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SNOW
CHICAGO
WINTER RECORDS
FREEZING
TEMPERATURES
Earliest Day to Fall to 32
Degrees
32
degrees F on Sep 22, 1995
Earliest
Day to Fall Below 32 Degrees
29
degrees F on Sep 23,
1995
Latest Day to Fall Below 32
Degrees
31
degrees F on May 21, 2002
Latest
Day to Fall to 32 Degrees
32
degrees F on May 25, 1992
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Coldest
Month
Longest
stretch of freezing weather (43
days) began on December 28, 1976
and lasted through February 8th,
1977.
SNOWFALL
(in inches)
GREATEST TOTALS:
Seasonal
Greatest
89.7 in 1978-79
Month
42.5 in January 1918
Storm
23.0
in Jan 26-27 1967 'Big Snow'
24
hours
19.8 in January 26-27
1967
'Big Snow' 1967. Funnel clouds
reported in southwest Chicago on
January 24, 1967 prior to snow
storm. Following the 'Big Snow'
the 1967 season was an extreme
snow season with snow falling on
the first six of seven days of
February, which began with 19
inches on the ground -- 9 inches
added by February 7. A short
blizzard hit on February 23
adding another 4.5 inches of snow
with 40 mph gusts and lightning
and thunder. Over 50 deaths
indirectly related to storm. The
area's worst tornado outbreaks to
date followed on April 21,
1967.
Greatest
in Calendar
Day
18.6 in January 2, 1999
EARLIEST SNOWFALL
Trace snowfall has been
reported on September 25, 1928
and September 25, 1942. Earliest
measurable snowfall is 0.2
inches October 18, 1972. Another
0.6 inches of snow fell on
October 19, 1972. First snowfall
greater than one inch in one day
was 3.8 inches on October
19, 1989. A three-day total
including and following this date
totalled 6.3 inches.
LATEST SNOWFALL
Latest snowfall (.2 inch)
has been reported on May 11th,
1966. Some areas of the Chicago
metro area reported 2
inches of snow from strong
easterly winds. The latest
official snowfall greater than
one inch occurred May 1 and May
2, 1940 when 2.2 inches of
total snowfall occurred.
ONE INCH OF SNOW IS ABOUT THE EQUIVALENT OF ONE FOOT OF SNOW.
SNOW REMOVAL COMPANIES
American
Snow Removal
SNOW REMOVAL TIPS
Snow Removal can be a real aggravation on the To Do list or it can be fun winter work turned to play. Just keep these tips in mind from ArlingtonAthletics.com and Exercise-Reports.com ...
The Physical Exertion Factor
Shoveling can be good exercise, but only if you are already in good shape. Shoveling stresses the low back, neck and shoulders and the cardiovascular system.
The low back is most stressed by lifting snow that is too heavy on the shovel. Use good judgment in choosing how much snow you allow yourself to lift and throw or dump from the shovel. Also, poor lifting technique can cause back muscle strain and herniated intervertebral discs. A healthy person should bend the knees and hips while reaching down to pick up the snow. There is normally a slight curve in the low back, known as lordosis, that should remain neutral as you bend your knees and hips during descent. Actually, the pelvis should tilt forward on the way down and become upright during the lift as the knees and hips straighten. If a person does not bend their knees and hips and tilt the pelvis forward during descent, and straighten the knees and hips and upright the pelvis during ascent; there is much more stress on the back that puts intervertebral discs, ligaments and muscles at risk of injury. It is also very important to avoid spinal rotation, which is defined by the shoulders turning to the direction of snow release before the feet turn to the direction of snow release. Avoid twisting or rotating the spinal column while your shovel is loaded. Loaded spinal rotation puts the intervertebral discs at greater risk to herniation.
