Heavy Precipitation in the West; Wintry Mix in the North; Fire Weather in the High Plains

Pacific moisture will continue to bring locally heavy coastal/lower elevation rain and heavy mountain snow to the West Coast and portions of the Intermountain West through Monday. A wintry mix will create hazardous travel across the northern Plains and Upper Midwest into early Monday. Dry, gusty winds are resulting in elevated to critical fire weather in the south/central High Plains. Read More >

Overview
Calendar Year Summary
Monthly and Seasonal Summaries
Monthly Calendars
Events
Additional Info

Overview

2025 Calendar Year Climate Summary Graphic

Near normal temperatures, below normal precipitation, and below normal snowfall were observed over the course of the 2025 calendar year.

CoCoRaHS Observer Calendar Year Precipitation Summary

CoCoRaHS Observer Calendar Year Snowfall Summary

2025 Calendar Year Climate Summary for Chicago and Rockford

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Chicago IL
1138 AM CST Thu Jan 1 2026 /1238 PM EST Thu Jan 1 2026/

...A Look Back at the Climate for the 2025 Calendar Year for
Chicago and Rockford...

At Chicago, the average high temperature was 60.5 degrees, which
is 1.0 degree above normal. The average low temperature was 43.6 
degrees, which is 0.6 degrees above normal. The mean average 
temperature for the year was 52.1 degrees, which is 0.9 degrees 
above normal. 29.79 inches of liquid precipitation were recorded, 
which is 8.07 inches below normal. 32.2 inches of snow were 
recorded, which is 6.2 inches below normal.


Below is a listing of daily temperature and precipitation
records, as well as top ten monthly, seasonal, and annual
temperature and precipitation records that were established for
Chicago in 2025... 

JANUARY -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

FEBRUARY -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

MARCH -- 
** 10th warmest March on record with an average temperature of
   44.4 degrees.

APRIL -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

MAY -- 
* Record daily high temperature of 94 degrees on the 15th.

JUNE --
* Record daily liquid precipitation of 1.86 inches on the 18th.
* Record daily warmest low temperature of 78 degrees on the 21st.
* Record daily warmest low temperature of 80 degrees on the 22nd.
* Tied record daily warmest low temperature of 79 degrees on the
  23rd.
* Tied record daily warmest low temperature of 77 degrees on the
  26th.
** Tied 6th warmest June on record with an average temperature of
   74.2 degrees.

JULY -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

AUGUST -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

SEPTEMBER --
** Tied 7th driest September on record with 0.49 inches of liquid
   precipitation.

OCTOBER -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

NOVEMBER --
* Record daily snowfall of 1.2 inches on the 10th.
* Tied record daily high temperature of 71 degrees on the 15th.
* Record daily snowfall of 8.4 inches on the 29th.
** 7th snowiest November on record with 10.4 inches of snow.

DECEMBER -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

SEASONAL --
* 10th least snowiest meteorological winter on record with 11.9
  inches of snow.
* 7th snowiest meteorological fall on record with 10.4 inches of
  snow.

ANNUAL -- No top ten annual records set.

..................................................................

At Rockford, the average high temperature was 60.8 degrees, which
is 2.0 degrees above normal. The average low temperature was
39.5 degrees, which is 0.5 degrees below normal. The average
temperature for the year was 50.1 degrees, which is 0.7 degrees
above normal. 27.74 inches of liquid precipitation were recorded,
which is 9.50 inches below normal. 31.1 inches of snow were
recorded, which is 6.0 inches below normal.


Below is a listing of daily temperature and precipitation
records, as well as top ten monthly, seasonal, and annual
temperature and precipitation records that were established for
Rockford in 2025... 

JANUARY --
* Record daily high temperature of 54 degrees on the 17th.
* Record daily high temperature of 55 degrees on the 30th.

FEBRUARY -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

MARCH --
* Record daily high temperature of 80 degrees on the 14th.
* Record daily high temperature of 80 degrees on the 28th.
** Tied 8th warmest March on record with an average temperature
   of 42.9 degrees.

APRIL -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

MAY --
* Record daily high temperature of 94 degrees on the 15th.

JUNE --
* Record daily warmest low temperature of 74 degrees on the 21st.
* Record daily warmest low temperature of 77 degrees on the 22nd.
  This also tied Rockford's record warmest low temperature for
  the month of June.

JULY --
* Tied record daily warmest low temperature of 74 degrees on the
  24th.

AUGUST -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

SEPTEMBER -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

OCTOBER -- No daily or top ten monthly records set.

NOVEMBER --
* Record daily high temperature of 70 degrees on the 15th.
* Record daily snowfall of 8.0 inches on the 29th.
** 4th snowiest November on record with 10.0 inches of snow.

DECEMBER --
* Tied record daily low temperature of -4 degrees on the 4th.
* Record daily snowfall of 4.9 inches on the 7th.
* Record daily coldest high temperature of 4 degrees on the 14th.

SEASONAL --
* Tied 10th driest meteorological winter on record with 2.38
  inches of liquid precipitation.
* 4th snowiest meteorological fall on record with 10.0 inches 
  of snow.

ANNUAL -- No top ten annual records set.

..................................................................

