Illinois · season guide
Sledding season in Chicago
NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Chicago Ohare Intl. Airport weather station, about 10 miles from the middle of our Chicago hill list show November as the first month that averages an inch of snow or more (1.8 inches). The normals are monthly averages, so they can't give a first-snow date. Some years come early, some late.
January is the snowiest month on average, at 11.3 inches.
Across a normal year the station records about 38.4 inches of snow. That puts Chicago at 59 of 98 metros on this site, ranked from snowiest down.
About 44 days a year have an inch or more of snow on the ground.
That's close to Rockford, the nearest metro on our list (37.1 inches).
9 of the 15 hills we list here come from a city, county or park district page.
Month by month
| Month | Average snowfall | Days with 1 inch or more of new snow | Days with 1 inch or more on the ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| October | 0.2 inches | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| November | 1.8 inches | 0.5 | 1.3 |
| December | 7.6 inches | 2.2 | 9.2 |
| January | 11.3 inches | 3.6 | 16.1 |
| February | 10.7 inches | 3.1 | 11.9 |
| March | 5.5 inches | 1.5 | 4.6 |
| April | 1.3 inches | 0.4 | 0.5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, station USW00094846. "Not stated by source" means NOAA publishes no value for that station.
Lit hills
4 hills on our Chicago list have lights according to the cited source. Light schedules change, so check the source page before a night trip.
- Caldwell WoodsLights mentioned by source
- Dan Ryan WoodsLights mentioned by source
- Swallow Cliff Woods NorthLights mentioned by source
- Westchester WoodsLights mentioned by source
Local rules
We didn't find a city-wide sledding rule for Chicago in the sources we checked. Individual parks may post their own signs, and those win.
Hours and status lines
Where a source gives hours or a phone line for hill status, here it is. Call before a long drive.
- Caldwell Woods847-647-2240
- Dan Ryan Woods773-233-3766
- Swallow Cliff Woods NorthNeeds at least 6 inches of snow. · 708-839-5617
- Westchester WoodsUnlit hills: 10 a.m. to sunset daily when conditions allow. · 708-447-0090
- Deer Grove847-437-8330
- Pioneer Woods708-839-5617
- Thaddeus Lechowicz Woods847-647-2240
- Schiller Woods East773-625-0606
Short answers
When does it usually start snowing in Chicago?
In NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the Chicago Ohare Intl. Airport station, November is the first month averaging an inch of snow or more. The normals are monthly averages, not a date.
How much snow does Chicago get in a year?
About 38.4 inches a year at the Chicago Ohare Intl. Airport station, per NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals.
Are there lit sledding hills in Chicago?
Yes. 4 hills on our list have lights per the cited source: Caldwell Woods, Dan Ryan Woods, Swallow Cliff Woods North, Westchester Woods.
Updated