January 14, 2026: Morning Snow Squall and Strong Winds

Event summary gif graphic listing peak wind gusts and snow totals, and displaying a radar loop of the snow squall

Overview
Snow and Wind Damage Reports
Peak Winds
Additional Info

Overview

During the morning of January 14, 2026, a snow squall raced southward across northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana during the morning rush hour commute, leading to dangerous travel conditions.

Northwest winds gusted from 40 to locally 60 mph in the snow squall, leading to very low visibility of 100 ft or even less. Temperatures dropped 5 to 8 degrees in 30 minutes as snow rates peaked at 1 to 2 inches per hour, leading to quick accumulations of snow on roadways.

Lake effect snow continued in northwest Indiana well after the morning snow squall ended, resulting in higher snowfall accumulations and prolonging travel impacts there. Farther east, a band of intense lake effect snow produced up to 20" of snow across a portion of southwestern Michigan and northern Indiana (more info on that here).

The definition of a snow squall is an intense, but limited duration period of intense snowfall accompanied by strong, gusty winds, falling temperatures, and very low visibility with falling snow (not unlike a line of thunderstorms during the warm season).

NWS Chicago issued several Snow Squall Warnings as the event unfolded. Snow Squall Warnings often trigger Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) on smartphones, and are geared to inform motorists or those about to travel of the impending danger.

Above: More on Snow Squall Warnings

Right: Series of Snow Squall Warnings

issued during the morning of January 14, 2026

Snow and Wind Damage Reports

Interactive Map of Latest Storm Reports

Interactive Map of Latest Snowfall Reports


...2-HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTS FROM MORNING OF 1/14/2026...

Location                     Amount    Time/Date                            
1 S Jefferson Park - Chicago 2.0 in    1101 AM 01/14                        
Oak Lawn                     1.7 in    0945 AM 01/14
Romeoville - NWS Chicago     1.6 in    1200 PM 01/14                        
Valparaiso                   1.6 in    0930 AM 01/14                        
2 E Schaumburg               1.5 in    0912 AM 01/14
3 SW Midway Airport          1.3 in    1200 PM 01/14
Chicago O'Hare Airport       1.2 in    1200 PM 01/14                        
Waukegan                     1.0 in    0738 AM 01/14                        
1 E Tinley Park              1.0 in    0910 AM 01/14                        

Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying
equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers 
for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official.

$$


Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary
National Weather Service Chicago IL
754 PM CST Wed Jan 14 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0723 AM     Snow Squall      Midway Airport          41.78N 87.76W
01/14/2026                   Cook               IL   ASOS             

            Visibility down to quarter mile and maximum 
            wind gust to 47 mph. 

0743 AM     Snow Squall      1 NW Norwood Park - Chi 42.00N 87.81W
01/14/2026                   Cook               IL   Public           

            Public report of near zero visibility in 
            Norwood Park community area of Chicago 
            during snow squall. 

0748 AM     Non-Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 NW Norwood Park - Chi 42.00N 87.82W
01/14/2026                   Cook               IL   Local Official   

            Metra UPNW line stopped due to tree or tree 
            branch downed onto tracks. Exact location 
            unknown, southeast of Park Ridge. Relayed 
            via Metra social media. 

0750 AM     Snow Squall      Gary Airport            41.62N 87.42W
01/14/2026                   Lake               IN   AWOS             

            Visibility down to quarter mile with maximum 
            wind gust to 51 mph. 

0815 AM     Snow Squall      1 NE Romeoville         41.66N 88.07W
01/14/2026                   Will               IL   NWS Employee     

            Visibility just a couple blocks at times, 
            multiple traffic collisions in the area. 

0816 AM     Snow Squall      Ohare Airport           41.98N 87.90W
01/14/2026                   Cook               IL   Official NWS Obs 

            Visibility down to quarter mile and maximum 
            gusts to 43 mph. 

0820 AM     Snow Squall      Oak Forest              41.60N 87.74W
01/14/2026                   Cook               IL   Emergency Mngr   

            EM reported zero visibility and a flash 
            freeze. 

0822 AM     Snow Squall      NWS Chicago-Romeoville  41.60N 88.08W
01/14/2026                   Will               IL   Official NWS Obs 

            Visibility down to quarter mile with maximum 
            wind gusts to 43 mph. 

0848 AM     Snow Squall      Bourbonnais             41.16N 87.89W
01/14/2026                   Kankakee           IL   Dept of Highways 

            IDOT traffic camera near Latham Drive and 
            Main Street shows visibility of just a few 
            blocks in snow squall. 

