2025 Early-Season Thanksgiving Weekend Blizzard

Vernon Hills, IL

Just days after Thanksgiving in late November 2025, Chicagoland was hit with an early-season blizzard that dropped 8–10 inches of snow over two days—before we even turned the calendar to December. What a way to kick off the 2025–2026 snow season. At a busy retail shopping center in Vernon Hills, Illinois, the McNelly Services Snow & Ice Management Team mobilized quickly, putting our preseason planning into action. From the first flakes through the heaviest bands of snow, our crews stayed on site and on call, cycling plow trucks and sidewalk teams through the property, applying salt strategically, and continuously monitoring conditions remotely to stay ahead of refreeze and drifting. The time-lapse video below captures the storm’s intensity and our response—from whiteout conditions to clean, safe parking lots and walkways—delivering the accessibility and peace of mind our retail clients need to keep their doors open, even in an early winter blast.