Winter Storm Stella and a Weird March Lake-Effect Snowfall, Ends Chicago's Record-Long Stretch Without Snow Cover

Winter Storm Stella finally ended Chicago's record-long streak without at least one inch of snow on the ground that extended back to Christmas Day.

Stella brought light snowfall to the Windy City from March 12-13. Then lake effect snow developed thanks to northeast winds across Lake Michigan after Stella moved east, causing major travel problems throughout the metro area into much of March 14, 2017.

Chicago O'Hare International Airport had officially picked up 7.7 inches of snow through 7 p.m. CDT March 14 from Stella and the lake-effect snow. A snow depth of 6 inches was measured at 7 a.m. CDT Tuesday morning.

This March snow event is on par with the heaviest of the season in Chicago, which was 7.8 inches Dec. 10-11.

Chicago went through January and February without so much as an inch of snow on the ground for the first time in recorded history.

Oddly enough, March 14 was the latest in the season the Windy City had 6 inches on the ground in 18 years.

According to the National Weather Service in Romeoville, Illinois, Christmas morning was the last day O'Hare reported at least an inch of snow on the ground prior to Stella.