Dear Tom,
The temperature was in the mid-80s on both Oct. 8 and Oct. 9, and the first measurable snow was Nov. 9. Is that a record for the quickest transition from 80s to snow?
— TR Valentine, Plano
Dear TR,
It is not, and it is not even close to the record. It took just three days in October 1989 for the Chicago area to transition from a three-day string of 80s to measurable snow. The city basked in the 80s from Oct. 13-15, peaking at 85 degrees Oct. 14. Temperatures began to drop after a cold front passage as north winds increased. Some rain fell Oct. 16-17 and transitioned to wet snow early Oct. 18 as readings fell into the lower 30s, with O’Hare officially measuring 0.7 inches. Wet snow continued the next few days with slushy accumulations of a couple of inches reported across most of the area.
It took just three days in October 1989 for the Chicago area to transition from a three-day string of 80s to measurable snow.
What is the record for the quickest transition from 80s to snow in Chicago?

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.
-
When was the last time we have had measurable snow for Halloween?
-
Shortest time span between seasonal snows
-
Dear Tom, How often do we have measurable snow in April and October of the same year?
-
How often has there been precipitation on Oct. 31? Has it ever snowed ?
-
Does early-season snow portend an extra-snowy winter?
-
-
Final days of October to turn colder and wet
-
Snow Advisory ended – new record October 30 snowfall for Chicago
-
Montana is blanketed in almost two feet of snow and it’s not even October yet
-
Winter chill to return following Monday’s rain
-
The warmth preceding the blizzard of January 1967
-
-
How are trace amounts of precipitation accounted for in total precipitation?
-
Winter Weather Advisory issued across Chicago area, snow expected overnight
-
What is the largest drop in temperatures that Chicago has ever had, from one day to the next?