Chicago is no stranger to some rainy weather during spring, but the 2026 season is shaping up to be a historically soggy one!
If data from the National Weather Service is any indication, Chicago is in the midst of its rainiest spring on record in nearly 40 years.
Here’s a look at the numbers and what they mean for the remainder of the season.
The rainiest first half of spring in 4 decades
Spring is halfway over, and Chicago has recorded a sopping 10.01 inches of rain since the start of meteorological spring on March 1, according to the NWS.
Tuesday, April 14 was the rainiest April day locally since 2013, and the 6th rainiest April day in Chicago ever, with 2.34 inches recorded at O’Hare airport.
The last time the Windy City tracked this much rain in the first half of spring was way back in 1983, more than 40 years ago.
That year, Chicago saw an all-time high spring rain total of 17.5 inches, a record which still stands to this day.
This begs the question—could 2026 be the year to finally shatter this long-standing Chicago rain record?
While we can’t say for certain just how much rain we’ll get in the second half of spring, more storms are in the forecast.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms are likely Friday night, according to the NWS, with totals up to one inch possible.
Additional showers are possible Saturday morning, with clear skies to follow for the rest of the weekend.