, sparing those traveling on Thursday the extra bite of an arctic wind-chill combination.” — David Axelrod, Tribune, December 26, 1980

64 Degrees (1982)

Highest Christmas high temperature since 1871

“As the warm weather lingered Saturday, sunshine sent a few hardy sailors out on Lake Michigan, leading to a dramatic rescue in which a windsurfer whose craft broke up after being blown far from shore was plucked from icy waters by a fire department helicopter.” — Tribune, December 26, 1982

Minus 17 Degrees (1983)

Lowest Christmas low temperature since 1871

“A year ago, Christmas Eve was 62. Christmas Day was 64. … The weekend’s deadly cold — the wind chill factor dropped to 82 below — convinced many to stay home Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.” – Tribune, 26 December 1983

Minus 3 Degrees (1984)

“As children across Chicago dove into their presents, hundreds of the city’s homeless waited patiently in the 3 below zero weather.” — Tribune, December 26, 1984

Minus 11 Degrees (1985)

“Pat Sammarco spent Christmas Day serving the needs of others. She helped some sloths mate. … (Lincoln Park Zoo) is open every day year-round, and zookeeper Sammarco, along with her husband, Larry, who is in charge of the large mammals, and several dozen colleagues, designed the holiday shift this year. It wasn’t so bad though, the zookeepers agreed. Not when there were Christmas visitors to watch, intrepid souls willing to brave a wind chill factor that hovered around 30 throughout the day.” — Howard Witt, Tribune, December 26, 1985

Minus 1 degree (1990)

52 Degrees (1994)

“Christmas this year shattered another illusion – namely that it should take place in winter. Instead, there were in-line skaters wearing shorts, volleyball players in the parks and temperatures over 50 degrees.” — Tribune, December 26, 1994

Minus 7 degrees (2000)

“Tradition merged with science during the rare Christmas eclipse that was visible over Chicago from 9:45 a.m. to 12:49 p.m. Monday. Brighter than any treetop star, the half-hidden sun seemed to hint at other celestial lights, to ancient miracles and a heaven full of mysteries.” — Vanessa Gezari, Tribune, December 26, 2000

Sources: National Weather Service Chicago; Chicago Tribune reporting and archives

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