First freeze 2026 · Chicago, IL
When is Chicago's first freeze?
None yet through Nov 7, 22 days past the normal date (Oct 16). 28 of 154 falls since 1872 went past Nov 7 without a freeze.
- This fall
- None yet
- Normal date
- Oct 16 (1991-2020 median)
- Earliest on record
- Sep 22, 1995
- Latest on record
- Nov 24, 1931
- Record since
- 1872 (154 falls)
- Station
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Coldest so far
- 33°F on Nov 7
- Hard freeze (28°F)
- None yet through Nov 7, 2 days past the normal date (Nov 5). 70 of 154 falls since 1872 went past Nov 7 without a hard freeze.
Common questions
When is Chicago's first freeze?
Around Oct 16. That is the median date of the first freeze (a low of 32°F or colder) at Chicago O'Hare International Airport over the 1991-2020 falls, our calculation from NOAA's record.
Has Chicago had its first freeze this fall?
None yet through Nov 7, 22 days past the normal date (Oct 16). 28 of 154 falls since 1872 went past Nov 7 without a freeze.
What is the earliest first freeze on record in Chicago?
Sep 22, 1995, in a record that goes back to 1872.
What is the latest first freeze on record in Chicago?
Nov 24, 1931.
Every fall on record
| Season | Date | Low |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Nov 9 | 26°F |
| 2024 | Nov 20 | 32°F |
| 2023 | Oct 30 | 31°F |
| 2022 | Nov 11 | 32°F |
| 2021 | Nov 2 | 32°F |
| 2020 | Oct 28 | 31°F |
| 2019 | Oct 30 | 32°F |
| 2018 | Oct 13 | 32°F |
| 2017 | Nov 6 | 32°F |
| 2016 | Nov 12 | 31°F |
| 2015 | Nov 8 | 28°F |
| 2014 | Oct 30 | 32°F |
| 2013 | Oct 22 | 29°F |
| 2012 | Oct 8 | 32°F |
| 2011 | Nov 10 | 32°F |
| 2010 | Oct 29 | 31°F |
| 2009 | Oct 10 | 31°F |
| 2008 | Oct 28 | 31°F |
| 2007 | Nov 2 | 31°F |
| 2006 | Oct 12 | 30°F |
| 2005 | Oct 23 | 32°F |
| 2004 | Oct 5 | 31°F |
| 2003 | Oct 2 | 31°F |
| 2002 | Oct 14 | 30°F |
| 2001 | Oct 6 | 30°F |
| 2000 | Oct 7 | 30°F |
| 1999 | Oct 24 | 28°F |
| 1998 | Nov 6 | 31°F |
| 1997 | Oct 15 | 31°F |
| 1996 | Oct 10 | 31°F |
| 1995 | Sep 22 | 32°F |
| 1994 | Oct 26 | 32°F |
| 1993 | Sep 30 | 31°F |
| 1992 | Oct 16 | 29°F |
| 1991 | Oct 15 | 32°F |
| 1990 | Oct 11 | 32°F |
| 1989 | Oct 4 | 32°F |
| 1988 | Oct 5 | 32°F |
| 1987 | Oct 3 | 31°F |
| 1986 | Oct 15 | 32°F |
| 1985 | Oct 6 | 32°F |
| 1984 | Sep 29 | 32°F |
| 1983 | Oct 26 | 32°F |
| 1982 | Oct 16 | 32°F |
| 1981 | Oct 2 | 32°F |
| 1980 | Oct 4 | 32°F |
| 1979 | Oct 14 | 32°F |
| 1978 | Oct 17 | 32°F |
| 1977 | Nov 10 | 31°F |
| 1976 | Oct 17 | 32°F |
| 1975 | Nov 13 | 30°F |
| 1974 | Oct 1 | 32°F |
| 1973 | Nov 5 | 24°F |
| 1972 | Oct 17 | 32°F |
| 1971 | Nov 4 | 27°F |
