Winter Storm Risk in Chicago, IL
Risk Level: Extreme — Score 9/10
Live Winter Storm alert status near Chicago
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Live winter storm map around Chicago
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Key Risk Factors
- FEMA rates Chicago's county as Very High risk for this hazard
- Estimated annual loss of $700M from this hazard type
- 11 events recorded in proximity in recent decades
- 4 event(s) in the 12 months to Aug 9, 2026
- Average annual frequency: 4.3 events per year
Peak season: December-March
Last significant event: Winter Weather - Northern Illinois, United States (2026-01-30) — 2,620,000 people exposed
Highest Risk Cities for Winter Storms
How Chicago Compares
Notable Winter Storm Events Near Chicago
DisasterAWARE's historical archive records 5 notable winter storm events near Chicago, ranked below by impact. The most impactful: Winter Weather - Northern Illinois, United States (January 2026) — 2,620,000 people exposed; $387,501M capital exposed.
Winter Weather - Northern Illinois, United States
January 30, 2026 — ADVISORY
2,620,000 people exposed; $387,501M capital exposed
Winter Storm - Northwest Indiana, United States
January 30, 2026 — WARNING
662,000 people exposed; $76,389M capital exposed
Winter Storm - Northwest Indiana, United States
January 30, 2026 — WATCH
662,000 people exposed; $76,389M capital exposed
Winter Storm - Central, United States
January 23, 2022 — WARNING
Impact data not available
Winter Storm - Central, United States
January 25, 2021 — WARNING
Impact data not available
Winter Storm Preparedness Tips
- 1.Stock emergency supplies including extra blankets, food, water, and medications
- 2.Insulate pipes and know how to shut off water in case of pipe bursts
- 3.Keep your vehicle's gas tank at least half full during winter months
- 4.Have alternative heating sources and carbon monoxide detectors
- 5.Stay off roads during ice storms and heavy snow events
Related Pages
How this data is built
Chicago, IL winter storm risk combines Historical Event Intelligence with authoritative hazard modeling from the Geospatial Intelligence Layers catalog. Live winter storm monitoring is available through the Event Intelligence API and the DisasterAWARE Platform.
The data behind this page
Every score and event here comes from DisasterAWARE's hazard database — available as downloadable historical datasets and a real-time API.
Monitor Winter Storm Risk in Real Time
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