Here’s a look back at the warmest, coldest, wettest and snowiest Christmases in Chicago since 1872. The data comes from the National Weather Service and was measured at the city’s official recording location, which has been O’Hare International Airport since January 17, 1980. Almost a century earlier, sites around downtown Chicago, the University of Chicago and Midway International Airport were used to collect definitive weather data.

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

Vintage Chicago Tribune: It’s not Christmas without…

Warmest

Chicago experienced its warmest Christmas on December 25, 1982 64 degrees. The following year, however, Chicago experienced a low temperature of minus 17 degrees – the coldest Christmas in the city. There have been at least three instances in the last 150 years in which the area was hit by opposite temperature extremes in consecutive years.

The peak was in 2024 39 degrees. The peak was in 2023 59 degrees– the second warmest on record in Chicago for that day. There were also highs in the mid-50s in 2021 and 2019.

Coldest

On December 25, 1983, Chicago experienced its lowest Christmas temperatures Minus 17 degree.

The low point was in 2024 32 degrees.

Wettest

Rain has occurred accumulating to a depth of half an inch or more twice since 1872, according to the National Weather Service.

In both years, rain turned to snow, measuring about five inches each. The Tribune reported in 1909, “Every street in the Loop district was full of slush, making crossing dangerous.” Then, in 1950, “taxi companies reported a big business as they were unable to handle all the calls Citizens left their cars at home and sought other forms of transportation for holiday gatherings.”

But at Christmas it usually rains at least a little – less than an inch of rain fell 95 of the 154 years on record.

Snowiest

Since 1872, only snowfalls of more than an inch have been recorded 16 just on Christmas day.

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

Timeline: How the Tribune reported Christmas highs and lows

50 Degrees (1877)

“Yesterday was the most uneventful and unspectacular of all the Christmases celebrated in Chicago since the city existed and had a name. December 25th last year was terribly cold. Last year’s was sloppy and cold. But that day was unforgettable because it was a day of continuous rain, without a trace of the snow and ice that usually characterize this time of year.”—Tribune, December 26, 1877

52 Degrees (1891)

“Yesterday’s change in the weather saw temperatures drop nearly 25 degrees in a few hours, and many who were out in reasonably warm clothing felt well cooled before they could return home.”—Tribune, December 26, 1891

Minus 2 degrees (1892)

“It seemed a bit like the weather of previous Christmas seasons, with cold gusts of wind from the north. Snowdrifts, rays of sunshine, and all the merriment that follows a raging winter storm.”—Tribune, December 26, 1892

52 Degrees (1893)

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

56 Degrees (1895)

“The unique sight of an endless stream of children with dolls moving along Michigan Avenue attracted the attention of guests at hotels along the way. Such was the interest of the spectators in the children that many stopped and examined and commented on their dolls.”—Tribune, December 26, 1895

Minus 3 degrees (1903)

“One death, numerous accidents and delayed streetcar service have already resulted from the storm, which came unannounced and took the city by surprise.” – Tribune, December 26, 1903

Minus 1 degree (1914)

“The mercury shot below zero this morning. Between 3pm and 9pm last night the temperature fell by four degrees and was two degrees above zero. By midnight it had reached zero and was still declining.”—Tribune, December 26, 1914

Minus 6 degrees (1924)

“Yesterday was the coldest Christmas Day in fifty-two years in Chicago. The mercury fell to 6 degrees below zero at 3:30 a.m. and remained near zero throughout the day despite bright sunshine. … Four deaths due to the cold and 154 fire alarms were recorded during the day.” – Tribune, December 26, 1924

Minus 2 degrees (1935)

“Christmas brought Chicago a terrible cold snap and a snowstorm that surprised the meteorologist almost as much as the public.”—Tribune, December 26, 1935

56 Degrees (1936)

“When Chicagoans woke up to find that there was still no snow on the ground and that the gentle breeze outside was even milder than that favoring Christmas shoppers, a general exodus to nature began. Golfers rushed to every course that remained open. The parks were filled with strolling couples, and brand-new bicycles and velocipedes were brought straight from the Christmas tree to the sidewalks.”—Tribune, December 26, 1936

50 Degrees (1940)

“It will not be a white Christmas.” – Tribune, December 25, 1940

55 Degrees (1971)

“Chicagoans who had visions of Christmas snowflakes yesterday were instead treated to drizzle, fog and temperatures in the mid-40s.” – Tribune, December 26, 1971

Minus 8 Degrees (1980)

“Although the cold snap was the worst of the young winter season, the wind was relatively calm, so those traveling Thursday were spared the added bite of an arctic wind-cold combination.” — David Axelrod, Tribune, December 26, 1980

64 Degrees (1982)

Highest Christmas high temperature since 1871

“As the warm weather continued Saturday, sunshine sent some resilient sailors out onto Lake Michigan, resulting in a dramatic rescue in which a windsurfer whose boat fell apart after being blown far from land was rescued by a fire department helicopter waters.” – Tribune, December 26, 1982

Minus 17 degrees (1983)

Lowest Christmas temperature since 1871

“A year ago, the high on Christmas Eve was 62. On Christmas Day it was 64. … The weekend’s deadly cold – the wind chill factor fell to 82 – discouraged many from staying home on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.” — Tribune , December 26, 1983

Minus 3 Degrees (1984)

“As children across Chicago dug into their presents, several hundred of the city’s homeless waited patiently in minus-three-degree weather.” — Tribune, December 26, 1984

Minus 11 Degrees (1985)

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

Minus 1 Degree (1990)

52 Degrees (1994)

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

Minus 7 degrees (2000)

“Tradition and science merged during the rare Christmas eclipse visible over Chicago from 9:45 a.m. to 12:49 p.m. Monday. The half-hidden sun shone brighter than any star on a tree and seemed to allude to other celestial lights, to ancient wonders and a sky full of secrets.” — Vanessa Gezari, Tribune, December 26, 2000

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

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