Chicago's seasonal snowfall is a closely watched phenomenon. The 2025-26 season is being compared to historical data to understand potential trends and impacts. The city's average annual snowfall is 38.4 inches, but there's significant variability from year to year. For example, the 2024-25 season saw a notably lower accumulation of only 17.6 inches. Historical records show extremes such as the winter of 1978-79, which had a record 89.7 inches of snow, and the winter of 1920-21, which had a mere 9.8 inches.