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Discover the Biggest December Snowstorm to Ever Hit Illinois

Andrew Dupont

Published: December 10, 2023 12:04 pm

When most people think of Illinois, they immediately picture Chicago. Given the fact that almost 75% of the state’s entire population lives within the Chicagoland area, that makes sense. One of the most notorious gangsters, Al Capone, resided here for most of his life. Much of Illinois is open land and farming areas. Summers here can be hot and humid. Winters are the total opposite, though.

For a city like Chicago that sits right on Lake Michigan, winters are filled with cloudy days and frigid temperatures. Lake Michigan causes tons of snow to fall in the city and surrounding area. The moist air brings the windchill down even further. It’s not uncommon for Chicago to see temperatures below zero degrees and snowfall.

The fact that the city sits right on Lake Michigan would make you assume that this is where the state’s worst December snowstorm took place. Believe it or not, that would be false. This is the story of the worst December snowstorm in the history of Illinois.

Illinois’ Worst December Snowstorm

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Just before Christmas in 2004, a terrible storm was brewing over the midwestern section of the United States. However, it wasn’t going to hit the usual parts like Chicago, Cleveland, and northern Indiana. Instead, the southern parts of these states were hammered with snow. The southeastern area of Illinois gets snow, but not like this.

Between December 23 and Christmas, there were almost 20 inches of snowfall here. This is by far and away the most amount of snow southeastern Illinois has ever experienced. The roads became so icy because of the awful temperatures. There were even some parts that had almost six inches of ice. Christmas travel was canceled this year thanks to highways and interstates having to close for safety reasons. Tons of small businesses lost out on customers due to nobody wanting to leave the comfort of their homes.

Those who did try to brace the roads were met with lots of issues. There were 100,000 car accidents caused by this storm alone. Millions of people didn’t have power during the storm. Even though it was a white Christmas, the locals would have preferred it to be a little tamer than it was.

Will Illinois Ever See a Storm Like This Again?

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Seeing a snowstorm like this is rare. However, it ranks as the fourth worst snowstorm in all of Illinois. Seeing that there have been so many worse storms, it’s easy to think that this type of storm could theoretically happen again. The most likely place for it to occur is in or around the Chicago area. As previously mentioned, Chicago sits on Lake Michigan. Those who have ever lived next to one of the Great Lakes or have family near them know how awful it can get.

It also would more than likely happen towards the end of the month. January is the snowiest month of the year in Chicago. Almost a foot of snow on average falls during this time of the year. January is also the coldest month of the year, meaning snowfall is more likely to come. All of this together means that the closer you get to January, the more likely it is to see a December storm like this again.

What to Do If You’re Caught in a Storm Like This?

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If you live in an area that’s predicting a storm like this, there are plenty of things to do to prepare. The first thing you need to do is make sure you have a backup generator or something to keep warm. If you’re not able to stay warm until the power comes on since it will more than likely fail, you’re going to have much bigger problems on your hands.

It’s also important to stock up on non-perishable foods. Odds are, the power won’t be out for very long if it does indeed go out. Stocking up on food that won’t go bad means you won’t have to make any trips to the grocery store and leave your house during the storm. This is when accidents and deaths take place since the roads are unsafe to drive on.

You also need to make sure you have an adequate bottled water supply. There’s a high likelihood pipes will freeze and fresh water won’t be able to come out. The best way to not have to stress is by having gallons of water and 24-packs.

If possible, the best thing to do would be to go somewhere else until the storm passes. It could make a great excuse to visit family that’s not close to you. Safety always needs to be the number one priority during a storm like this. Stocking up on food and water, making sure you have heat, and trying to escape for a few days before the storm ensures you’ll make it out just fine.