Forecasters predict as much as 3 inches of snowfall on Tuesday, November 24.
Tuesday morning could be the first real snowfall of the season with meteorologists predicting as much as 3 inches in the west and northwest suburbs. The National Weather Service has stated it is unlikely to stick around through Thanksgiving but it will be Chicago’s first taste of winter.
The first traces of snow arrived in Chicago towards the end of October but the weather soon turned and the following weeks have been blessed with surprisingly pleasant temperatures and no more snowfall.
Accumulating snow of 1-3” is expected across much of northern IL late tonight into Tue. morning, with the highest totals in north-central IL away from the Chicago metro. The snow will transition to rain by the afternoon, with period of rain expected to continue through Wed. pic.twitter.com/NxnR3XTGtn
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) November 23, 2020
According to Mark Ratzer, senior forecaster and meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s office in Romeoville, the snow will begin falling at some point between 3 am and 4 am and roads may be dangerous during rush hour. The city is likely to see under an inch of snow, Ratzer said, while the far northwest communities could see up to 4 inches when they wake up on Tuesday morning.
The snow is expected to fall steadily throughout the early hours of Tuesday and into the morning before it changes to rain around 10 am. With temperatures improving later in the week it’s unlikely any snow will stick around through Thanksgiving but Ratzker has warned of a slushy and soggy week ahead.
In nearly 150 years Chicago has only experienced 17 Thanksgivings with more than a trace of snow. The highest snowfall, when more than 3 inches covered O’Hare airport, was almost 40 years ago back on November 27, 1980.