History of the NWS in Chicago
The first Federal weather office was established in Chicago on October 15th, 1870, under the
jurisdiction of the Army Signal Service. Observations have been taken continuously since that time, except for a fourteen day period in October
1871 immediately following the Great Chicago Fire.
Professor Increase A. Lapham, noted for his effort to establish a national weather service in the country,
was specially assigned to the Chicago office in November of 1870, as a forecaster. He has the distinction
of having issued the first storm warning ever sent out by the Weather Service on either the Great Lakes or the
oceans. His warning was issued on November 8th, 1870 (and it turned out to be correct!).
During the greater portion of the period prior to 1891, general forecasts and storm warnings for
the Great Lakes were issued at Washington, but with the transfer of the weather agency from the Signal Service
to the Department of Agriculture, various small forecast districts were established. The Chicago office at first
was assigned nothern Illinois and northwest Indiana. In May 1894, the small forecast districts were merged into a few
large ones, with the Chicago office's new forecast area extending from the Great Lakes to the Rocky Mountains!
NWS Observing Station Locations
| City |
| Location | Occupied | Location from Previous | Elevation (ft MSL) | Remarks |
| 181 W. Washington | 10/15/70 to 10/08/71 | NA | 594 | Station abandoned 10/8/71 in Great Chicago Fire all records lost |
| 427 W. Randolph | 10/15/71 to 06/11/72 | 1600ft WNW | 597 | Room rented 10/14, regular observations resumed on the 16th |
| 20 N. Wacker | 06/11/72 to 06/08/73 | 800ft SE | 590 | |
| Roanoke Building, Madison & LaSalle Streets | 06/08/73 to 01/01/87 | 1500ft ESE | 590 | |
| Chicago Opera House, Clark & Washington Streets | 01/01/87 to 02/01/90 | 500ft NE | 595 | |
| Auditorium Tower, Wabash & Congress | 02/01/90 to 07/01/05 | 3000ft SSE | 596 | |
| US Court House, 219 S. Clark | 07/01/05 to 11/30/64 | 1600ft NW | 594 | Official Chicago Observatory thru 1925: climate obs beginning January 1926 |
| US Court House, 219 S. Clark | 12/01/64 to 10/15/70 | 300ft SE | 594 | climatological observations |
| University of Chicago |
| Rosenwald Hall, 58th and University Ave. | 01/01/16 to 3/31/62 | NA | 594 | Official Chicago Observatory 1/1/26 to 6/20/42 |
| 5730 S. Woodlawn | 04/01/62 to present | 825ft NE | 594 | climatological observations |
| Midway Airport |
| National Airtransport Hangar, 5940 S. Cicero | 02/13/28 to 11/03/32 | NA | 610 | |
| South Terminal Building, 6200 S. Cicero | 11/03/32 to 01/16/80 | 5/16 mi S | 610 to 8/1/63 then 607 | Official Chicago Observatory 7/1/42 thru 1/16/80 |
| O'Hare International Airport |
| International Terminal Building | 10/30/58 to 03/07/85 | NA | 656 | Official Chicago Observatory 1/16/80 thru 3/7/85 |
| International Hardstand Operations Building | 03/07/85 to 01/19/89 | 3/4 mi ESE | 658 | Official Chicago Observatory 3/7/85 thru 1/19/89 |
| 10600 W. Higgins Rd, Rosemont, IL | 01/19/89 to 12/07/93 | 1.2 mi NE | 658 | Official Chicago Observatory 1/19/89 to 12/07/93 Office consolidated with WFSO |
| US Postal Service 11600 W. Irving Park Rd. | 12/07/93 to present | 3.3 mi S | 658 | Official Chicago Observatory since 12/7/93 |
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