Dear Tom,
We’ve had a lot of precipitation this year. Are there any records so far?
— Andy Fowler, Woodstock
Dear Andy,
No records, but it certainly has been wet this year. Through Oct. 13, the city has officially logged 41.88 inches of water-equivalent precipitation, the sum of all the rain and snow that has fallen. That total is more than a foot (12.24 inches) above normal. We asked Chicago climatologist Frank Wachowski to rank the city’s year-to-date precipitation, and since 1871, only two other years have logged more: 42.27 inches in 2008 and 42.04 inches in 2011. In both years, the wet trend continued with those two years ranking as the city’s two wettest: 50.86 inches in 2008 and 49.83 inches in 2011. In stark contrast, the city’s driest year to date was the “Dust Bowl” year of 1934 with just 14.66 inches of precipitation.
Has Chicago set any records for precipitation this year?

-
Did Chicago’s 2018 precipitation set a new record?
-
Does the fact we’re way above average for rain fall this summer mean we are likely to have more than normal snow fall this winter?
-
Chicago’s record consecutive days with precipitation
-
Could we have record low for snow this winter?
-
Colder, drier air follows latest winter storm
-
-
What is Chicago’s record for consecutive days with snow?
-
What is the record for the most days of measurable snow in a season and might we come close to it this winter?
-
Was December 2018 a record low for snow in Chicago?
-
Has Chicago ever had a winter without a significant snow event?
-
What is the city’s longest period without snow cover?
-
-
How much below normal were November temperatures?
-
It seems the Chicago area had fewer thunderstorms in 2018 than in previous years. Is that correct?
-
Has November ever been the snowiest month in a winter here?