0850 AM     Snow Squall      Valparaiso              41.47N 87.06W
01/14/2026                   Porter             IN   Public           

            Public reported via social media of heavy 
            snow, wind gusts estimated to 50 mph and 
            visibility down to a tenth of a mile. 

0850 AM     Snow Squall      4 NW Wilmington         41.35N 88.19W
01/14/2026                   Will               IL   Dept of Highways 

            IDOT traffic camera on I-55 near Kankakee 
            River shows visibility of approximately 0.1 
            miles in snow squall. 

0903 AM     Snow Squall      1 ESE Sun River Terrace 41.12N 87.73W
01/14/2026                   Kankakee           IL   Public           

            IDOT traffic camera indicates visibility of 
            approximately 0.2 miles in snow squall. 

0904 AM     Snow Squall      2 N Manteno             41.28N 87.84W
01/14/2026                   Kankakee           IL   Dept of Highways 

            IDOT traffic camera shows visibility of 
            approximately 0.25 miles or less on I-57 at 
            MM324. 

0906 AM     Snow Squall      Crown Point             41.42N 87.37W
01/14/2026                   Lake               IN   Public           

            Social media video of strong wind gusts, 
            snow falling and visibility down that could 
            not see light pole approx 400 feet away. 

0912 AM     Snow Squall      Kankakee                41.12N 87.87W
01/14/2026                   Kankakee           IL   Local Official   

            City of Kankakee webcam near downtown train 
            station shows visibility of approximately 
            0.15 miles in snow squall. 

0925 AM     Non-Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 SSE Bonfield          41.12N 88.04W
01/14/2026                   Kankakee           IL   Dept of Highways 

            IL-17 blocked near 8000W Road due to downed 
            power line. Relayed via TravelMidwest/IDOT. 

0946 AM     Snow Squall      3 E Roselawn            41.14N 87.27W
01/14/2026                   Jasper             IN   Dept of Highways 

            IN-DOT traffic camera on I-65 at IN-10 shows 
            visibility of approximately 0.25 miles. 


&&

$$

Peak Winds

...HIGHEST WIND REPORTS FROM MORNING OF 1/14/2026...

Location                     Speed     Time/Date                            
4 SW Crescent City           61 MPH    0936 AM 01/14
2 SE Lake Station            58 MPH    0930 AM 01/14
2 WNW Sugar Grove            56 MPH    0725 AM 01/14
3 SW Crescent City           56 MPH    0936 AM 01/14
3 SE Flanagan                55 MPH    0855 AM 01/14
3 NNE Leland                 52 MPH    0901 AM 01/14
Rockford Airport             51 MPH    0658 AM 01/14
2 NNW Cissna Park            50 MPH    0936 AM 01/14
3 E Mazon                    50 MPH    0843 AM 01/14
3 SSE Symerton               49 MPH    0843 AM 01/14
1 WNW Odell                  49 MPH    0849 AM 01/14
2 WNW Michigan City          48 MPH    0750 AM 01/14
Harrison-Dever Crib          48 MPH    0706 AM 01/14
3 N Lakes of the Four Season 48 MPH    0837 AM 01/14
5 NNW Fairbury               48 MPH    0855 AM 01/14
3 WNW Mazon                  48 MPH    0830 AM 01/14
3 ENE Grand Ridge            46 MPH    0843 AM 01/14
Clifton                      46 MPH    0906 AM 01/14
Iroquois                     46 MPH    0945 AM 01/14
3 NW Merrillville            44 MPH    0837 AM 01/14
1 NNW Crystal Lake           44 MPH    0843 AM 01/14
West Chicago - DuPage Arpt.  44 MPH    0747 AM 01/14
Peru Airport                 43 MPH    0819 AM 01/14
3 S Bonfield                 43 MPH    0856 AM 01/14
1 N West Dundee              43 MPH    0850 AM 01/14
1 ENE DeKalb                 43 MPH    0850 AM 01/14
3 WSW Leland                 42 MPH    0845 AM 01/14
1 NE Remington               41 MPH    0929 AM 01/14
4 ENE Bourbonnais            41 MPH    0855 AM 01/14
Wheeling - Chicago Exec. Arp 41 MPH    0726 AM 01/14

Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying
equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers 
for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official.

$$

Additional Information

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Additional event recaps can be found on the NWS Chicago Past Events Page

Heavy Rain and Flooding Possible in the Southwest U.S, Ohio Valley, and Hawaii

January 14, 2026: Morning Snow Squall and Strong Winds