One Year Later: Snowmageddon 2011

High temperatures in the area hovered around 58 degrees Tuesday. It’s hard to believe that exactly one year ago we were bracing for nearly two feet of snow.

We’re taking a look back at the storm that buried  between Feb. 1-2, 2011, through pictures and statistics. We’ll all be that much more grateful for this year’s (so far) mild winter. All storm data comes from the National Weather Service. 

Snowfall totals: Romeoville got 17.1 inches of snow during the blizzard. Between Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2011, snowfall totaled 21.2 inches officially at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, making it the third largest snowstorm on record for the city of Chicago, according to the National Weather Service.

Blown away: Wind gusts of up to 59 mph hit Romeoville during the storm’s peak on Feb. 1, 2011. 

Peak hours: The most snow fell between 6 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. Feb. 1, 2011. O’Hare saw 10.6 inches collect during that time. 

History made: The storm dropped the most snow — 20 inches — during a 24-hour period at O’Hare in recorded history. All told, it was the third biggest blizzard ever in Chicago. 

Hanging around: The snow stuck around for 16 days after the storm.

Romeoville buried: Public works crews were kept busy keeping up with the heavy snowfall, which left some Romeoville roads impassable and . Businesses including Walmart and Buffalo Wild Wings had to close, police said, and even squad cars got stuck in the white stuff and had to be rescued by Romeoville Emergency Management Agency and public works vehicles. Those who couldn't make it home in the blizzard were able to wait it out at the Romeoville Recreation Center. About 75 people took shelter there during the "Snowtorious B.I.G." of 2011.