The shoulders and neck are under stress during shoveling because they transmit the forces of the weight of the shovel and snow from the arms to the body and down toward the feet and to the earth. This grounding of forces is part of plain old physics. The muscle forces of the body that lift the weight of the snow and the shovel send an equal and opposite reaction of force to the earth through the feet. Exercise physiologists and personal trainers call this transfer 'force attenuation.' Keep in mind your feet are on a slippery surface, so grounding of forces is even more difficult than lifting on a stable surface. Basically, if you are not coordinated during lifting and don’t use good body mechanics, your neck and shoulders can experience more stress than necessary. When the body is not good at sending forces to the ground, the forces at the neck and shoulder forces sort of pile up right at the neck and shoulders -- muscles get strained, and the neck vertebrae and intervertebral discs get compressed. Force attenuation is one of the reasons core training is so important. Strong, coordinated and flexible abdominal muscles and low back muscles are the big force acceptors and force transferers. The better the condition of the core, the better the core accepts forces occurring at the neck and shoulder and transfers those forces to the legs and feet for grounding.
Last, but not least is cardiovascular stress. Every year people die from heart attacks or sudden cardiac death while shoveling snow. The combination of speed and load can be very stressful on the cardiovascular system. Learn to pace during shoveling. Learn to take your heart rate and know your safe target heart rate range. Watch for symptoms of breathlessness, muscle fatigue and chest discomfort. Keep in mind the following: (1) heavy load puts more stress on the heart, (2) excessive speed of shoveling puts more stress on the heart, (3) how far you throw the snow puts varying levels of stress on the heart, (4) longer duration of shoveling puts more stress on the heart, and (5) breathing cold air puts more stress on the heart and lungs. Consider multiple shoveling sessions rather than one big session at the end of the snowfall. Watch the weather forecast and radar to keep up with snowfall expectations.
The Safety Factor
The biggest safety factors involve snowblowers (See Snowblowers on Amazon). Snowblowers get much more work done with less physical exertion than snow shoveling, but they do have their risks. Never put your fingers or hands near any moving parts of a snow blower, such as the chute or the auger. Fingers and hands can be amputated by snowblower augers. Newspapers can clog a snow blower. Don’t be tempted to clear the blower while it is running. Make sure it can’t accidentally start-up during clearance.
Be careful where you are throwing the snow ... don’t hit bystanders with projectiles.
Be careful getting too close to the end of the driveway while snow plows pass your driveway. Snow plows can pick off something off of the street and toss a projectile in your direction that could cause serious injury or death.
Snow Maintenance
Plan where you are going to pile up the snow, if you are experiencing a heavy snowfall. Don’t block your view from traffic in the street or pedestrians in the sidewalk with huge piles of snow. Sometimes it is important to plan ahead to manage how melting snow may affect drainage and re-freezing overnight. Be ready with calcium carbonate material or other ice meters (Ice Melters on Amazon) for walking and driving areas that melt and re-freeze.
Landscaping
Heavy, wet snow can bend and snap tall evergreens and other trees. Consider tying the branches of trees at risk with rope. Don’t use wire. It can cut and damage the tree.
Legal
Please see the Illinois Snow and Ice Removal Act (CIVIL IMMUNITIES
745 ILCS 75 Snow and Ice Removal Act) for information on liability of owners who have cleared their property of snow.
Dress for Success in the
Snow and Winter ...
Check Out
ChicagoSportsWeather.com ...
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LAKE
SNOW
EXAMPLE
RADAR
An thumbnail example of Lake Snow
from Weather Underground.
Click
Here
to see the current
radar
for Chicago.
WINTER PREPARATION AND SERVICE
FROM THE VILLAGE OF ARLINGTON
HEIGHTS* (SUMMMARY: check for
latest details on
VAH.COM)
WHEN IT SNOWS ...
Public Works Department is busy
keeping 230 miles of streets in
Arlington Heights cleared of ice
and snow accumulation.
Snow fighters are on 24 hour call
and will be on the streets
salting or plowing within 45
minutes of being alerted by a
supervisor.
Supervisors monitor broadcast
weather programs and utilize a
private weather service be alert
of rapidly changing local
conditions which may result in
snowfall or freezing rain.
Snowfall accumulations of less
than two inches
Eighteen trucks are
dispatched to spread rock salt on
all the streets and municipal
lots -- work usually completed
within four to six hours.