Chicago's climatic period of record dates back to:
  1871 for precipitation
  1872 for temperatures
  1884 for snowfall
Rockford's climatic period of record dates back to:
  1905 for temperatures, precipitation, and snowfall

$$

Latest Annual Climate Report: Chicago (O'Hare) | Rockford

Monthly and Seasonal Summaries

Monthly Climate Data Calendars

Chicago Daily Climate Data for the 2025 Calendar Year

Rockford Daily Climate Data for the 2025 Calendar Year

Events

January 19-24, 2025: Multiday cold spell featuring sub-zero temperatures and wind chills as cold as -35°F

2024-2025 Winter: A relatively dry winter with no significant winter storms impacting the area

March 14-15, 2025: Line of late night storms produces damaging winds and multiple tornadoes

March 19, 2025: Line of afternoon/evening storms produces damaging winds, hail, and multiple tornadoes

March 30, 2025: Line of storms produces widespread wind damage and one tornado in northwest Indiana

April 2, 2025: Two tornadoes occur in Iroquois County

Over a three week stretch in March and early April 2025, a total of four regional severe weather outbreaks spawned several tornadoes across northern Illinois and northwestern Indiana. March 14-15: 4 tornadoes March 19: 9 tornadoes March 30: 1 tornado April 2: 2 tornadoes 16 of the 25 tornadoes that were confirmed in our forecast area in 2025 occurred between March 14 and April 2! Our area typically experiences around 16 tornadoes per year. Widespread straight-line wind damage was also observed in northern Illinois on March 14th and in eastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana on March 30th.

May 15, 2025: Scattered thunderstorms produce wind damage and hail up to 3 inches in diameter

May 16, 2025: Significant dust storm impacts the region, including the Chicago metro

During the afternoon of May 16, 2025, strong winds produced by a cluster of severe storms in central Illinois and Indiana kicked up a dust storm that raced northeastward into the Chicago metro area. Visibilities dropped to near zero and winds gusted over 60 mph within the worst of this dust storm. The last time a dust storm of this magnitude had impacted the city of Chicago was during the Dust Bowl in the early to mid 1930s.

June 8, 2025: Microburst with tennis ball sized hail and 80-85 mph winds impacts Batavia, IL

During the afternoon of June 8, 2025, a supercell thunderstorm produced tennis ball size hail and 80+ mph winds in Batavia, IL, leading to highly localized but intense damage. A measured wind gust of 83 mph was the strongest recorded wind gust in our forecast area in 2025.

June 18, 2025: Line of thunderstorms produces wind damage in eastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana

July 8, 2025: Localized flash flood event in Chicago

July 16, 2025: Afternoon thunderstorms produce wind damage

July 24-25, 2025: Swath of severe winds on the 24th, followed by significant flash flooding on the 25th

During the evening of July 8, 2025, a stationary thunderstorm led to highly localized, but significant, flash flooding across part of central Chicago. A total of 2 to locally 5+” of rain fell within a 1-2 hour period over a small portion of the city. A little over two weeks later on July 25, 2025, another stationary thunderstorm caused significant flash flooding on the south side of Chicago and along the I-55 corridor into the southwest suburbs. A total of 3-6” of rain fell within a 1-2 hour period across this narrow corridor. Numerous roads, viaducts, and basements were flooded and multiple water rescues occurred during both events.

August 16-17, 2025: Multiple rounds of storms with severe weather and flash flooding

August 18, 2025: Thunderstorms result in several instances of flash flooding and localized damaging winds

August 16-17: Afternoon-Evening of 8/16: Severe hail and wind damage to parts of Chicagoland. Overnight/Early AM of 8/17: Flash flooding in parts of west & SW CHI suburbs; scattered wind damage August 18 Evening - Early AM 8/19: Several rounds of thunderstorms. Hardest hit areas were between the I-80 & I-88 corridors Significant flash flooding near Paw Paw, IL and an area from Lansing, IL to Whiting, IN

November 9-10, 2025: Intense early season lake effect snow event with up to a foot of snow accumulation

A compact low pressure system produced heavy lake-enhanced snow across portions of northwest Indiana and east-central Illinois An intense lake effect snow band focused into extreme northeast Illinois and far southeast Wisconsin

November 29-30, 2025: Post-Thanksgiving winter storm delivers up to a foot of snow to the region

December 6-7, 2025: Clipper system drops 3 to 7 inches of snow, highest amounts north of I-80

A few weeks after the mid-November lake effect snow event, a post-Thanksgiving winter storm dropped up to a foot of snow over the area. November 29, 2025 ended up becoming Chicago’s snowiest and Rockford’s second snowiest November day on record. A few additional wintry systems in early-mid December piled on to the early onslaught of snow, including the December 6-7 clipper system that produced a corridor of 5-7” snow accumulations across northern Illinois. In the 9-day period between November 29th and December 7th, both Chicago and Rockford observed more than 15” of snow!

December 28, 2025: Rare December severe weather outbreak with multiple tornadoes in central Illinois

A strong weather system tracked across the Great Lakes on Sunday, December 28th, bringing a variety of weather impacts to the region. The day started with dense fog, drizzle, and a morning round of heavy rain and thunderstorms. A second afternoon round of storms produced six tornadoes and localized swaths of damaging winds. This was followed by strong non-thunderstorm winds gusting over 50 mph, snow, and frigid cold conditions.

NWS Chicago Science and Past Events Page

Additional Information

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