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Winter in Lake County, Illinois
96 winter storms and snow events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Winter Storm, Winter Weather, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice Storm, Lake-Effect Snow, Sleet.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 96 winter events in Lake County, Illinois, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 28 years.
January is the busiest month, with 33 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 79 events against 17 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.2% of the 8,149 winter events recorded in Illinois; its 21.6 per 100 square miles compares with 14.7 statewide.
NCEI attributes 5 deaths in the county to winter storms and snow.
Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Lake County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter events since 1950 | 96 | 8,149 | 287,339 |
| Per 100 square miles | 21.6 | 14.7 | 8.1 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.3 | 6.4 | 8.7 |
| Deaths recorded | 5 | 116 | 2,509 |
| Busiest month | January | January | January |
By year
Seasonality
33Feb
26Mar
11Apr
2May
0Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
1Nov
6Dec
17
Recorded events
All 96 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Mar 2026 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Jan 2026 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Jan 2026 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Dec 2025 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Dec 2025 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Nov 2025 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Nov 2025 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Feb 2025 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Feb 2025 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Mar 2024 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2024 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jan 2024 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Jan 2024 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jan 2024 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Mar 2023 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Feb 2023 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Feb 2023 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Jan 2023 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Dec 2022 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Feb 2022 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Feb 2022 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Feb 2022 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Feb 2022 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2022 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jan 2022 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jan 2022 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Feb 2021 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Feb 2021 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Jan 2021 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Jan 2021 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Jan 2021 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jan 2021 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Dec 2020 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Oct 2019 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Apr 2019 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Apr 2019 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Feb 2019 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Feb 2019 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Feb 2019 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jan 2019 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2019 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Jan 2019 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Nov 2018 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Feb 2018 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Mar 2017 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Dec 2016 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Dec 2015 | Sleet | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Nov 2015 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Feb 2015 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Feb 2014 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Jan 2014 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Jan 2014 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Mar 2013 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Feb 2013 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Feb 2013 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Feb 2012 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Jan 2012 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Feb 2011 | Blizzard | — | — | — | 3 | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Dec 2010 | Lake-Effect Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Dec 2010 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Feb 2010 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Jan 2010 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Dec 2009 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Mar 2009 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Jan 2009 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Dec 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Mar 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Feb 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Feb 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Jan 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jan 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Dec 2007 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Dec 2007 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Dec 2007 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Dec 2007 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Dec 2007 | Ice Storm | — | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Feb 2007 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Feb 2007 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Dec 2006 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Nov 2006 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Jan 2006 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Jan 2005 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Jan 2005 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Mar 2003 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Mar 2002 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Jan 2002 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Dec 2000 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Feb 2000 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Mar 1999 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jan 1999 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Mar 1998 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jan 1998 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Nov 1997 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Jan 1997 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Jan 1997 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many winter events has Lake County had?
96 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of winter storms and snow became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded winter event in Lake County?
15 Mar 2026 (Winter Weather). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Lake County?
The ice storm of 1 Dec 2007, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1K.
How does Lake County compare with Illinois for winter?
21.6 events per 100 square miles against 14.7 statewide; the county holds 96 of the state's 8,149 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Winter hub and the county page.