Snowfall accumulations greater
than two inches
Twenty large trucks and 12
smaller cul-de-sac trucks are
dispatched to plow all the
streets. The length of time
required to clear the streets in
these heavier snowfalls will vary
with the snowfall intensity, wind
speed, and temperature; however,
the streets are generally
cleared within eight hours
after the end of the storm.
Arterial and Collector Streets
are cleared first. Trucks will
make two opening passes on all
streets in the zone and then
return later to plow the street
full width to the curb.
Residents are advised to wait
until after the plows have moved
the snow to the curb before
attempting to clean the their
driveway apron. Significantly
more snow will fall from the end
of a plow onto a cleared apron
than onto a snow covered
apron.
An additional crew is called in
each time it snows to clear eight
miles of sidewalks around public
parking lots, around areas
leading to the downtown train
station, around Village owned
buildings, around the PACE bus
stop shelters, and on some school
routes.
Snow and ice control operations
are one of the more costly
services provided to the
residents.
During the '98-'99 winter season
Public Works trucks drove a total
of 42,350 miles and used 5,380
tons of salt to clear the snow
and ice.
PREPARATION
For the Public Works Department,
winter begins in September and
continues through April.
Significant snowfalls can arrive
as early as Thanksgiving in
November.
Equipment is maintained during
the summer months.
First deliveries of de-icing
materials arrive in October. Rock
salt arrives in quantities of 400
to 500 tons per order (20 semi
trucks) and is stored in the
Village's Salt Dome near Ridge
and Wing Street. Up to 4000 tons
to 8000 tons of rock salt can be
used in a normal winter.
Flake-melt de-icing is used on
sidewalks and
Calcium-Magnesium-Acetate is used
in parking structures. C.M.A.
melts the snow and ice and helps
protect the concrete and metal
parts of the parking garage from
corrosion damage.
In mid-November the Public Works
Department holds its annual Snow
Day. Drivers are assigned to one
of 30 zones in the Village for
plowing and salting. Drivers
travel through their zones to
become thoroughly familiar with
the route, and any unusual
obstacles or conditions which may
become hidden during a snowfall.
Also, the drivers sharpen their
operating skills by traveling
through an obstacle course full
of narrow turns and maneuvers.
WINTER
SAFETY TIPS
Although not required by
Ordinance, residents are
encouraged to be good neighbors
by clearing snow from the
sidewalks adjacent to their
homes. Please be especially
careful while walking and
driving. Although the pavement
may look dry, a patch of ice
could be lurking anywhere.
Be Kind to Your Heart - Snow
shoveling can be very strenuous.
Work at a comfortable pace, you
can always finish the work
tomorrow. Watch out for
frostbite!
Watch Your Hands - If your
snowblower becomes clogged, turn
it off! If it is electric, unplug
it! Do not attempt to clear a
clogged snowblower unless it has
NO chance of restarting. Then use
a stick to clear the blockage -
not your hands.
Adopt a Hydrant - Keep snow
cleared for three feet on all
sides of fire hydrants in your
neighborhood. This will save
valuable time for Firefighters in
the event of an emergency. The
house you save may be your
own.
Keep Away from Snowplows - If you
happen to be out walking or
shoveling your driveway and you
see a snowplow approaching, stand
well back from the edge of the
pavement. The driver will slow as
he approaches you, but even at
very slow speeds objects can
easily be thrown fifteen feet
from the snowplow.
Park Away from the Street - Avoid
parking in your driveway with
your bumper close to the edge of
the street. This practice is
hazardous to the plow driver,
hazardous to your vehicle, and
hazardous to your neighbors as it
can interfere with complete
clearing of the snow from street
pavements. In most locations this
practice is also against Village
Ordinance, as the vehicle winds
up parked within the street right
of way overnight - a prohibited
practice.
Maximize Street Width - If you
are having guests over to your
home, advise them ahead of time
to all park on the same side of
the street. When vehicles are
parked directly opposite each
other, and especially if not all
the way up against the curb, the
resulting narrowed roadway width
can make it difficult for
emergency vehicles to pass
through.
