Notts County's hopes of staying up took a knock from this result whereas Chesterfield's prospects have marginally improved.
The outcome must have left Notts manager Gary Mills wondering about the wisdom of having agreed at half-time with Stockport referee Scott Matthieson that the game should continue with half a gale blowing around Meadow Lane.
The conditions made control and passing virtually impossible in a nondescript first 45 minutes and the second half was a distinct improvement on the first.
Notts got in front only six minutes after the break - from the game's first corner.
Stefan Oakes flighted the ball perfectly to the back post where central defender Nick Fenton headed powerfully over the line.
It was Notts failure to add to their advantage that in the end cost them two vital points.
They came closest when Oakes rattled the woodwork with a vicious drive and then Carl Muggleton - largely idle in the first half - turned two good efforts from Andy Parkinson round his post.
Two minutes after Fenton's goal Chesterfield were to be reduced to ten men when leading scorer Glynn Hurst was red-carded for seeming to head-butt Notts defender David Pipe.
But Chesterfield kept plugging away and earned an equaliser that was both a bit fortunate and certainly controversial.
Steve Blatherwick flicked on a free kick which, in trying to clear, Notts skipper Ian Richardson turned into the net off the underside of the bar. The big question was whether on-loan goalkeeper Pegguy Arphexad should have been more decisive in coming to meet the ball.
The equaliser seemed to knock the heart out of Notts who seldom looked capable of restoring their lead.
Mills was defiant afterwards despite the setback. With eight games to go he said he did not accept relegation as inevitable, though he conceded a tough challenge lay ahead.