Snowstorm arriving ahead of Christmas, how will this year compare to past?
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A winter storm is arriving ahead of Christmas. CBS 2 looked into how this year's conditions compare to past historic years.
A strong storm is expected to hit Chicagoland with just about everything -- cold temperatures, high winds, dangerous wind chills and potentially significant snow Thursday evening through Friday. The lows on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are likely to be in the single digits. Wind chills will likely be well below zero on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
High temperatures are expected to be near 18 degrees with lows in the single digits on Christmas Day, which compared to nearly 40 years ago would have been pretty pleasant.
The coldest reported Chicago Christmas was in 1983 when low temperatures dropped to -17 degrees. The high temperature that year was only -5 degrees. Christmas Eve that year was even colder than Christmas Day, with a low of 25 below zero.
If you can believe it, the warmest Chicago Christmas was reported just a year before in 1982 when high temperatures reached 64 degrees. Our archive coverage shows that Lake Michigan was blue and brilliant – and there were windsurfers out on the water.
The second warmest Chicago Christmas was more recent in 2019 when temperatures were recorded at 57 degrees.
CBS 2 meteorologist Robb Ellis reported in 2019 that Chicagoans were seen at parks and on the beach, enjoying the warm Christmas weather.
Now for snow totals.
The snowiest Christmas in Chicago was reported in 1950 with 5.1 inches. A total of 5 inches were reported in 1909, making it the second snowiest Christmas. In terms of measurable snow already on the ground on Christmas morning, 1951 claims the prize with 17 inches, followed by 2000 with 12.
For this year's upcoming storm, it is too early to determine potential snow totals or what areas of Chicagoland will see the worst of the storm. CBS 2 meteorologists will provide First Alert Weather updates as they become available.