SNOW TIPS
Shovel it Once - Wait until plows
have cleared your street from
curb to curb before cleaning your
driveway apron. Snowplows leave
significantly more snow on a
clean drive than on a snow
covered drive. Throw your snow on
the parkway to the left of walks
and drives as viewed from the
street looking towards the house.
Subsequent snowplow passes will
push this extra snow away from
your drive rather than into the
drive.
Garbage Disposal - Place your
garbage in the parkway
approximately three feet from the
edge of the street. Do not place
your garbage in the street.
Mailboxes - Residents are
responsible to keep snow cleared
from in front of mailboxes.
Snowplow drivers will clear as
close to the boxes as possible.
Should you be unfortunate enough
to have your mailbox knocked down
by a snowplow, please call
847-368-5834. Temporary repairs
are made to damaged mailboxes
within one day of the end of a
storm, with permanent
replacements in the spring. If
you are on a County or State
plowed route, we will put you in
contact with the appropriate
agency. If you are planning to
install a new mailbox, please
telephone 847-368-5834 for the
proper setback from the roadway.
SNOW
REGULATIONS
Parking Restrictions - Parking is
not allowed on Village streets
from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. daily. In
addition, no parking is allowed
on Village streets after two
inches of snowfall, until such
time that the street is
completely cleared of snow.
Snow Deposits on Streets - Snow
cleared from private areas may
not be deposited on public walks
or streets. Snow cleared from
walks or drives may not be
deposited in the streets. Besides
being against Village ordinance,
these practices may result in
hazardous conditions.
PREVENT FROZEN WATER PIPES
There are some easy steps that
you can take to help protect
yourself from the inconvenience
and possible expense of frozen
water pipes. Indoors, the pipes
to be concerned about are those
which run in an enclosed space
along an outside wall, or run
uninsulated through a crawl
space.
When the outdoor air temperature
drops below 10° F, opening
the cabinet doors to the sink or
using a fan to circulate warm air
into the crawl space can help
keep your pipes from freezing.
Moving water through the pipes
will also help. Establishing a
flow of one to two drops per
second through both the hot and
cold water pipes should do.
Most water services are buried
deep enough that they do not
freeze, even during our coldest
temperatures. Of those that are
susceptible, they may actually be
freezing at the point where they
rise to enter the building in a
crawl space or other cold
location. Insulating the water
piping and blowing warmer air
into these spaces can help. A
buried water service pipe will
freeze when the ground
surrounding the pipe is frozen,
and there is insufficient flow of
water through the pipe to keep
the temperature above freezing.
Our Lake Michigan water can be as
cold as 33°F in mid- winter,
so it can freeze fairly quickly
if left standing motionless.
If your water service has not
frozen in the past, you are
probably safe. If you have had
your water service line freeze,
it will freeze again without any
corrective action on your part.
Any time outside temperatures
fall below 10°F for a week
and especially if they fall to
0°F, you must establish a
small trickle of water through a
cold water faucet to keep the
service flowing. You cannot stop
the flow even for short intervals
or the service will freeze. You
must keep the trickle running
even when outside temperatures go
back up. The ground will warm up
much more slowly than the air. If
the temperature remained at
10° F for 5 days, keep the
trickle running until there have
been at least 5 days in a row
where the temperatures were above
freezing, or even longer if it
seems like there may be any
lessening of water flow through
your pipes. The longer
temperatures remain low, the
longer it will be necessary to
keep a trickle running through
your service to protect it.
Unfortunately, the only permanent
solution to a recurring freezing
service is to replace it with
new, deeper buried service pipe.
___________________
*Much
of this text was reproduced from
the official Village of Arlington
Heights Website Public Works
pages. Please stay updated with
the latest information from the
Village
of Arlington
Heights
website. The information is
considered to be public domain
and subject to fair use. For the
best and safest information look
for the latest information from
the Village of Arlington Heights,
which may update prior to updates
on this page without
notice.
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