Thanksgiving weather in Chicago: The most extreme conditions since 1872

Since Thanksgiving doesn’t occur on the same date each year, the temperature and precipitation values can vary dramatically.

Here’s a look back at the warmest, coldest, wettest and snowiest Thanksgiving holidays in Chicago, going back to 1872. Data is from the National Weather Service and was measured at the city’s official recording site, which has been O’Hare International Airport since Jan. 17, 1980. For almost a century prior to that, sites around downtown Chicago, the University of Chicago and Midway International Airport were used to gather definitive weather data.

Vintage Chicago Tribune: Thanksgiving Parade turns 90

Warmest

Chicago experienced its warmest Thanksgiving on Nov. 24, 1966, when it was 69 degrees.

In 2025, the high was 34 degrees.

Coldest

Chicago experienced its lowest low Thanksgiving temperature on Nov. 23, 1950, when it was Minus 1 degree.

In 2025, the low was 25 degrees.

Wettest

Rain accumulating in more than 1 inch of precipitation has occurred once since 1872, according to the National Weather Service.

But at least a little bit of rain tends to fall on Thanksgiving — precipitation ranging from a trace to more than an inch has fallen in more than half of the 154 years on record.

Snowiest

Since 1872, snowfall of more than a trace has been recorded just 17 times on Thanksgiving.

A record snowfall of 3 inches fell at O’Hare airport on Nov. 27, 1980.

Sources: National Weather Service Chicago; Tribune archives and reporting

Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago’s past.