When does the Chicago area typically see its first trace of snow?

Chicago Forecast When does the Chicago area typically see its first trace of snow? With lake-effect snow possible later this week, how would snowfall now compare to historical trends in the Chicago area? By NBC 5 Storm Team • Published November 9, 2026 • Updated on November 9, 2026 at 9:32 am It’s been an above-average fall in terms of temperatures, but could the Chicago area soon see its first real hints of winter? According to NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Iisha Scott, there is a very real possibility that winds howling down Lake Michigan, along with plunging temperatures over land, could lead to the formation of lake-effect snow later this week, and that snow could ultimately drift toward the west and potentially impact the city of Chicago. Stream NBC 5 for free, 24/7, wherever you are. WATCH HERE Due to the warm temperatures the area has experienced this fall, that snow isn’t expected to stick to the ground and accumulate, and in all likelihood any snow that does fall will be mixed with rain, according to Scott’s forecast on Monday morning. Still, the possibility of the area seeing its first traces of snow is intriguing to Chicago residents, and it begs the question of when the region typically gets its first real taste of winter. According to the National Weather Service, the area is surprisingly overdue for its first trace of snowfall. The first trace of snowfall, defined as simply the first observed snowflakes at the city’s official weather reporting station at O’Hare International Airport, typically falls sometime around Halloween, according to NWS. The earliest the region has seen that first trace of snowfall actually occurred much earlier, with snowflakes in the air on September 25, 1942. The latest first trace of snowfall the city of Chicago has observed occurred on Dec. 5, 1999. Local Evanston 41 minutes ago Suburban 17-year-old killed in tragic Deerfield crash: Coroner NBC 5 Investigates 2 hours ago Chinese espionage scandal raises questions for Illinois universities and Nvidia According to the latest forecasts, lake-effect showers are expected to develop on Thursday morning, with precipitation falling as rain in the Chicago area, especially in parts of northwest Indiana and in areas of Illinois along the state line. As temperatures drop Thursday night and into Friday morning, some of that precipitation could end up falling as snow. The forecast then calls for that band of precipitation to slowly shift further west into Illinois, where it could end up impacting more parts of the Chicago area, including the city itself. If there is snow observed at O’Hare Airport, it would mark the first time the city of Chicago would have recorded snow since March 18, according to NWS data. For those curious, the National Weather Service also has averages for when the city of Chicago typically sees its first measurable snowfall, defined as snow of at least one-tenth of an inch of accumulation. That average date is actually coming up on November 18, with the earliest such date occurring Oct. 12, 2006. Finally, the typical first day that the city of Chicago sees an inch of snow occurs on December 7, according to the NWS. Stay tuned to NBC Chicago throughout the week for updates on the forecast, and be sure to download the NBC Chicago app for real-time weather alerts sent directly to your phone. This article tagged under: Chicago Forecast