No white Christmas in northern Illinois this year as lack of measurable of snowfall breaks record

The last time northern Illinois had no snowfall this late into the season was almost 10 years ago, and it doesn’t look like that will change in time for Christmas.

“We do not see any snow at this moment for the rest of this week,” said Brian Leatherwood, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Chicago. “This is way out there, but we might see a chance on Monday.”

This year’s lack of snow breaks a record held since 2012. Leatherwood said that for the most part the lack of snow is a bit “unusual.”

“This past Monday is the latest in the season we have gone without snow, so we definitely beat the record, and looks like we are going to continue that for the next few days,” he said.

The record for the latest first measured snowfall of the season was Dec. 20, 2012, according to the National Weather Service. With no snow expected until next week, that record, which already has been passed, makes this season the latest measurable snowfall the area has seen since the National Weather Service began recording such events in 1909.

The average first snowfall of the season occurs Nov. 18, making the area more than a month overdue for measurable snow, according to the National Weather Service.