| 1970 | Nov 1 | 31°F |
| 1969 | Oct 23 | 29°F |
| 1968 | Nov 8 | 32°F |
| 1967 | Oct 26 | 31°F |
| 1966 | Oct 30 | 30°F |
| 1965 | Oct 29 | 30°F |
| 1964 | Oct 9 | 32°F |
| 1963 | Nov 2 | 30°F |
| 1962 | Oct 24 | 30°F |
| 1961 | Oct 27 | 32°F |
| 1960 | Oct 20 | 30°F |
| 1959 | Oct 28 | 29°F |
| 1958 | Nov 6 | 32°F |
| 1957 | Oct 26 | 32°F |
| 1956 | Nov 8 | 30°F |
| 1955 | Oct 25 | 32°F |
| 1954 | Oct 30 | 29°F |
| 1953 | Nov 5 | 28°F |
| 1952 | Oct 6 | 28°F |
| 1951 | Oct 29 | 31°F |
| 1950 | Nov 4 | 27°F |
| 1949 | Oct 25 | 31°F |
| 1948 | Oct 17 | 26°F |
| 1947 | Nov 8 | 30°F |
| 1946 | Nov 13 | 31°F |
| 1945 | Oct 9 | 32°F |
| 1944 | Oct 16 | 30°F |
| 1943 | Oct 17 | 31°F |
| 1942 | Sep 25 | 30°F |
| 1941 | Oct 28 | 30°F |
| 1940 | Nov 11 | 20°F |
| 1939 | Oct 31 | 32°F |
| 1938 | Nov 8 | 30°F |
| 1937 | Oct 14 | 30°F |
| 1936 | Oct 26 | 32°F |
| 1935 | Nov 5 | 28°F |
| 1934 | Oct 28 | 31°F |
| 1933 | Oct 25 | 32°F |
| 1932 | Nov 10 | 31°F |
| 1931 | Nov 24 | 30°F |
| 1930 | Oct 18 | 29°F |
| 1929 | Nov 5 | 32°F |
| 1928 | Oct 29 | 30°F |
| 1927 | Nov 5 | 28°F |
| 1926 | Oct 27 | 32°F |
| 1925 | Oct 26 | 30°F |
| 1924 | Nov 8 | 32°F |
| 1923 | Oct 30 | 27°F |
| 1922 | Nov 20 | 32°F |
| 1921 | Nov 10 | 31°F |
| 1920 | Oct 29 | 31°F |
| 1919 | Nov 4 | 30°F |
| 1918 | Nov 22 | 30°F |
| 1917 | Oct 13 | 30°F |
| 1916 | Nov 13 | 23°F |
| 1915 | Oct 9 | 32°F |
| 1914 | Oct 27 | 28°F |
| 1913 | Oct 20 | 31°F |
| 1912 | Nov 1 | 29°F |
| 1911 | Oct 27 | 32°F |
| 1910 | Oct 28 | 31°F |
| 1909 | Oct 12 | 31°F |
| 1908 | Nov 5 | 30°F |
| 1907 | Nov 10 | 31°F |
| 1906 | Oct 10 | 30°F |
| 1905 | Oct 28 | 29°F |
| 1904 | Nov 11 | 32°F |
| 1903 | Nov 6 | 31°F |
| 1902 | Nov 23 | 31°F |
| 1901 | Nov 3 | 20°F |
| 1900 | Nov 8 | 24°F |
| 1899 | Sep 30 | 32°F |
| 1898 | Oct 23 | 32°F |
| 1897 | Nov 6 | 30°F |
| 1896 | Oct 19 | 31°F |
| 1895 | Oct 20 | 24°F |
| 1894 | Oct 14 | 32°F |
| 1893 | Oct 28 | 31°F |
| 1892 | Oct 30 | 32°F |
| 1891 | Nov 1 | 28°F |
| 1890 | Oct 30 | 30°F |
| 1889 | Nov 4 | 32°F |
| 1888 | Oct 3 | 32°F |
| 1887 | Oct 12 | 30°F |
| 1886 | Oct 1 | 32°F |
| 1885 | Nov 13 | 30°F |
| 1884 | Oct 23 | 28°F |
| 1883 | Nov 1 | 31°F |
| 1882 | Nov 12 | 30°F |
| 1881 | Nov 14 | 26°F |
| 1880 | Oct 17 | 32°F |
| 1879 | Oct 31 | 28°F |
| 1878 | Oct 27 | 28°F |
| 1877 | Nov 3 | 30°F |
| 1876 | Oct 15 | 28°F |
| 1875 | Oct 30 | 32°F |
| 1874 | Oct 31 | 30°F |
| 1873 | Oct 23 | 28°F |
| 1872 | Oct 10 | 31°F |
Sources
- Daily low temperature and snowfall, threaded station records (ThreadEx), NOAA Regional Climate Centers, Applied Climate Information System (ACIS)