Overview & Graphics

Fast Facts:

• Both November and meteorological fall 2022 were warmer than normal in both Chicago and Rockford. In Chicago, November 2022 logged 9 days with a high temperature at or above 60°F and 5 days with a high temperature at or above 70°F. Rockford saw a total of 5 days in November where high temperatures were at or above 60°F and 3 days with high temperatures at or above 70°F.


• Meteorological fall 2022 will continue a growing string of 12 consecutive meteorological seasons with above normal average temperatures in both Chicago and Rockford. The last meteorological season with below normal average temperatures in both cities was fall 2019 (September to November 2019), when the average seasonal temperature was 0.8°F below normal in Chicago and 0.9°F below normal in Rockford.
  • The same streak does not exist for individual months. October 2022 featured an average monthly temperature in Rockford that was 0.8°F below normal (51.2°F) and an average monthly temperature in Chicago that was equal to normal (54.0°F). July 2022 was the last month in Chicago with a below normal average monthly temperature (the average monthly temperature of 75.3°F was 0.1°F below the 1991-2020 climatological normal average monthly temperature of 75.4°F). 
• November and meteorological fall 2022 were drier than normal in Chicago. This follows a drier than normal meteorological summer where the seasonal precipitation total was 2.85" below normal. Since June 1, 2022, Chicago-O'Hare is running more than 7" behind normal in terms of precipitation, which is contributing to the ongoing "Moderate/D1" drought.
  • ​November 2022 was also drier than normal in Rockford, but this meteorological fall, Rockford finished with a precipitation total that was above normal by 0.30". However, it should be noted that 5.36" of Rockford's 8.82" of fall precipitation fell in the span of two days on September 11th and 12th, with the rest of the season there being relatively dry like the rest of the area.
  • The September 11-12 event also produced a localized swath of 4-5"+ of rainfall on the north side of the city of Chicago, which caused flooding in this part of the city. The heaviest rainfall narrowly missed O'Hare Airport (the official weather observation site for the city of Chicago), so these heavier rain totals are not reflected in the official seasonal precipitation total for Chicago.
• Meteorological fall 2022 featured more days with reported severe weather (e.g. damaging winds, hail, and/or a tornado) than normal. When considering the years 2001 to 2020, there are typically 3 days of severe weather in northern Illinois and northwest Indiana during meteorological fall. During meteorological fall 2022, the NWS Chicago forecast area registered 6 days with at least one report of severe weather. The majority of days had localized severe weather (i.e. no more than a few reports) with the most widespread severe weather occurring on November 5th. More information about the climatology of severe weather in the NWS Chicago forecast area can be found here.

Graphics:

CoCoRaHS Observer Monthly Precipitation Summary

CoCoRaHS Observer Seasonal Precipitation Summary

...A Look Back at the Climate for Meteorological Fall (September,
October, November) 2022 for Chicago and Rockford...

At Chicago, the average high temperature for the fall season was
63.8 degrees, which is 1.6 degrees above normal. The average low
temperature was 46.0 degrees, which is 0.5 degrees above normal.
The mean temperature for the season was 54.9 degrees, which is
1.0 degree above normal.

A total of 4.72 inches of precipitation was recorded during this
past fall, which is 4.32 inches below normal. In addition, a
total of 1.1 inches of snow was recorded, which is 0.9 inches
below normal.


Records established or tied during the fall months:

September: None

October:
* Tied record daily snowfall of a trace on the 17th.
* Tied record daily highest minimum temperature of 63 degrees on
  the 24th.

November:
* Record daily highest minimum temperature of 61 degrees on the 4th.
* Record daily highest minimum temperature of 60 degrees on the 10th.
* Record daily maximum temperature of 76 degrees on the 10th.

No top ten seasonal records were set this past fall.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

At Rockford, the average high temperature for the fall season was
63.2 degrees, which is 1.6 degrees above normal. The average low
temperature was 40.7 degrees, which is 1.3 degrees below normal.
The mean temperature for the season was 52.0 degrees, which is
0.2 degrees above normal.

A total of 8.82 inches of precipitation was recorded during this
past fall, which is 0.30 inches above normal. In addition, a
total of 2.3 inches of snow was recorded, which is 0.2 inches
below normal.


Records established or tied during the fall months:

September:
* Record daily precipitation total of 4.46 inches on the 11th.

October:
* Tied record daily snowfall of a trace on the 17th.
* Record daily lowest maximum temperature of 42 degrees on the 17th.

November:
* Record daily highest minimum temperature of 59 degrees on the 4th.
* Record daily maximum temperature of 76 degrees on the 10th.
* Tied record daily snowfall of 0.8 inches on the 16th.

No top ten seasonal records were set this past fall.

Latest Seasonal Climate Report:   Chicago    |    Rockford

...A Look Back at the Climate for the Month of November 2022 for
Chicago and Rockford...

At Chicago, the average high temperature was 51.7 degrees, which
is 3.3 degrees above normal. The average low temperature was 35.1
degrees, which is 1.0 degree above normal. The average
temperature for the month was 43.4 degrees, which is 2.1 degrees
above normal. During the month of November, 0.86 inches of
precipitation were recorded, which is 1.56 inches below normal.
1.1 inches of snow were recorded, which is 0.7 inches below
normal.

Three daily records were set for Chicago during the month of
November 2022:

* Record daily highest minimum temperature of 61 degrees on the 4th.
* Record daily highest minimum temperature of 60 degrees on the 10th.
* Record daily maximum temperature of 76 degrees on the 10th.

At Rockford, the average high temperature was 50.2 degrees, which
is 3.1 degrees above normal. The average low temperature was 30.1
degrees, which is 0.4 degrees below normal. The average
temperature for the month was 40.2 degrees, which is 1.4 degrees
above normal. During the month of November, 1.46 inches of
precipitation were recorded, which is 0.81 inches below normal.
2.3 inches of snow were recorded, which is equal to normal.

Two daily records were set and one tied for Rockford during the
month of November 2022:

* Record daily highest minimum temperature of 59 degrees on the 4th.
* Record daily maximum temperature of 76 degrees on the 10th.
* Tied record daily snowfall of 0.8 inches on the 16th.

Latest Monthly Climate Report:   Chicago    |    Rockford

Events

• November 5, 2022: Damaging winds sweep across northern Illinois and northwest Indiana
• September 20, 2022: Scattered thunderstorm wind damage from Beloit to the western Chicago suburbs
• September 18, 2022: Hail to the size of ping pong balls in Geneva and St. Charles
• September 11-12, 2022: 3 to 5" of heavy rainfall produces flash flooding on the north side of Chicago

​NWS Chicago Science and Past Events Page